Okay, the way that I was taught Macchiatos:

An iced breva with two shots espresso--let added syrups drip from edges.


The technical definition of Macchiato:

Short--an espresso with cream. Long--espresso with slow-poured milk, resulting in a layered drink.


Starbuck's definition of Macchiato:

Milk--Espresso--Vanilla--Caramel; all in an ass-backwards combination...


What is a Macchiato?


-Ben

My definition of a machiatto is one shot of an espresso with a thin layer of foamed milk, a sort of "mini cappuccino" but with a smaller proportion of milk:


Close up using ~3 ounce glass demitasse

The traditional definition is a splotch of foamed milk to "mark" the espresso. However even Wikipedia's caffe macchiato recognizes the ambiguity of the term in practice.

My definition is similar to HB's (and I believe the typically accepted one) - shot of espresso with a 'dollop' of foamed milk on top. Total volume roughly 3 oz. I use either a single shot (if making two at once) or a ristretto (preferred).

No distinction between "short" and "long" (unless you are talking about the espresso itself).
BUT, one of my friends worked in a shop where it had to be foamed half-n-half on top.

Starbuck's definition is pretty much only used by them.

I have never heard the iced breve variety of 'macchiato' - probably much like Starbucks in that only the shop you learned it at does it that way.

I do 2oz of espresso and 1oz of milk/microfoam. My macchiatos look like baby monk cap cappuccinos. Just enough milk and microfoam to make a small quarter sized white blot on top of the crema.



One macchiato. Sorry about the bubbles, my machine froths like a rocket which can make doing a couple of ounces a bit difficult, but it still tastes good.

Macchiatto on its own means "stain." Cafe macchiatto is a shot "stained" with hot milk; latte machiatto is hot milk "stained" with coffee. These terms are used at homes or in bars; in bars, espresso machines are used to make them.

There's really no ambiguity, just theft. US cafes steal Italian names for their own drinks. Nothing new to this; Budweiser is actually a style of Czech beer dating from the 1300s from the town of Budweiss with slightly sweeter malt and fewer hops than a Pilsner. Beers from Budweiss are now banned in the US (at least under their own name), since AB had the temerity to trademark the name they stole.

It's thefts like this that has started the whole trend of original producers trying to protect their product names by various means.

cannonfodder wrote:I do 2oz of espresso and 1oz of milk/microfoam. My macchiatos look like baby monk cap cappuccinos. Just enough milk and microfoam to make a small quarter sized white blot on top of the crema.

Me too. My favorite drink after the morning cap.


Don't 'me too' posts tick you off?