Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Daniel Williamson on October 19, 2009 at 7:02am

Good to know. Thanks for the correction. Everything else right, though?

Jason Haeger said:

You are wrong on that. Starbucks didn't start it at all, but they did make it available in the US, and they may be the first to do so, but they didn't invent the drink.

Daniel Williamson said:

Well, the way I understand it, starbucks was the originator of the "latte macchiato." I may be wrong on that and am willing to be corrected, but I think that is true. Since it was starbucks that started it, for whatever reason the caramel macchiato is almost always what people who order that are thinking of. Based on that, and since most starbucks locations (around my neck of the woods anyway) have sizes "Tall (12 oz) Grande (16 oz) and Venti (20 oz), I would say that is an obscene amount of milk.

I love straight espresso. Sometimes, though, I want something a little bigger. When I say "a little" bigger that is exactly what I mean. The largest espresso based drink that I would willingly consume is 10 ounces (which would still probably not be acceptable without a fist-fight), but would much prefer a 6 oz capp. So, given that, it makes sense why I would say "an obscene amount of milk."

Again, since most people ordering it would be coming from *$, they would probably want caramel in it. So, the sequence goes as follows: 1) caramel and vanilla in the cup, 2) steamed milk next, and finally 3) the espresso dumped on top and that is it--no stirring or anything else--just a layered drink. The rationale is that you taste the rich, creamy milk mingled with the perfect espresso first, and then as you finish the drink you are bid farewell by the sweetness of the caramel to leave your palate with fond memories of the encounter and parting with eagerness for the next opportunity to enjoy the finer things of life..........but let's cut the crap--it's was made at starbucks and none of those things happen because they suck beyond belief.

Then, if someone is expecting that, but they don't want the nasty boiled/bubbly *$ milk and charred/overextracted/watery *$ espresso, then they want the flavoring stirred in with it, so they taste the sweetness and not so much of the nastiness. That is what an "upside down caramel macchiato" is--a stirred caramel macc. It's like a latte, only the order is different, and in the end it's all stirred up anyways, so what you are left with is a foamy caramel latte.

Yeah, not a pretty thing. DON"T EVER MAKE/DRINK ONE!!!!!!!!! EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

P.S. The reason I know this stuff is because that is all I used to drink back when I didn't know anything. MMMMMMMMMMMM Barnes and Noble venti iced caramel macchiato with extra vanilla and extra caramel! Seriously, that's what I got any time I got "specialty coffee." If you don't believe me, I even posted that on another thread titled "drinks you used to love, but now hate to admit you drank" or something like that.

Bam Bam said:

Oh, got it. Thanks!

You mentioned an obscene amount of milk ... is the latte macchiato, by definition, made with an obscene amount of milk? Or is it defined by the order in which shots and milk are added? Or both?

BTW, what's an upside-down macchiato? Someone once requested this and I didn't know what she meant. I asked her if she could tell me more about what she wanted, and she said, "You know. Make a macchiato, but backward. Starbucks does it."

Daniel Williamson said:

A latte macchiato is what starbucks does to their caramel maccs--steam the milk a little foamier than for a latte, then pour it into an empty cup, and add espresso to make little brown marks on top. I think it's gross, personally--just an obscene amount of milk. A traditional or "espresso macchiato" is made the other way around: Shot(s) in a demi, then top with a small amount of steamed latte-esque milk (obviously a small amount because it's in a demitasse). Espresso macchiato=cool, Latte macchiato=starbucks.

Bam Bam said:

Hey guys ...

What is a latte macchiato? I've heard tell of such a drink but am fuzzy on the details. Thanks!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Jason Haeger on October 19, 2009 at 7:27am

Almost.

vanilla in the cup, then free-pour the frothed milk (like you said, slightly more foam than a caffe latte).

Add the shot(s). Then drizzle caramel sauce on top in a hatch pattern, 7 stripes each way.

I wore the green apron once upon a time (and I still have a couple of them from back in the day).

Daniel Williamson said:

Good to know. Thanks for the correction. Everything else right, though?

Jason Haeger said:

You are wrong on that. Starbucks didn't start it at all, but they did make it available in the US, and they may be the first to do so, but they didn't invent the drink.

Daniel Williamson said:

Well, the way I understand it, starbucks was the originator of the "latte macchiato." I may be wrong on that and am willing to be corrected, but I think that is true. Since it was starbucks that started it, for whatever reason the caramel macchiato is almost always what people who order that are thinking of. Based on that, and since most starbucks locations (around my neck of the woods anyway) have sizes "Tall (12 oz) Grande (16 oz) and Venti (20 oz), I would say that is an obscene amount of milk.

