Coffee Talk
Posted in Life on February 1st, 2010I’ve realized something. There are a LOT of people out there who don’t speak coffee. It’s a shame, really, because it’s not that complicated. And after having a lady get so mad she called me a complete idiot and threatened to call corporate because I was trying to piss her off by making the wrong drink, I feel it’s time I did something. Sadly, I can’t put up any signs in the store because it’s against company policy, but baby steps. I know giving you the details won’t help me out directly, but maybe it’ll help you the next time you don’t get what you ordered.
So, let me explain to you the basics, for those of you who wonder what the heck everything is.
- Espresso – A concentrated shot of a coarsely grinded dark roast coffee. It’s about one ounce.
- Caffe latte – it means coffee and milk. It’s a drink composed of several shots of espresso and foamed milk. It has just a little foam topping it off.
- Cappuccino – a drink, similar to a latte, but the 3 parts, espresso, milk, and foam, are equal in proportions. So since it has a third espresso and a third foam, it’s a bit stronger and a lot of foam on it.
- Cafe Mocha – a latte with chocolate. Basically any regular drink you order that’s advertised is a latte with syrup
- Breve – this means to make the drink with half and half instead of milk. So a latte breve is espresso and steamed half and half.
- Macchiato – this term means “marked” in Italian. By itself it means nothing. Don’t order a macchiato, that doesn’t do us any good.
- Latte Macchiato - this is similar to a latte. It is marked milk. It has about half the espresso than a latte has. It’s called marked because baristas would add the espresso after the milk is poured, so the foam on top of the drink was “marked” or “stained”.
- Caffe Macchiato – marked espresso, a shot of espresso with foam on top. So it’s still a strong shot of coffee, with a little fluff on top.
- Frappachino – a registered Starbucks term. This is not an Italian coffee drink, it’s Starbucks making up new stuff. It is a coffee milkshake. It originates from a frappe, which is a milkshake in the Boston area. Other stores have taken on the fad and created new terms for coffee milkshakes as well.
I hope this clears things up for those of you who don’t understand. That’s the basic terminology. Now go use it!! Also, a little fun fact, did you know Starbucks has trademarked their size system? Other coffee companies cannot use the word venti to describe a large drink. So don’t do it when ordering!
Now that we’ve got the lingo down, how about the setting? Do you ever go into a coffee shop to do homework or read a book or anything? My store is in a mall, so it’s not that common, but every once in a while someone comes in and reads a book, and I find it so odd. At times it makes me uncomfortable when there’s no one in the store but me and a customer just sitting there for hours. But that’s just me. It also makes me really want to buy a book, and I’ve been considering trying out books online for a while, but is it really cheaper to do so? I don’t know.
Do you speak coffee? What was the last thing you bought online?
February 1st, 2010 at 5:58 pm
I don’t speak coffee – I don’t like it! Sorry. I found your guide very helpful though because I have a lot of friends who love it.
The last things I bought online were a book, a wii game and cleaning thing. I’m so exciting lol.
February 1st, 2010 at 10:21 pm
Caffe*
Cafe is a small restaurant. :P
February 1st, 2010 at 11:47 pm
You know, I never really knew the difference, this definitely helps
February 2nd, 2010 at 12:28 pm
Frankly, I don’t speak coffee because I don’t drink coffee. Thank you for posting this. At least, even though I don’t speak coffee, this post can help me enrich my limited knowledge about coffee.
Thank you
February 2nd, 2010 at 5:19 pm
I knew most of that coffee speak but I drink something called latte macchiato which you didn’t mention. I think my latte macchiato is a caffe macchiato but with more milk and less espresso. I also like cappucchino.
Back in my old home town I used to bring a book to my favourite café and spend hours there reading and drinking coffee.
I don’t do that any more since the cafés in my current home town are plain and boring without any atmosphere whatsoever.
February 2nd, 2010 at 8:38 pm
I dont speak coffee too! just because im not really into coffee, i just like what my mom makes. mahahaa. I read on coffee shops sometimes. just because it’s quiet and the aroma soothes me. -_-
February 3rd, 2010 at 4:51 pm
I don’t like coffee so I don’t speak it at all, but this will be helpful should I ever need to order for someone else!
February 4th, 2010 at 12:07 pm
lol, too funny. I definitely speak coffee and I can say ’skinny grande mocha frappachino no whip’ faster than I can fall asleep, which is fast because I’m a near narco.
I used to LIVE in coffee shops, but it was never to read. It was so I could do homework with an unlimited supply of cafe mochas.
February 8th, 2010 at 10:15 am
Ah, I know a bit of coffee talk, but it drives me crazy when different coffee shops confuses me with their incorrect usages!
But oh well. XD I love coffee shops. Well, I take that back. I like QUIET coffee shops that isn’t always packed and crazy like Starbucks. I go to this one coffee shop in my area, and I go there because it’s a privately-owned business, and the owners there know me now with me going there for years.
It was a place for me to study, read, play games, hang out with friends, and now a constant place I take my netbook to! Mostly because there’s a plug there I can use (if it’s not taken) and the owners don’t care if I stay for hours, hogging their electricity. XD
February 8th, 2010 at 7:57 pm
Thanks for the definitions! Although I almost never drink coffee (and sort of had the feeling frappachinos were made up Starbucks words even if they’re yummy), it’s good to know what it all means and not feel overwhelmed with freakin’ coffee terms.
I do like to hang out in coffee shops though. It’s supposed to be relaxing, just sitting there with something to drink and chilling, or even better, chatting with friends!