I'm a pour over/ aeropress drinker and haven't been wowed by espresso or espresso drinks. I have enjoyed espresso shots and americanos, but never enough to want to take the next step and buy the equipment to make my own at home.... until today.
This morning I stopped by Huckleberry Roasters Cafe on Larimer and ordered a Cortado because the person in front of me ordered the same. The barista handed me a drink with perfect latte art and it blew me away. The fruit and sweetness that came through made me think that something had been added, but it was pure coffee goodness. I believe it was their Phantom Limb blend. I'm headed back in the morning to order another, plus a straight shot with the same blend.
If I could make the same at home, count me in.
I'm not sure why it has taken me this long to discover an espresso drink this good. I just had to share my experience. I see a grinder/ machine purchase and hours of practice in my future.
Chuck

That's essentially my drink of choice, though I tend to call it a macchiato: a double-shot of espresso with maybe two ounces of steamed milk with the texture of a thick paint. I think the technical difference is that a cortado uses heavy cream and is a Spanish drink.

I find that using just a little milk buffers any harsher sourness or bitterness but since it's just a little bit it still let's all the coffee flavor come through. The proportions of the drink means it still packs quite a punch. The fat in the milk helps carry the flavor of the coffee by coating your mouth as well as adding a bit of sweetness. Plus it's nicer being able to savor a four ounce drink than quickly slam an espresso.

All the money I have spent on this hobby has been to create this at home everyday. And it's quite hard to find good macchiatos (or cortados), except at a few top notch cafes.

Hi Ken,
I think you nailed the sensory side of why I like the drink - I'm looking forward to exploring more variations!

keno wrote:That's essentially my drink of choice, though I tend to call it a macchiato: a double-shot of espresso with maybe two ounces of steamed milk with the texture of a thick paint. I think the technical difference is that a cortado uses heavy cream and is a Spanish drink.
...

The drink you describe is a cortado up here. It too is my drink of choice when ordering espresso.

A macchiato is just a dab/touch/dot of steamed milk. Much less milk is used in a macchiato. It means "marked" in Italian.

Coffee defintions are pretty loose, region to region, shop to shop. Often, when I want a cortado, I have to describe it to the barkeep.

Equal parts espresso & steamed milk according to Metropolis: http://www.metropoliscoffee.com/univers ... production

Boldjava wrote:Coffee defintions are pretty loose, region to region, shop to shop. Often, when I want a cortado, I have to describe it to the barkeep.

Yeah this is a big pain in the ass. I wish they were more generalized

+1, but I use it as one indicator of the quality of a cafe.

Run from any place that has on the menu a 12 oz or 16 oz cappuccino. If you have to drown espresso in that much milk it must be awful, just like Starbucks.

Just when you thought it couldn't get more bizarre we saw 24oz cappas and lattes @Scooters while visiting the folks in Omaha

When I was in boy scouts, we'd take a canteen with 32 oz of water with us on day hikes. I always thought it was insane that the fast food restaurants sold 32 oz sodas when that was all the water we had for a hot summer's day mountain hike.

24 oz Cappuccinos? Crazy.

I like my cortados too. Kinda grateful to SCAA for ridding me of that 8oz habit. What's the point over 2oz, can't even taste the espresso.