(; sometimes called and sometimes shortened to just ''macchiato'' in English) is an

espresso Espresso (, ) is a concentrated form of coffee produced by forcing hot water under high pressure through finely ground coffee beans. Originating in Italy, espresso has become one of the most popular coffee-brewing methods worldwide. It is cha ...

coffee Coffee is a beverage brewed from roasted, ground coffee beans. Darkly colored, bitter, and slightly acidic, coffee has a stimulating effect on humans, primarily due to its caffeine content, but decaffeinated coffee is also commercially a ...

drink with a small amount of

milk Milk is a white liquid food produced by the mammary glands of lactating mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals (including breastfeeding, breastfed human infants) before they are able to digestion, digest solid food. ...

, usually foamed. In Italian, means 'stained' or 'spotted', so the literal translation of is 'stained coffee' or 'marked coffee'.

History

The origin of the name stems from the difference between an espresso and an espresso with a tiny bit of milk in it; the latter was "marked". The idea is reflected in the Portuguese name for the drink: , meaning 'coffee with a drop'.

Preparation

The has the highest ratio of espresso to milk of any drink made with those ingredients. The intent is that the milk moderates, rather than overwhelms, the taste of the coffee while adding a touch of sweetness. The drink is typically prepared by pouring a small amount of steamed milk directly into a single shot of espresso. One recipe calls for , about 1–2

teaspoon A teaspoon (tsp.) is a small spoon that can be used to stir a cup of tea or coffee, or as a tool for measuring volume. The size of teaspoons ranges from about . For dosing of medicine and, in places where metric units are used, for cooking pu ...

s of milk, heated to .

Regional variants

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

, the drink is referred to simply as a ''macchiato'', often shortened to just ''mac'', and has some variants. A traditional long macchiato is usually a double-shot of espresso with a dash of textured milk (milk that is frothed before being heated, whereas milk is frothed and heated at the same time) and most of the glass left empty. In

Perth Perth () is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of Western Australia. It is the list of cities in Australia by population, fourth-most-populous city in Australia, with a population of over 2.3 million within Greater Perth . The ...

, a "long mac topped up" is usually a double-shot of espresso with the glass filled with textured milk. In

Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...

, a macchiato is a double-shot of espresso, a glass half-filled with water, and a dash of textured milk on top.

Gallery

References

General references