Caffè latte (), often shortened to just latte () in English, is a coffee beverage of
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 ...
origin made with
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 ...
and steamed
milk
Milk is a white liquid food produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals (including breastfed human infants) before they are able to digestion, digest solid food. Immune factors and immune ...
. Variants include the chocolate-flavored
mocha or replacing the coffee with another beverage base such as
masala chai
Masala chai (, ; Urdu: مصالحہ چائے, Hindi: मसाला चाय) is an Indian tea culture, Indian tea beverage made by boiling black tea in milk and water with a mixture of aromatic herbs and spices. Originating in India the bever ...
(spiced Indian tea),
mate
Mate may refer to:
Science
* Mate, one of a pair of animals involved in:
** Mate choice, intersexual selection
** Mating
* Multi-antimicrobial extrusion protein, or MATE, an efflux transporter family of proteins
Person or title
* Friendship ...
,
matcha
is finely ground powder of specially grown and processed green tea leaves, traditionally consumed in East Asia. The green tea plants used for matcha are shade-grown for three to four weeks before harvest; the stems and veins are removed during ...
,
turmeric
Turmeric () is a flowering plant, ''Curcuma longa'' (), of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae, the rhizomes of which are used in cooking. The plant is a perennial, rhizomatous, herbaceous plant native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asi ...
or
rooibos
Rooibos ( ; , meaning "red bush"), or ''Aspalathus linearis'', is a broom (shrub), broom-like member of the plant family Fabaceae that grows in South Africa's fynbos biome.
The leaves are used to make a herbal tea that is called rooibos (esp ...
; alternatives to milk, such as
soy milk
Soy milk (simplified Chinese: 豆浆; traditional Chinese: 豆漿) also known as soya milk or soymilk, is a plant-based drink produced by soaking and grinding soybeans, boiling the mixture, and filtering out remaining particulates. It is a sta ...
or
almond milk
Almond milk is a plant-based milk with a watery texture and nutty flavor manufactured from almonds, although some types or brands are flavored in imitation of cow's milk. It does not contain cholesterol or lactose and is low in saturated fat. ...
, are also used.
The term comes from the Italian ' or ', from ', literally "coffee and milk"; in
English orthography
English orthography is the writing system used to represent spoken English, allowing readers to connect the graphemes to sound and to meaning. It includes English's norms of spelling, hyphenation, capitalisation, word breaks, emphasis, and p ...
either or both words sometimes have an
accent on the final ''e'' (a
hyperforeignism
A hyperforeignism is a type of qualitative hypercorrection that involves speakers misidentifying the distribution of a pattern found in loanwords and extending it to other environments, including words and phrases not borrowed from the language th ...
in the case of *''latté'', or to indicate it is pronounced, not the more-common
silent final ''e'' of English). In
northern Europe
The northern region of Europe has several definitions. A restrictive definition may describe Northern Europe as being roughly north of the southern coast of the Baltic Sea, which is about 54th parallel north, 54°N, or may be based on other g ...
and
Scandinavia
Scandinavia; Sámi languages: /. ( ) is a subregion#Europe, subregion in Northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. In English usage, ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, ...
, the term ''
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 ...
'' has traditionally been used for the combination of espresso and milk. In France, ' is from the original name of the beverage (caffè latte); a combination of espresso and steamed milk equivalent to a "latte" is in French called and in German '.
Origin and history
![Latte at Doppio Ristretto Chiang Mai 01](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9f/Latte_at_Doppio_Ristretto_Chiang_Mai_01.jpg)
Coffee, which was adopted from the
Ottoman empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
, and milk have been part of
European cuisine
European cuisine comprises the cuisines of Europe[ "European Cuisine."Vienna
en, Viennese
, iso_code = AT-9
, registration_plate = W
, postal_code_type = Postal code
, postal_code =
, timezone = CET
, utc_offset = +1
, timezone_DST ...](_blank)
and
Trieste
Trieste ( , ; sl, Trst ; german: Triest ) is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is the capital city, and largest city, of the autonomous region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, one of two autonomous regions which are not subdivided into provi ...
in the second half of 1700s as "coffee with cream, spices, and sugar" (being the origin of the Italian
cappuccino
A cappuccino (; ; Italian plural: ''cappuccini'') is an espresso-based coffee drink that originated in Austria and was later popularized in Italy and is prepared with steamed milk foam (microfoam).
