What is macchiato coffee

WHERE THE MACCHIATO ORIGINATED

Theespresso macchiato was probably created in Italy in the 1980s by baristas who wanted to differentiate an order of plain espresso for people who still needed a drop of milk with it.A similar drink to the espresso macchiato is consumed in Portugal as pingado coffee.

Other drinks have the same name as macchiato, so it is challenging to distinguish them. In Australia, for example, you can order what's called a long macchiato, which is two shots of espresso and some milk. Starbucks, for example, offers a caramel macchiato, a drink invented in the 1990s that consists of whipped milk with one shot of espresso and caramel syrup.

MACCHIATO, EVERYONE HAS A DIFFERENT DEFINITION

Lauro Fioretti head of education at Simonelli Group, a coffee equipment manufacturer, explains that there are two different drinks - macchiato and espresso macchiato. The former is usually served in a tall glass and consists of espresso and whisked hot milk. The espresso macchiato is smaller and is served in an espresso cup, accompanied by whipped milk.

Ollie Futcher, head of roasting at Saint Espresso in London, said the macchiato is a double espresso with milk foam that has a smooth texture on top. Mikael Jasin, director of So So Good Coffee Company in Jakarta, Indonesia, agrees that a macchiato is made with one shot of espresso and a bit of milk foam.

While Lauro believes that the base of an espresso macchiato should contain a shot of espresso and some milk, he admits that some cafes in Italy supplement it with latte art or make other variations. There are cafés that add only milk foam to the espresso, others that add only hot, unwhipped milk and even cafés that add only cold milk.

Whether the macchiato is made with milk or milk foam, it is still a drink dominated by espresso. The traditional espresso macchiato is popular in many countries because it is not as strong as an espresso and at the same time not as diluted as a latte.

Swiss Barista Competition 2017 champion André Eiermann of Victoria Arduino Australia agrees that the drink is suitable for those who want something less intense than espresso. It's a harmonious espresso-based milk drink for small cup coffee lovers who want to enjoy their coffee with a splash of milk.

Espresso macchiato can be considered a healthier option because it contains only a small amount of milk, so the drink doesn't contain as many calories. However, at the same time, the milk makes the coffee milder and most people don't need to sweeten their coffee, so again, it is a healthier version.

WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF MACCHIATO

Macchiato has an obvious appeal to some customers, despite the fact that its recipe varies from café to café, so always ask the cafés how they make an espresso macchiato.

Ollie Futcher believes that the macchiato will definitely stay on drink menus. Roasters are starting to roast the coffee so that the resulting espresso is as balanced in flavour as possible. Customers will then not require sugar, as they will find the taste of coffee enjoyable without it. And they will need less milk, so the espresso macchiato looks like a great choice, neither too little nor too much.

Of course, who makes the drink can also have an impact on its ultimate success, as the shot of espresso must always be perfect. You can't hide a poorly extracted espresso in a macchiato with milk. It's a bit of a challenge for baristas to show what they can do.