''Café con leche'' ('coffee with milk') is a

coffee Coffee is a drink prepared from roasted coffee beans. Darkly colored, bitter, and slightly acidic, coffee has a stimulant, stimulating effect on humans, primarily due to its caffeine content. It is the most popular hot drink in the world. S ...

beverage common throughout

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

and

Latin America Latin America or * french: Amérique Latine, link=no * ht, Amerik Latin, link=no * pt, América Latina, link=no, name=a, sometimes referred to as LatAm is a large cultural region in the Americas where Romance languages — languages derived f ...

consisting of strong coffee (usually

espresso Espresso (, ) is a coffee-brewing method of Italian origin, in which a small amount of nearly boiling water (about ) is forced under of pressure through finely-ground coffee beans. Espresso can be made with a wide variety of coffee beans and ...

) mixed with

scalded milk Scalded milk is dairy milk that has been heated to . At this temperature, bacteria are killed, enzymes in the milk are destroyed, and many of the proteins are denatured. Since most milk sold today is pasteurized, which accomplishes the first two g ...

in approximately equal amounts. The amount of milk can be higher in a ''café con leche en vaso'' or a ''café con leche de desayuno''. Sugar or

sweetener {{Wiktionary, sweetener A sweetener is a substance added to food or drink to impart the flavor of sweetness, either because it contains a type of sugar, or because it contains a sweet-tasting sugar substitute. Many artificial sweeteners have been ...

is added to taste. It is similar to the

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

caffè latte Caffè latte (), often shortened to just latte () in English, is a coffee beverage of Italian origin made with espresso and steamed milk. Variants include the chocolate-flavored mocha or replacing the coffee with another beverage base such as ma ...

'' and the French ''

café au lait ''Café au lait'' (; ; French for "coffee with milk") is coffee with hot milk added. It differs from white coffee, which is coffee with cold milk or other whiteners added. Variations Europe In Europe, ''café au lait'' stems from the same ...

''.

Origin

The cafe con leche drink originated in

, though it is unclear who or when this drink was first created. After becoming popular in Spain, this coffee beverage has spread to other Spanish-speaking countries and areas. Café con leche is very common in Spain and

, as well as other

Latin American Latin Americans ( es, Latinoamericanos; pt, Latino-americanos; ) are the citizens of Latin American countries (or people with cultural, ancestral or national origins in Latin America). Latin American countries and their diasporas are multi-eth ...

communities around the world. Cuban restaurants in Florida often have a walk-up window (''ventanita'') that serve café con leche.

Current use

''Café con leche'' is considered a breakfast drink in many countries that serve it. Because of the milk, it is heavier and more filling than coffee drinks. The drink is created by making espresso and then using a steam wand scalding milk to just below the boiling point. Often sugar is added to the milk as it is being heated. The warmed milk is then poured over the espresso and stirred.

Serving styles

* Café con leche can be ''clarito'' (light, more milk) or ''oscurito'' (dark, less milk). * Sometimes a little salt is added. * Café con leche is typically served hot, but can also be made iced. * Whole dairy milk is the usual, but other types of dairy and non-dairy milks can be used, with a change in taste and texture. * The amount of sugar used varies. * A cafe con leche ordered ''yo lo preparo'' consists of espresso and steamed milk served separately, and mixed by the consumer. Cup of milk coffee

Prepared café con leche

Café con leche coffee pods,

instant coffee Instant coffee is a beverage derived from brewed coffee beans that enables people to quickly prepare hot coffee by adding hot water or milk to coffee solids in powdered or crystallized form and stirring. Instant coffee solids (also called sol ...

, and

canned coffee is a pre-brewed version of the beverage, sold ready to drink. It is particularly popular in Japan, South Korea, and elsewhere across Asia, and produced in a number of styles and by a large number of companies. Canned coffee is available in supe ...

are available.

References

Spanish cuisine Latin American cuisine Coffee drinks {{spanish-cuisine-stub

Origin

Current use

Serving styles

Prepared café con leche

See also

References