Different coffee styles and how they are made

Coffee is a drink that you can get almost anywhere from Australia to Zimbabwe and be certain that you will get roughly the same thing. While the standard black or white coffee has been available everywhere some other styles are now also becoming popular even in the most unlikely places.

If you have always wanted to try something different but have been unsure what exactly a latte, cappuccino or espresso then you should definitely read on.

An espresso is coffee in its simplest form. Don't be put by its diminutive size it is intensely flavored and includes the first part of a coffee shot pour. Depending on the bean type used and how toasted it is the flavor can vary from strongly bitter to slightly sweet. Many people add sugar to an espresso though milk is not an option. If you like black coffee then you should give an espresso a try and leave the sugar out until you have had a couple of small sips to get a real taste of it with and without the added sweetness.

A latte is a coffee that has had warmed milk added to it giving it soft, light and creamy taste. There are literally thousands of variations. At Tawan's Corner Bar and Bistro they use an espresso shot for maximum flavor without the added water that a standard coffee shot would include. This blends fantastically with the steamed milk. The steaming process converts some of the milk to natural sugars adding sweetness and also increasing the milks volume slightly for lightness. They include a small amount of foam to add a decorative finish which some aficionados frown upon, but adds a nice touch with the cocoa powder dusted on top.

It is vital for the milk to be heated enough for the latte to have the right taste and texture. The common mistake is for people to avoid scalding (overheating) the milk by just warming the milk which does not breakdown the milk releasing the sugars or add lightness to it. Without a thermometer the easiest way is to ensure the milk is kept moving in a metal container and when it is uncomfortably warm then it will be heated enough. Pulling the steam nozzle to the surface as it is turned off will add a small amount of foam perfect for a decorative finish.

The final style of coffee is the famous and much maligned cappuccino that combines a heated milk layer a coffee layer and a foam layer for a fabulous taste and a great look. The process is exactly the same as for a latte except that the milk needs to be foamed through the entire heating process. Traditionally this is done by having the steam nozzle close to the surface where it sucks in air as it injects steam into the milk creating foam. The coffee is added to the cup then a layer of milk and finally a layer of foam that can be formed into shapes or patterns if you wish. A dusting of cocoa powder or cinnamon makes the cappuccino a work of art as well a fantastic coffee!