Coffee times

Why are we all so stuck up with meeting over coffee? Tea is the common person's beverage. Then why do we all end up in a coffee shop buying expensive cuppas more than we can afford or would like to spend? Maybe because we do not have tea shops? I do not have an answer to this question. All I can recall is a list of long exotic names and most of us have no clue how to differentiate one from another. Here is a small attempt to give you an overview

Black coffee: As the name suggests, is drip brew, percolated or French press style coffee served neat. ( no milk). It is bitter and you really need to cultivate a taste for it to relish it

Espresso: basic standard espresso with a shot of whipped cream on top. Caffè, espresso, is a concentrated coffee beverage brewed by forcing hot water under pressure through finely ground coffee

Americano: A single shot of espresso with about 7 ounces of hot water added

Caffe Latte: A single shot of espresso in steamed (not frothed) milk. The ratio of milk to coffee should be about 3:1, but you should be aware that latte in Italian means ‘milk’

Cafe Macchiato: A shot of espresso with steamed milk added. The ratio of coffee to milk is approximately 4:1.

Cappuccino: Usually equal parts espresso, steamed milk, and frothed milk

frappe: cold coffee

Irish coffee: A coffee spiked with Irish whiskey, with cream on top.

Mocha: This popular drink is basically a Cappuccino or Latte with chocolate syrup added to the mix.

Turkish Coffee (also known as Greek Coffee): Made by boiling finely ground coffee and water together to form a muddy, thick coffee mix.