Making a cup of espresso ()
One of the small pleasures of life in Germany is being able to partake in the almost sacred ritual of enjoying an afternoon break for “Kaffee und Kuchen,” coffee and cake. Unlike in Italy, where milky coffee drinks are considered strictly morning beverages, Germans find it perfectly acceptable to order a cappuccino even hours past noon. Those who enjoy keeping an eye peeled on what servers are bringing out to other customers’ tables have no doubt admired the lovely array of coffee drinks, many poured in layers and served in clear glasses, and wished they’d been a little more creative in their ordering. Here’s a quick look at some of Germany’s most beloved coffee specialties:
Filterkaffee: This is an uncomplicated coffee brewed by dripping hot water over the grounds and through a filter, much as you’d do with a simple machine back home. Milk will be served separately, but you might have to ask for it.
Café Crema: In this drink, coffee is prepared as an espresso, using high water pressure. The key difference is the amount of water used in its preparation. The Café Crema comes in large cup with a thin layer of gold colored foam on its surface. The foam is from the coffee itself, rather than the addition of any milk. Again, if you do want milk, you’ll generally have to ask for it.
Americano: A Caffè Americano is a double espresso diluted with hot water at a roughly one-to-three ratio. The hot water is usually added to the cup first and then the espresso is brewed to pour down on top of it. Milk will come only upon request.
Espresso: This strong brew in the tiny cup is the result of coffee beans ground very fine and preparation with high water pressure. A well-prepared espresso should have a thin layer of tan foam floating on its surface. It will generally take the barista about 25 seconds to prepare the drink: a shorter brew time wouldn’t allow the aromas in the beans to fully develop, while a longer one would result in a bitter end product. The coffee beans meant for espresso are usually roasted to a darker color. An espresso is usually taken without adding any milk, although sugar is often added.
Doppelter Espresso: As the name suggests, twice the amount of coffee grounds and water are used in this drink’s preparation. The metal spoon-like device used to hold the coffee grounds, which is known by the name of portafilter, is larger than the one used to make the standard single.
Cappuccino: This commonly ordered drink is a double espresso combined with frothed milk. The milk-to-coffee ratio is generally around two to one.
Latte macchiato: This is the beverage brought to the table in a clear glass, enabling the drinker to admire its three layers. These layers consist of two thirds of frothed milk and one third of espresso. The glass is first filled with hot milk, next comes the frothed milk and finally the espresso itself.
Milchkaffee: The drink referred to as caffè latte in Italian and café au lait in France is made of coffee and a generous quantity of milk. In Germany, part or all of the milk is generally served up frothed and is brought to the table in a large, almost bowl-like cup. This is the mildest of all coffee drinks.
Lungo: Not something you see all that often in German cafes, this is an espresso prepared with two or more times the amount of water used to make a standard espresso. The amount of coffee grounds used remains the same, while the length of time for which the water is made to pass through is significantly longer.
Ristretto: This is an even stronger version of an espresso, created by using even less water in an equal amount of coffee grounds. The result is more concentrated, less bitter and contains less caffeine.
