Posted on December 14, 2001 - by deCadmus

From the clarifications department…

Simon writes from the UK to suggest I clarify the prior post… to wit: what I described is an espresso macchiato, or an espresso marked, or stained, with milk. There is also a drink that’s comprised of the inverse… steamed milk marked with espresso, and it is known simply as a macchiato.

Good point.

Merely ordering an espresso drink can be quite the bewildering exercise. If you begin with the myriad permutations and names you might find within a particular establishment, and allow for the stunning array of different names you might find for the *very same* drink from shop to shop, it’s no wonder that folks — even those particularly fond of espresso drinks — opt for a plain ol’ cuppa joe.

Consider my favorite eye-opener… a cup of brewed coffee with a shot of espresso dropped in for good measure. When I first encountered this particularly potent potion, it was aptly named a red eye. I have since found it referred to as a depth charge, a hammerhead, a slammer, and — my favorite — a brewed awakening.

So what’s in your cup?