A caffè latte is coffee with a reasonable amount of milk. A stronger version is the caffè macchiato, basically an espresso with a dash of milk; macchiato means flecked. A caffè macchiato is identical to an espresso macchiato, but should not be confused with a latte macchiato.
A latte macchiato is steamed milk ‘marked’ with espresso, as its Italian name suggests, whereas a caffè macchiato is an espresso ’marked’ with spoonful of milk foam.
An authentic latte macchiato is a traditional Italian breakfast drink made with one 45 ml shot of espresso poured into a cup with 240 ml steamed milk; no froth or foam.
The stirring of the caffè macchiato, creating a moussey mixture of milk and crema, and the subsequent licking of the spoon constitute one of the great morning rituals in the Italian espresso bar experience.
Caffè macchiato
