Spironski wrote:So there is no consensus! And I am happy with it . In most cafés you will get a 1:2:2, I guess, but I like 1:1:1 more. At home I do whatever I (and my GF) feel like, and that's okay, isn't it?
It doesn't bother me what the official name would be for the drink I make, as long as it tastes good. Sometimes I make myself a Spanish-style "Cortado", which translates to a 2:1:1. It lies inbetween a macchiato and a strong cappuccino, then. In the end there is an infinite choice of proportions between espresso and milk...

True, but it seems odd that there's no consensus on the makeup of one of the most popular espresso drinks. Beverage characteristics change in fundamental ways as the ratio of coffee to milk goes from 1:2 to 1:5, and it seems odd to call all of those drinks a cappuccino. Perhaps we need a "milk ratio" chart, kinda like Andy's brew ratio chart to define ristretto, normale, and lungo pours. Y'know, something along these lines:

* less than 1:2 - macchiato
* 1:2 to 1:4 - cappuccio
* 1:4 to 1:6 - cappuccino
* greater than 1:6 - latte

This is a very rough first cut, please feel free to comment on the ratios and categories. If it's important to distinguish between foamed milk and steamed milk, that could be worked in.

EDIT:
"X:Y" means X parts espresso to Y parts milk, by mass (weight), not volume.

For the sake of clear communication, it's probably best to have some sort of "chart", understood.
However, but who am I?, I don't agree entirely with yours. My chart would be more like:

Macchiato : up until 3:1
Cortado : 3:1 to 1:1
Cappucio : 1:1 to 1:2
cappuccino : 1:2 to 1:4
Latte : above 1:4

This list seems to be "heavier" then yours, Rapid. And to be clear: cappuccino to me means: 1 part espresso - 2 to 4 parts milk. When there is only 1/5 espresso involved, to me it is barely a cappuccino. That's my 2 cents...

EDIT:
this chart is by volume!

From reading this thread and other many thread here on HB I have determined it just comes down to taste! . That seems to be the best 'out' of any answer here on HB...

FWIW, I was asking because I will be ordering my first machine tommorrow(the Anita)and will need all the basic start-up stuff----including cups. I was wondering which cups I should get. I have settled on the 5-5.5 oz. style Moka Brown Amalfi style cups. They seem to be the standard and not too expensive. Probably will also get the matching sorrento style espresso cups.

Another reason I was curious was that it seemed a standard cappa was a single shot. From reading these forums it seems nobody(and even many say not to)pulls single shots. So my thinking was if everyone is pulling doubles(which seems to be the norm) what do ya do with the other shot. I guess you could just keep the ratio the same and make a bigger cappa, or just make two?

ron

Hmm, Cappucio...I've never heard of that but that's what I also enjoy more often than not.

brad

Okay, re-reading this thread, I see I am using different ratio-translations. When I say:1:2, I mean 1 part espresso, 2 parts milk, and John means: 1 out of 2, right?

EDIT:
*removed*

Spironski wrote:Okay, re-reading this thread, I see I am using different ratio-translations. When I say:1:2, I mean 1 part espresso, 2 parts milk, and John means: 1 out of 2, right?

Sorry, no. By "X:Y" I mean X parts espresso to Y parts milk, as measured by mass (weight) rather than volume. I've edited my post above for clarity. So the "drink of thirds" (maybe a cappuccio?) would have a ratio of 1:2.

Disclaimer: I never even heard of a cappuccio until Abe mentioned it in this thread. But it fits my preferred espresso beverage better than the 1:5 description of a cappuccino from the INEI.

RapidCoffee wrote: * Spelling question: cappuccio?

Probably, perhaps possibly yes. I think. I didn't ask those baristas in Rome how they spell it, but it should be spelled like cappuccino without the 'n'. I edited my post to reflect that astute observation.

In any event, which cup size would be good ones to start with? I'm thinking maybe a couple 5 oz. but also a couple 6.5 -7 oz.

Maybe I'll just use my ceramic coffee mugs to start out with and determine from there what 'ratio' I like best...

ron