Latte

For other uses, see Latte (disambiguation).

Latte

Latte served with microfoam latte art in a South Australian café
Alternative names	Caffè latte, caffè e latte, caffellatte, caffelatte
Type	Milk coffee
Place of origin	Italy
Main ingredients	Espresso, steamed milk
Variations	Mocha (chocolate-flavored)
Media: Latte

Latte (/ˈlɑːteɪ, ˈlæteɪ/) or caffè latte (Italian: [kafˌfɛ lˈlatte]), also known as caffè e latte, caffellatte, or caffelatte, is a coffee drink of Italian origin made with espresso and steamed milk, traditionally served in a glass. Variants include the chocolate-flavored mocha or replacing the coffee with another beverage base such as masala chai (spiced Indian tea), mate, matcha, turmeric or rooibos; alternatives to milk, such as soy milk, coconut milk, almond milk or oat milk, are also used.

The term latte comes from caffellatte or caffè latte (from caffè e latte, lit. 'coffee and milk'); in English orthography, either or both words sometimes have an accent on the final e (a hyperforeignism in the case of *latté). In Northern Europe and Scandinavia, the term café au lait has traditionally been used for the combination of espresso and milk. In France, cafè latte is from the original name of the beverage (caffè latte); a combination of espresso and steamed milk equivalent to a "latte" is in French called un crème (un grand crème using cream instead of milk) and in German Milchkaffee.

Definition and etymology

Definition

Preparation of caffè latte

A caffè latte consists of one or more shots of espresso, served in a glass (or sometimes a cup), into which hot steamed milk is added. The difference between a caffè latte and a cappuccino is that the cappuccino is served in a small 140 mL (5 US fl oz) cup with a layer of thick foam on top of the milk, and a caffè latte is served in a larger 230 mL (8 US fl oz) glass (or cup), without the layer of thick foam. Thus, a caffè latte is much milkier than a cappuccino, resulting in a milder coffee taste. The way the milk is steamed for a caffè latte results in very fine bubbles being incorporated in the hot milk. This microfoam can be poured in such a way as to form patterns in the white microfoam and brown crema (latte art). The texture of the microfoam changes the taste and feel of the drink.

Latte art

Latte art

A similar drink is the latte macchiato, which is also served in a glass, but the espresso is added to the glass after the steamed milk. In Italy, milky coffee drinks such as caffè latte, latte macchiato, and cappuccino are almost always prepared for breakfast only.

In the United States, a latte is often heavily sweetened with 3% sugar (or even more). These sweeteners usually come in the form of refined white sugars, artificial sweeteners or agave syrup.

Etymology

In English-speaking countries, latte is shorthand for caffellatte or caffè latte (from caffè e latte, lit. 'coffee and milk'), which is similar to the French café au lait, the Spanish café con leche, the Catalan cafè amb llet, or the Portuguese galão.

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the term caffè e latte was first used in English in 1867 by William Dean Howells in his essay "Italian Journeys", but as this preceded the spread of espresso machines, this drink would have been "nothing like the lattes found today at specialty coffee shops".

History

Caffè latte

Origin

The drink is thought to have "technically originated" in 17th-century Europe.

The modern caffè latte appeared in the 20th century, following the invention of the espresso machine in the 19th century.

Outside Europe

In the United States, latte was popularized in Seattle, Washington, in the early 1980s.

In South Korea, espresso and its variants (cappuccino, latte, and mocha) became popular in 2000.

Politics

Calling people "latte drinkers" pejoratively has become a common political attack in some Western cultures. The popularity of espresso drinking in large cities, especially among more affluent urban populations, has caused some to consider it elitist behavior. In the United States, conservative political commentators have been known to call their opponents "latte-drinking liberal elites". In Canadian politics, latte drinking is used to portray people as out-of-touch intellectuals and the antithesis of the Tim Hortons coffee drinker, who is considered representative of an ordinary Canadian.

According to a 2018 study, 16% of liberals in the United States prefer lattes, whereas 9% of conservatives and 11% of moderates do. The study states further that the overwhelming majority of people, whether they are liberal, conservative or moderate, express a preference for brewed coffee.

See also

• List of coffee drinks