Variations of the drink involve the use of cre ...
).
According to the ''
Oxford English Dictionary
The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' (''OED'') is the first and foundational historical dictionary of the English language, published by Oxford University Press (OUP). It traces the historical development of the English language, providing a com ...
'', the term ''caffè e latte'' was first used in English in 1867 by
William Dean Howells
William Dean Howells (; March 1, 1837 – May 11, 1920) was an American realist novelist, literary critic, and playwright, nicknamed "The Dean of American Letters". He was particularly known for his tenure as editor of ''The Atlantic Monthly'', ...
in his essay "Italian Journeys". Kenneth Davids maintains that "...breakfast drinks of this kind have existed in Europe for generations, but the (commercial) caffè version of this drink is an American invention".
The
French term ' was used in cafés in several countries in western continental Europe from 1900 onward, however, the term ''café crème'' was used in France for coffee with milk or cream.
The
Austrian-Hungarian empire
Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1 ...
(Central Europe) had its own terminology for the coffees being served in coffee houses, while in German homes it was still called '. The Italians used the term ''caffè latte'' domestically, but it is not known from cafés such as ''
Florian'' in
Venice
Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 ...
or any other coffee houses or places where coffee was served publicly. Even when the Italian espresso bar culture bloomed in the years after WWII both in Italy, and in cities such as Vienna and London, ''
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 ...
'' and ''cappuccino'' are the terms used and ''latte'' is missing on coffee menus of that time.
In Italian, ' () means "
milk
Milk is a white liquid food produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals (including breastfed human infants) before they are able to digestion, digest solid food. Immune factors and immune ...
"—so ordering a "latte" in Italy will get the customer a glass of milk.
In Spanish, the phrase ' (coffee with milk) is used, which is by default served in a medium or large cup whereas the similar ''cortado'' (coffee with less milk) is served in a small cup.
In English-speaking countries, ''latte'' is shorthand for ''caffelatte'' or ''caffellatte'' (from ', "coffee and milk"), which is similar to 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 ...
'', the Spanish ''
café con leche
''Café con leche'' ('coffee with milk') is a coffee beverage common throughout Spain and Latin America consisting of strong coffee (usually espresso) mixed with scalded milk in approximately equal amounts. The amount of milk can be higher in ...
'', the
Catalan
Catalan may refer to:
Catalonia
From, or related to Catalonia:
* Catalan language, a Romance language
* Catalans, an ethnic group formed by the people from, or with origins in, Northern or southern Catalonia
Places
* 13178 Catalan, asteroid #1 ...
''cafè amb llet'', or the
Portuguese
Portuguese may refer to:
* anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal
** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods
** Portuguese language, a Romance language
*** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language
** Portu ...
''
galão
Galão () is a hot drink from Portugal made by adding foamed milk to espresso coffee. Similar to caffè latte or café au lait, it consists of about one quarter coffee and three quarters foamed milk. It is served in a tall glass, as opposed to t ...
''.
The
Caffe Mediterraneum
Caffè Mediterraneum, often referred to as Caffè Med or simply the Med, was a café located on Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley, California, US, near the University of California, Berkeley. The Med was a landmark of Telegraph Avenue history, "liste ...
in
Berkeley, California
Berkeley ( ) is a city on the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay in northern Alameda County, California, United States. It is named after the 18th-century Irish bishop and philosopher George Berkeley. It borders the cities of Oakland and Emer ...
claims that one of its early owners, Lino Meiorin, "invented" and "made the latte a standard drink" in the 1950s. The latte was popularized in
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
, Washington in the early 1980s and spread more widely in the early 1990s.
In northern Europe and Scandinavia, a similar "trend" started in the early 1980s as ''café au lait'' became popular again, prepared with espresso and steamed milk. ''Caffè latte'' started replacing this term around 1996–97 but both names often exist side by side and generally are more similar than different in preparation.
Current use
In Italy, caffè latte is almost always prepared at home, for breakfast only. This coffee beverage is brewed with a stovetop
moka pot
The moka pot is a stove-top or electric coffee maker that brews coffee by passing boiling water pressurized by steam through ground coffee. Named after the Yemeni city of Mocha, it was invented by Italian engineer Alfonso Bialetti in 1933 and ...
and poured into a cup containing heated milk. Unlike the "international" latte drink, generally, the milk in the Italian original is not foamed and sugar is added by the drinker, if at all.
