by Lisa Kerrigan
Traditional Coffee Styles
- Short Black – one dose in small cup or glass – about 35mm and with rich “crema” on the top
- Cappuccino – short black with two thirds frothed creamy milk – if required chocolate sprinkled on top
- Caffe Latte – short black served in a glass (generally 8 oz) topped with two thirds creamy milk separating to about 10mm of foam on top
- Macchiato – short black with a dash of milk or dollop of foam served in espresso glass or cup (can be long or short)
- Long Black – Espresso base coming to about 10mm below top of cup, often served with a double shot to give good crema.
- Ristretto – very short, short black – extremely intense
Bastardised Coffee Styles
- Vienna – long black coming only two thirds to top of cappuccino cup topped with whipped cream and chocolate sprinkle
- Mallowcino – cappuccino with two marshmallows put into cup before coffee is poured in so that they melt slightly
- Affogato – short black poured over a scoop of ice-cream
- Granita – short black poured over crushed ice sweetened with sugar syrup
- Corretto – short black with a dash of “grappa”
- Moccacino – short black topped with rich, hot, creamy chocolate milk and chocolate sprinkles
- Betty-Blue – double shot espresso served in a bowl topped with two thirds rich, creamy milk
Always make sure the machine and grinder are clean so that the coffee is absolutely fresh.
At the end of the day store the coffee in the grinder hopper in the fridge to ensure freshness.
Remember less volume means more flavour, so expect the coffee to take no more or less than about 25 seconds to come from the machine.
If you don’t drink coffee you should not be making it. Don’t think that anyone can jump on a coffee machine and make a worthwhile coffee.
Milk should be no hotter than 70˚c and no cooler than about 67˚c. The milk temperature and consistency is so important It should be creamy as opposed to frothy and once added to the cup should create a firm cream on the top.
Coffee that slops around in the glass or cup should be tipped down the sink!! NEVER and I repeat NEVER spoon the “froth” into the cup and then hold back the cream and pour the milk in. There should be no difference between the milk and the cream in any coffee when it is going into the cup.
Remember that if the coffee is close to perfect your business will be to. Coffee drinkers are much more discerning than they ever used to be and it is up to you to give them what they want. Do so and they will be loyal. Don’t and they won’t!