I love straight espresso. Sometimes, though, I want something a little bigger. When I say "a little" bigger that is exactly what I mean. The largest espresso based drink that I would willingly consume is 10 ounces (which would still probably not be acceptable without a fist-fight), but would much prefer a 6 oz capp. So, given that, it makes sense why I would say "an obscene amount of milk."

Again, since most people ordering it would be coming from *$, they would probably want caramel in it. So, the sequence goes as follows: 1) caramel and vanilla in the cup, 2) steamed milk next, and finally 3) the espresso dumped on top and that is it--no stirring or anything else--just a layered drink. The rationale is that you taste the rich, creamy milk mingled with the perfect espresso first, and then as you finish the drink you are bid farewell by the sweetness of the caramel to leave your palate with fond memories of the encounter and parting with eagerness for the next opportunity to enjoy the finer things of life..........but let's cut the crap--it's was made at starbucks and none of those things happen because they suck beyond belief.

Then, if someone is expecting that, but they don't want the nasty boiled/bubbly *$ milk and charred/overextracted/watery *$ espresso, then they want the flavoring stirred in with it, so they taste the sweetness and not so much of the nastiness. That is what an "upside down caramel macchiato" is--a stirred caramel macc. It's like a latte, only the order is different, and in the end it's all stirred up anyways, so what you are left with is a foamy caramel latte.

Yeah, not a pretty thing. DON"T EVER MAKE/DRINK ONE!!!!!!!!! EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

P.S. The reason I know this stuff is because that is all I used to drink back when I didn't know anything. MMMMMMMMMMMM Barnes and Noble venti iced caramel macchiato with extra vanilla and extra caramel! Seriously, that's what I got any time I got "specialty coffee." If you don't believe me, I even posted that on another thread titled "drinks you used to love, but now hate to admit you drank" or something like that.

Bam Bam said:

Oh, got it. Thanks!

You mentioned an obscene amount of milk ... is the latte macchiato, by definition, made with an obscene amount of milk? Or is it defined by the order in which shots and milk are added? Or both?

BTW, what's an upside-down macchiato? Someone once requested this and I didn't know what she meant. I asked her if she could tell me more about what she wanted, and she said, "You know. Make a macchiato, but backward. Starbucks does it."

Daniel Williamson said:

A latte macchiato is what starbucks does to their caramel maccs--steam the milk a little foamier than for a latte, then pour it into an empty cup, and add espresso to make little brown marks on top. I think it's gross, personally--just an obscene amount of milk. A traditional or "espresso macchiato" is made the other way around: Shot(s) in a demi, then top with a small amount of steamed latte-esque milk (obviously a small amount because it's in a demitasse). Espresso macchiato=cool, Latte macchiato=starbucks.

Bam Bam said:

Hey guys ...

What is a latte macchiato? I've heard tell of such a drink but am fuzzy on the details. Thanks!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Al Soto on October 19, 2009 at 11:48am

I hope it did not damage you for too long :)

Jason Haeger said:

Almost.

vanilla in the cup, then free-pour the frothed milk (like you said, slightly more foam than a caffe latte).

Add the shot(s). Then drizzle caramel sauce on top in a hatch pattern, 7 stripes each way.

I wore the green apron once upon a time (and I still have a couple of them from back in the day).

Daniel Williamson said:

Good to know. Thanks for the correction. Everything else right, though?

Jason Haeger said:

You are wrong on that. Starbucks didn't start it at all, but they did make it available in the US, and they may be the first to do so, but they didn't invent the drink.

Daniel Williamson said:

Well, the way I understand it, starbucks was the originator of the "latte macchiato." I may be wrong on that and am willing to be corrected, but I think that is true. Since it was starbucks that started it, for whatever reason the caramel macchiato is almost always what people who order that are thinking of. Based on that, and since most starbucks locations (around my neck of the woods anyway) have sizes "Tall (12 oz) Grande (16 oz) and Venti (20 oz), I would say that is an obscene amount of milk.

I love straight espresso. Sometimes, though, I want something a little bigger. When I say "a little" bigger that is exactly what I mean. The largest espresso based drink that I would willingly consume is 10 ounces (which would still probably not be acceptable without a fist-fight), but would much prefer a 6 oz capp. So, given that, it makes sense why I would say "an obscene amount of milk."