Outside Italy, typically a caffè latte is prepared in a glass or cup with one standard shot of
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 ...
(either single, , or double, ) and filled with steamed milk, with a layer of foamed milk approximately thick on the top. In the USA, a latte is often heavily sweetened with 3% sugar (or even more). When wanting to order this beverage in Italy, one should ask for a
latte macchiato
__NOTOC__
Latte macchiato () is a coffee beverage. The name means stained or marked milk, which refers to the espresso stain on the milk used. It is a play on "Espresso macchiato". an espresso with a dollop or two of milk or cream.
Related dri ...
.
![A cup of latte with lunch at Merewether Beach,Australia](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/35/A_cup_of_latte_with_lunch_at_Merewether_Beach%2CAustralia.jpeg/1200px-A_cup_of_latte_with_lunch_at_Merewether_Beach%2CAustralia.jpeg)
The beverage is related to a
cappuccino
A cappuccino (; ; Italian plural: ''cappuccini'') is an espresso-based coffee drink that originated in Austria and was later popularized in Italy and is prepared with steamed milk foam (microfoam).
Variations of the drink involve the use of cre ...
, the difference being that a cappuccino consists of espresso and steamed milk with a layer of milk foam. A variant found in Australia and New Zealand that is similar to the latte is the
flat white
A flat white is a coffee drink consisting of espresso with microfoam (steamed milk with small, fine bubbles and a glossy or velvety consistency). It is comparable to a latte, but smaller in volume and with less microfoam, therefore having a high ...
which is served in a smaller ceramic cup with warmed milk (without the layer of foam). In the United States this beverage is sometimes referred to as a wet cappuccino.
Iced latte
In the United States, an iced latte is usually espresso and chilled milk poured over ice.
Unlike a hot latte, it does not usually contain steamed milk or foam. Iced lattes often have sugar or flavoring syrups added, although purists prefer them to consist simply of coffee and milk; they also are served blended with ice.
The espresso can be pre-chilled (sometimes as a mixture of espresso and milk) or frozen in advance to avoid warming up the drink.
Serving styles
![Matcha Latte KF](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f5/Matcha_Latte_KF.JPG)
*In some establishments, lattes are served in a glass on a saucer with a napkin to hold the (sometimes hot) glass.
*Sometimes a latte is served in a bowl; in Europe, particularly Scandinavia, this is referred to as a
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 ...
.
*Increasingly common in the United States and Europe,
latte art
Latte art is a method of preparing coffee created by pouring microfoam into a shot of espresso and resulting in a pattern or design on the surface of the latte. It can also be created or embellished by simply "drawing" in the top layer of foam. L ...
has led to the stylization of coffee making, and the creation of which is now a popular art form. Created by pouring steaming, and mostly frothed, milk into the coffee, that liquid is introduced into the beverage in such a way that patterns are distinguishable on the top of coffee. Popular patterns can include hearts, flowers, trees, and other forms of simplistic representations of images and objects.
*Often iced latte is served unstirred, so that coffee appears to "float" on top of white milk in a glass cup.
*
Layered Lattereverses the traditional order of creating a Latte. Rather than pouring steamed milk into a shot of espresso, pouring hot espresso into a glass of steamed milk will create a combination of temperature and density that will cause the latte to split into multiple density layers. Th
science behind the Layered Latteis referred to as
double-diffusive convection. To make the Layered Latte, pour a shot of espresso into a glass of steamed milk at the same temperature. The layering of the beverage is largely dependent on variables such as glass size as well as the ratio between milk and espresso.
*A variation of the iced latte, known as the "bootleg latte", "ghetto latte", or "poor man's latte", is an
iced espresso ordered in a larger than normal cup that will be filled up with free milk from the
condiment station. The beverage has spawned debate at coffee shops where an iced espresso is considerably cheaper than an iced latte.
*In South Asia, East Asia, and North America, local variants of teas have been combined with steamed or frothed milk to create "tea latte". Coffee and tea shops now offer hot or iced latte versions of
masala chai
Masala chai (, ; Urdu: مصالحہ چائے, Hindi: मसाला चाय) is an Indian tea culture, Indian tea beverage made by boiling black tea in milk and water with a mixture of aromatic herbs and spices. Originating in India the bever ...
