Coffee course: The 5 types popular in Pakistan

Ever wondered about different types of coffee? Get clued-up with our handy guide to deciphering the popular beverage

KARACHI: Do you love coffee but often wonder what the difference between a cappuccino and latte is? Look no further, because it's time to get in the know-how about the art of an all-time favourite beverage that makes most of our mornings a little better.

Here is a little fun fact about the origins of coffee. While many of us probably think it was first created in Brazil, it is actually thought the coffee bean was found in Ethiopia. The earliest substantiated knowledge of coffee drinking is from the early 15th century, in the Sufi monasteries of Yemen and spreading to Mecca and Cairo.

Now, coffee has advanced to the mainstream delicious drinks we go to cafes for today. From macchiato to mocha to an Americano, there are a variety of coffee names that some of us may not even know of.

What are espresso based drinks?

PHOTO: INSTAGRAM/ATLIER COFFEE

These are made with a cappuccino machine that share three common ingredients; espresso, steamed milk and foam. The main differences between them are the proportions within the beverage. Some coffees have extra toppings added to them to complete the taste, such as chocolate on a cappuccino. But in it's essence, it's all made up from the three key ingredients.

Espresso (short black)

PHOTO: INSTAGRAM/IMAGINATIVE COLLECTIVE

The espresso or 'short black' is the foundation and most important part of every espresso-based drink. There is a whole guide in itself on how to create 'a perfect espresso shot,' handed down through many generations or experimented with in coffee-culture around the world. An espresso consists of only one coffee shot.

Long black (Americano)

PHOTO: INSTAGRAM/KELVY JOHNSON

The coffee, commonly and popularly termed as 'Americano', is hot water and an espresso shot extracted on top of piping warm water. Fill a cup with two-thirds of hot water and extract one shot of espresso.

5 natural drinks that will help you lose belly fat

Barista tip: Make sure to back-wash the portafilter before making an Americano, otherwise particles from the coffee grinder might be floating around.

Latte

PHOTO: INSTAGRAM/EDWARD TANUJAYA

'Latte' for short, is an espresso-based drink with steamed milk and micro-foam added to the coffee. It is much sweeter compared to an espresso due to the milk. In the USA and other mainstream cafes around the world, it is common to use a cup instead of a tumbler glass for a latte.

Cappuccino

PHOTO: INSTAGRAM/AESTHAMINE

A cappuccino is similar to a latte. However, the key difference is that the cappuccino has more foam and chocolate placed on top of the drink. Extract one shot of espresso into a cup, add steamed milk and 2-3cm of micro-foam on top of the steamed milk. Sprinkle chocolate and you have yourself a cappuccino!

Mocha 

PHOTO: INSTAGRAM/KOLLECTIVE KITCHEN

Mocha is an American invention and a variant of a café latte, inspired by the Turin coffee beverage Bicerin. The term "caffe mocha" is not used in Italy nor in France, where it is referred to as a "mocha latte." It is a mix between a cappuccino and a hot chocolate, and made by putting mixing chocolate powder with an espresso shot and then adding steamed milk and micro-foam into the beverage.

Have something to add to the story? Share it in the comments below.