pouring an americano on the breville oracle touch.

Five Espresso Machine Drinks to Try Out!

Who knew coffee beans could be this versatile?

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Espresso is a drink of Italian origin, and it is created by forcing hot water under pressure through finely ground coffee beans.  It is more intense and aromatic than drip coffee. It is also known as a short black. If you don’t own an espresso machine, I personally use and highly recommend the Breville Oracle Touch; it comes with a built in grinder that makes fresh beans convenient and easy and an automatic tamper, which makes for easy clean up. If you’d like to spend little bit less, but still want the integrated grinder, I recommend the Breville Barista Express. Read my comparison between the Breville Oracle Touch and Breville Barista Express here.

Five Drinks That Use Espresso as a Base

Americano

An Americano is a single or double shot of espresso with hot water added to it. The hot water dilutes the strength of the espresso to create a  similar, but different, flavor as traditional drip/brewed coffee. An Americano is also known as a long black.

Cappuccino

A cappuccino is a single shot of espresso with textured milk. The ratio is 1⁄3 espresso, 1⁄3 steamed milk, and 1⁄3 foamed milk. The milk should be steamed and textured to a temperature of 155–160°F.

Optional garnishes include chocolate and cinnamon.

Espresso shot from an espresso machine; perfect for an Americano.
Frothing milk on an espresso machine.

Latté

A latté is a single shot of espresso with textured milk. The ratio is 1⁄6 espresso, 4⁄6 steamed milk, 1⁄6 foamed milk.

Macchiato

An espresso drink that can be served either short or long. Of all the drinks made from milk and espresso, the macchiato has the highest ratio of espresso to milk. The drink consists of mostly espresso, with just a dash of milk, usually foamed, to add sweetness.

Ristretto

A ristretto is an extremely short espresso. When pulling the shot, the same amount of coffee beans are used as a normal shot; however, they are ground more finely. Due to the finer grind, less water makes it’s way through the coffee grounds. The result is a more concentrated shot of espresso with a more intense flavor and aftertaste than a normal shot of espresso.

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