Again, since most people ordering it would be coming from *$, they would probably want caramel in it. So, the sequence goes as follows: 1) caramel and vanilla in the cup, 2) steamed milk next, and finally 3) the espresso dumped on top and that is it--no stirring or anything else--just a layered drink. The rationale is that you taste the rich, creamy milk mingled with the perfect espresso first, and then as you finish the drink you are bid farewell by the sweetness of the caramel to leave your palate with fond memories of the encounter and parting with eagerness for the next opportunity to enjoy the finer things of life..........but let's cut the crap--it's was made at starbucks and none of those things happen because they suck beyond belief.

Then, if someone is expecting that, but they don't want the nasty boiled/bubbly *$ milk and charred/overextracted/watery *$ espresso, then they want the flavoring stirred in with it, so they taste the sweetness and not so much of the nastiness. That is what an "upside down caramel macchiato" is--a stirred caramel macc. It's like a latte, only the order is different, and in the end it's all stirred up anyways, so what you are left with is a foamy caramel latte.

Yeah, not a pretty thing. DON"T EVER MAKE/DRINK ONE!!!!!!!!! EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

P.S. The reason I know this stuff is because that is all I used to drink back when I didn't know anything. MMMMMMMMMMMM Barnes and Noble venti iced caramel macchiato with extra vanilla and extra caramel! Seriously, that's what I got any time I got "specialty coffee." If you don't believe me, I even posted that on another thread titled "drinks you used to love, but now hate to admit you drank" or something like that.

Bam Bam said:

Oh, got it. Thanks!

You mentioned an obscene amount of milk ... is the latte macchiato, by definition, made with an obscene amount of milk? Or is it defined by the order in which shots and milk are added? Or both?

BTW, what's an upside-down macchiato? Someone once requested this and I didn't know what she meant. I asked her if she could tell me more about what she wanted, and she said, "You know. Make a macchiato, but backward. Starbucks does it."

Daniel Williamson said:

A latte macchiato is what starbucks does to their caramel maccs--steam the milk a little foamier than for a latte, then pour it into an empty cup, and add espresso to make little brown marks on top. I think it's gross, personally--just an obscene amount of milk. A traditional or "espresso macchiato" is made the other way around: Shot(s) in a demi, then top with a small amount of steamed latte-esque milk (obviously a small amount because it's in a demitasse). Espresso macchiato=cool, Latte macchiato=starbucks.

Bam Bam said:

Hey guys ...

What is a latte macchiato? I've heard tell of such a drink but am fuzzy on the details. Thanks!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Jason Haeger on October 19, 2009 at 4:54pm

Yes. Of course, you could always go order one and watch them make it.

But that would be a massive waste of money. (and coffee, and milk)

Al: It's actually where I learned how much I loved coffee. It launched my career, as it were. No damage done.

Bam Bam said:

Vanilla in the cup. Then foamy milk. Then shots, then drizzled caramel. Upside-down = stirred.

Fascinating!

When iced, is the caramel macchiato made by adding 1.vanilla, 2. milk, 3. ice, 4. shots, 5. caramel drizzled on top?

I am so morbidly curious!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Logan Demmy on October 19, 2009 at 5:27pm

So much hating on the steamed milk... the shop that i currently work in serves their iced lattes with slightly steamed milk ideally just warm to the touch. This allows for the critical breakdown of protein strains to simple sugars, allowing for a perceived sweetness. This steaming should be as little as possible for sweetness and micro foam. This is poured over a full cup of ice to which the espresso is added.

The drink is not has cold initially therefore the espresso suffers less shock, there is a nice insulating foam layer on top, and the drink seems (to me) to be much sweeter. Since less milk is used we do charge a little less.

If you have not tried this then i recommend it. If you dont like it you will only be out 5 ounces of milk ice and some spro. It is the only way i even think about drinking an iced drinks...

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Brady on October 19, 2009 at 7:04pm

Interesting. I was under the impression that a latte macchiato was just steamed milk with the espresso dumped in on top, leaving its mark in the foam. No vanilla or other syrup, just milk and espresso. Good to learn the truth.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Jason Haeger on October 19, 2009 at 7:38pm

No, you understood correctly. I defined a Caramel Macchiato, which is a modified Latte Macchiato.

More correctly, it would be named a: "vanilla latte macchiato with caramel sauce drizzled on top"

Brady said:

Interesting. I was under the impression that a latte macchiato was just steamed milk with the espresso dumped in on top, leaving its mark in the foam. No vanilla or other syrup, just milk and espresso. Good to learn the truth.

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