,
matcha
is finely ground powder of specially grown and processed green tea leaves, traditionally consumed in East Asia. The green tea plants used for matcha are shade-grown for three to four weeks before harvest; the stems and veins are removed during ...
, and Royal Milk Tea. An
Earl Grey
Earl Grey is a title in the peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1806 for General Charles Grey, 1st Baron Grey. In 1801, he was given the title Baron Grey of Howick in the County of Northumberland, and in 1806 he was created Viscou ...
latte is known as a "
London fog".
*Other flavorings may be added to the latte to suit the taste of the drinker. Vanilla, chocolate, and
caramel
Caramel ( or ) is an orange-brown confectionery product made by heating a range of sugars. It can be used as a flavoring in puddings and desserts, as a filling in bonbons, or as a topping for ice cream and custard.
The process of caramelizatio ...
are all popular variants.
*In South Africa a red latte is made with
rooibos
Rooibos ( ; , meaning "red bush"), or ''Aspalathus linearis'', is a broom (shrub), broom-like member of the plant family Fabaceae that grows in South Africa's fynbos biome.
The leaves are used to make a herbal tea that is called rooibos (esp ...
tea and has been known as a caffeine-free alternative to traditional tea or coffee-based latte.
*An alternative version of latte may be prepared with
soy milk
Soy milk (simplified Chinese: 豆浆; traditional Chinese: 豆漿) also known as soya milk or soymilk, is a plant-based drink produced by soaking and grinding soybeans, boiling the mixture, and filtering out remaining particulates. It is a sta ...
or
oat milk
Oat milk is a plant milk derived from whole oat (''Avena spp.'') grains by extracting the plant material with water. Oat milk has a creamy texture and mild oatmeal-like flavor, and is manufactured in various flavors, such as sweetened, unsweetene ...
, as both have the ability to foam in the same way as cow milk, with soy milk versions being more prevalent. Such alternatives are popular among people with
lactose intolerance
Lactose intolerance is a common condition caused by a decreased ability to digest lactose, a sugar found in dairy products. Those affected vary in the amount of lactose they can tolerate before symptoms develop. Symptoms may include abdominal pa ...
and
vegans
Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal product—particularly in diet—and an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals. An individual who follows the diet or philosophy is known as a vegan. D ...
.
*The Sea Salt Latte, a famous variation of the traditional style latte made with a salted milk foam over an espresso-based coffee, was invented and popularized by Taiwanese international cafe chain
85C Bakery Cafe.
Politics
Calling people "latte drinkers" pejoratively has become a common political attack in some
Western culture
Leonardo da Vinci's ''Vitruvian Man''. Based on the correlations of ideal Body proportions">human proportions with geometry described by the ancient Roman architect Vitruvius in Book III of his treatise ''De architectura''.
image:Plato Pio-Cle ...
s. The popularity of espresso drinking in large cities, especially among more affluent urban populations, has caused some to consider it
elitist
Elitism is the belief or notion that individuals who form an elite—a select group of people perceived as having an intrinsic quality, high intellect, wealth, power, notability, special skills, or experience—are more likely to be construc ...
behavior. In the United States, conservative political commentators have been known to call their opponents "latte-drinking
liberal elites". In Canadian politics, latte drinking is used to portray people as out-of-touch intellectuals and the antithesis of the
Tim Hortons
Tim Hortons Inc., commonly nicknamed Tim's, or Timmie's is a Canadian multinational coffeehouse and restaurant chain. Based in Toronto, Tim Hortons serves coffee, doughnuts, and other fast-food items. It is Canada's largest quick-service rest ...
coffee drinker who is considered representative of an ordinary Canadian.
[.]
According to a 2018 study, 16% of liberals in the United States prefer lattes, whereas 9% of conservatives and 11% of moderates do.
The study states further that the overwhelming majority of people, whether they are liberal, conservative, or moderate, express a preference for regular brewed coffee.
See also
*
List of coffee drinks
Coffee drinks are made by brewing water with ground coffee beans. The brewing is either done slowly by drip, filter, French press, ''cafetière'' or percolator, or done very quickly under pressure by an espresso machine. When put under the pr ...
References
{{Subject bar, commons=yes, commons-search=Latte, wikt=yes, wikt-search=latte, b=yes, d=yes, d-search=Q841774
Italian drinks
Italian words and phrases
Espresso drinks
Coffee drinks
de:Milchkaffee