Mocha-Cinnamon Cafe Au Lait
Cafe au Lait
Cappuccino

By Jim Baker, Journal-World
Lawrence KN 011905

When it's freezing outside -- as it has been lately -- few things are as
soothing as sitting down to a hot cup of coffee. Less soothing, though, is
trying to decode the swirl of coffee lingo out there, used to describe the
seemingly endless variety of coffee drinks that are available, as well as
the many different types of beans, roasts and preparation methods. For
those
who have trouble telling a cafe au lait from a cafe latte, we offer a
"primer" covering the basics of the beloved bean -- and all the
derivatives
thereof.

Espresso
A dark, strong coffee made by forcing steam through finely ground,
specially
blended, Italian-roast coffee. Served in a demitasse cup. A double is two
shots of espresso with the normal amount of all other ingredients in your
coffee drink.

Americano
Espresso cut with hot water to fill an American-size cup. Usually made
from
equal portions of espresso and boiling water, resulting in a stronger
version of brewed coffee. This term was originally intended as a sort of
insult to Americans who wanted their espresso diluted.

Caffe Latte
A single shot of espresso with foamy, steamed milk. A caffe latte should
have approximately a 3-to-1 ratio of milk to coffee. Usually served in a
tall glass mug.

Cafe au Lait
Traditionally a French drink. Similar to a cafe latte, except it is
generally made with brewed coffee instead of espresso, in a ratio of
1-to-1
milk to coffee, with sugar added to taste. Or espresso combined with a
liberal amount of foamy, steamed milk, usually served in a tall glass mug.

Macchiato
A shot of espresso, served in a demitasse cup, topped with steamed milk of
a
velvety, smooth texture. Essentially a way of serving espresso with a
dollop
of foam on top. The ratio is approximately 4-to-1 coffee to milk. Many
Italians drop a teaspoon of sugar in this drink.
Macchiato means "marked" in Italian.

Mocha
Espresso, chocolate syrup and steamed milk, often topped with whipped
cream
and cocoa powder or chocolate shavings. Basically like a cafe latte with
chocolate.

Cappuccino
Cappuccino gets its name from the Italian order of Catholic Capuchin
monks,
whose hooded robes resemble the drink's cap of foam in shape and color.
The
frothed milk from the top of the steaming pitcher is spooned on top to
"cap"
the cappuccino and retain heat. The proportion of espresso to steamed and
frothed milk for cappuccino is usually 1/3 espresso, 1/3 steamed milk and
1/3 frothed milk on top.

Frappuccino
A coffee slush, blending iced coffee, milk, flavorings and ice.

Roasting
Heating green coffee beans to eliminate most of their moisture and
initiate
chemical reactions that change the composition of the coffee, resulting in
its flavor and aroma. Varietal is the term for a coffee from a particular
geographic region. Sumatra, Kenya, Costa Rica or Java are varietals. Soil,
climate and cultivation methods affect the taste of coffee. Blend is the
term for the mixture of two or more varietals of beans. Each roasting
company has a slightly different perspective on where it draws the lines
between roasts, and some roasters use different names. Some common terms:

Cinnamon
Light brown and dry; still toasted grain with distinct sour acidy tones

American
Medium light brown; the traditional norm for the eastern United States

City
Medium brown; good to taste varietal character of a bean; the norm in the
western U.S.

Full City
Dark brown with some oil; full development; good for varietal character; a
bit bittersweet

French
Very dark brown; with oily surface; pungent in flavor and aroma; burned
undertones

Spanish
Very dark brown; nearly black and very shiny; charcoal tones dominate;
flat

Here are preparation methods for a variety of coffee drinks:

Drip
The most common form of coffee served in the United States. This method
essentially pours near-boiling water over medium-coarse coffee grounds to
produce coffee. Probably the easiest way of making coffee.

Espresso
A brewing method that extracts the heart of the coffee bean. It was
invented
in Italy. A pump-driven machine forces hot water through fine grounds at
around nine atmospheres of pressure. It should take between 18 to 23
seconds
to extract a good shot. This will produce from 3/4 to one ounce of liquid
--
a sweet, thick, rich and smooth shot of espresso. This form of brewing
produces a thin layer of creamy, dark-beige froth on the coffee's surface.
Comes from the Latin word "expressere," which means "to press out."

French Press
A device for making coffee in which ground coffee is steeped in water. The
grounds are then removed from the coffee by means of a filter plunger,
which
presses the grounds to the bottom of the pot. Also referred to as a
plunger
pot.

Percolator
Percolators work by taking coffee and reheating it and throwing it over
the
grounds repeatedly.

Vacuum
The buildup of steam in a lower bowl of a vacuum pot forces water up into
a
funnel, where it mixes with ground coffee.

Sources: coffeebeanshop.com; coffeecoffee-online.com; coffeefaq.com;
coffeeforless.com; epicurious.com




Mocha-Cinnamon Cafe Au Lait

2 cups low-fat (2 percent) milk
3 cinnamon sticks
20 whole cloves
5 ounces imported milk chocolate, chopped
2 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
3 cups freshly brewed, strong coffee
3 tablespoons golden brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup chilled whipping cream
Ground nutmeg

Combine milk, cinnamon sticks and whole cloves in medium saucepan. Bring
to
a simmer. Remove from heat. Add both chocolates and whisk until melted.
Cover and let stand 15 minutes to allow flavors to blend.
Bring milk mixture to simmer. Add coffee, 2 tablespoons sugar and 1
teaspoon
vanilla; stir over medium-low heat until flavors blend (do not boil),
about
5 minutes.

Meanwhile, beat cream, pinch of nutmeg, 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/2
teaspoon
vanilla in small bowl until soft peaks form.

Strain cappuccino; ladle into mugs. Top with cream. Sprinkle with more
nutmeg.

Serves 6.

Source: Bon Appetit





Cafe au Lait

6 cups steaming-hot milk
3 cups hot brewed strong coffee (preferably New Orleans-style with
chicory)

Blend milk in 2 batches in a blender until frothy (use caution when
blending
hot liquids). Divide coffee among 6 large cups and top off with hot milk.

Serves 6.
Source: Gourmet




Cappuccino

3 cups milk
3 cups freshly brewed espresso
Sugar to taste
Cinnamon (for dusting)

With the steam pipe of an espresso machine, steam the milk. Pour the
espresso into coffee cups. Add the milk and sugar and dust the coffee with
the cinnamon.

Serves 6.

Source: Gourmet


Source: Clipping-Cooking Digest
Posted By: "Sharon Craig" >
FROM ANN IN FLA

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