MACCHIATO – WET

This is not the name of an Italian punk band, but my favorito coffee.

I used to scoff and snarl, sometimes simultaneously, at people who ordered those half calf, non-fat, caramel, soy whatever the hecks at coffee houses… just like sushi in the 80’s, I thought this was just Americans trying to be cool. I now love sushi, but I still try to keep my coffee orders simple. MACCHIATO, WET.

The best coffee I ever had was in Spain. It was called a cortado. A cortado is essentially an espresso with a dash of hot milk. “Cortado” means “cut”. In Colombia a cortado is a Pintado (painted), except for it is made with strong cotton bag-filtered coffee instead. A macchiato is Italy’s version, but it is simply espresso with a little foam.

I have been a frustrated coffee drinker for years because I didn’t really know how to order a cortado in the US in coffee jargon until I tried someone’s Macchiato and doctored it up.  Macchiato is a button in most coffee house cash registers. Did I mention they are usually $1.98? Can someone explain why a latte is $3.50? Is milk so expensive?

MACCHIATO STEP TWO AND FOUR… add HALF AND HALF FOR STEP 3.

MY MACCHIATO

Single Machiato-WET (with a splash of hot milk in addition to foam)
a splash of half and half
two packets of sugar in the raw (why ruin a masterpiece with fake sugar?)
stir to dissolve sugar for a while, take time to contemplate life like French people do (cigarette optional)
Take in the aroma, the beautiful caramel color and sip slowly.