Here’s how popular coffee drinks are made and what they are made from. Note that American coffees are not always directly comparable to European coffees and sometimes the names are different.

Almost all coffee drinks begin with espresso (espresso is just the name for coffee that is brewed a certain way - the coffee is finely ground, almost to a powder, and then very hot water is forced through the grounds under pressure.

The brewing process is designed and carefully timed so that the key oils that define the flavor and aroma are extracted from the coffee but those that create the bitter taste. This produces a strong flavored, but not bitter, concentrated shot of coffee.

Straight Shot (or Short Black)

The straight shot (or short black) refers to espresso coffee. The secret to good espresso is the extraction time, volume, and golden crema which is a thick light brown layer of frothed coffee oils that float on top of a properly extracted espresso.

The short shot or ristretto is extracted to a volume of three-quarters of an ounce. The shorter restricted pour magnifies the essence of the coffee and the chance of any bitter elements being extracted is minimized. If you order an espresso shot in Europe they usually serve the ristretto.

The long shot (or long black or lungo) is extracted to a volume of one and one-half ounces.

The double shot is a 2 ounce shot using twice as much coffee in the portafilter.

The correct way to serve a straight shot is to extract it directly into a warmed demitasse cup. The warm demitasse cup will keep the straight shot warm and prolong the crema. A straight shot is best enjoyed immediately after brewing.

The spresso is the most popular coffee in Europe, but it is rarer to see people drinking straight shots of espresso in the US. Most US coffee drinkers prefer to drink variations using steamed milk mixed with the shots to make the different coffee drinks described below.

Espresso Macchiato

The Espresso Macchiato starts off as a shot of espresso to which a small amount of foamed milk is added (actually spooned in over the shot). Macchiato in Italian means “marked,” as the espresso is marked with foam.

Espresso Con Panna

This is made in the same way as an Espresso Macchiato, but using whipped cream in place of the foamed milk. The drink gets its name Con Panna which means “with cream.”

Cappuccino

Cappuccino is my long-time favorite. It made by adding fluffy, milk foam to espresso coffee and it creates a blend of the two flavors. Cold milk is used for the foaming. Cappuccino is a light weight drink and less filling than say a caffé latté.

Caffé Latté

Caffé Latté is similar to the cappuccino but with much less foam and more steamed milk. A latté is made by holding back the foam with a spoon while pouring the frothed milk from the steaming pitcher. The caffé latté is completed by being topped with a small amount of the held back foam.

Caffé latté gets its name from the addition of coffee to milk. For an iced latté, cold milk is combined with the espresso and then the ice is added.

Caffé Americano

The Caffé Americano is made with a single or double shot of espresso combined with 6 to 8 ounces of hot water out of an espresso machine. The result is a very smooth cup of coffee that is similar to American brewed coffee but is much hotter.

Caffé Mocha

A caffé mocha is made by blending powdered or chocolate syrup into a hot shot of espresso. After blending, steamed milk is added to the espresso-chocolate mixture (and usually it is finished off a whipped cream topping - yum!).

Iced mochas are made with cold milk and the ice added after the coffee and chocolate have been blended.

Flavored Coffee Drinks

These drinks are usually made with a flavored syrup that is mixed with hot espresso and stirred. Then steamed milk is stirred in just like in a latté. Some of the popular coffee flavors include: vanilla, Irish creme, almond, hazelnut, caramel and fruit flavors such as strawberry, orange and raspberry.

You can get an iced version of these flavored coffees made with cold milk instead of steamed and this makes a delicious cold drink at anytime, but especially in the summer months.