The Milky Way (Cappuccino, Flat White & Cafe Latte)
If white coffee is what you prefer, welcome to the milky way! Another three drinks that can be found on almost every cafe menu are Latte, Flat White and Cappuccino.
You might have your favourite out of the three, but do you know what sets them apart?
The main difference is their respective proportions when it comes to milk foam and steamed milk content:
While Flat Whites have a large amount of steam milk and the thinnest layer of milk foam out of the three, Cappuccinos have the largest layer of foam in comparison. Lattes find themselves somewhere in between the two.
With such a great difference in milk content between the three drinks, Flat Whites naturally taste the milkiest out of the bunch. The variations did not originate from personal taste preferences however, as each of the three have come from different parts of the world and at different times.
Quick coffee history lesson here:
The term ‘Cappuccino’ comes from ’Capuchin’, an order of monks whose brown robe inspired the name of the similarly-coloured drink.
Flat Whites, on the other hand, is a more modern invention. Invented in Australia and New Zealand, this drink is a newcomer to Europe and USA. 2013 saw the Flat White finally made available in New York City in an Australian-style cafe co-owned by actor Hugh Jackman. Starbucks joined in the fun in 2015, when the Flat White graced their menus in January.
If Latte is your choice of white coffee, be careful of where you order it! Ordering a ‘latte’ in Italy would just get you a cold cup of milk! ‘Latte’ is, after all, the Italian word for milk. Instead, what you would want is a ‘Caffè latte’.
Regardless of your preference, these three drinks are more similar than they are different! After all, they all contain the exact same ingredients. Some cafes have already opted to combine all three drinks under ‘White Coffee’ on their menu.
In fact, some may argue that certain beans with certain flavour profiles might even require a specific amount of milk and milk foam to bring out its fullest flavour!
This is why Milk Coffees have been a controversial topic to many!
If you like your coffee simple with no milk, read this to learn more about Americano & Long Black!