The Reader Digests | Coffee, Coffee, & More Coffee

Someone asked me earlier today how I can fit all the things I have going on into my schedule. I would love to say I am Superwoman, but the truth is I just get very little sleep. I do homework after my kids go to bed and usually turn in around 1 a.m., sometimes later.  Then I get up and go to work the next day.

So, how do I do it? It's coffee. Lots and lots of coffee.  I spend an inordinate amount of time (and money) at Starbucks. It's like "Cheers", except sometimes I get a little embarrassed that everybody there knows my name. And they only serve coffee and tea - at least, for now.

However, I remember the first time I went into a cafe. It was so intimidating. All those weird names for coffee - lattes, cappuccinos, macchiatos. What does it all mean? When I was a new coffee drinker, I wished someone had told me how to order

courtesy of cornerofthecafe.com

coffee, because there were many times I got something that just wasn't good. I hated holding up the line trying to figure out what I wanted (and doesn't it seem like they are getting longer?). I am no coffee snob, but I also don't want to look silly trying to order a cup of coffee.

So here's a little U.S. coffee menu explanation (If you were in Italy it would be a different ballgame, plus you would say caffe!):

Espresso - finely ground coffee served in shots.  More concentrated and darker than regular coffee.

Cappucino - Foamed and Steamed Milk over Espresso.  Dry means less milk, more foam.  Wet means the opposite.

I love you too!!!

Latte - Espresso with  steamed milk.

Mocha - Espresso with steamed milk and chocolate.  It can be white chocolate as well.

Machiatto - Espresso with a small amount of steamed or foamed milk added.  Baristas at many cafes use this drink to make designs, or latte art. Some also add caramel or hazelnut, to make flavored macchiatos. 

Americano - Espresso and water.  This is similar to a cup of brewed coffee. 

I'll end this post with some interesting coffee caffeine facts!

• Espresso drinks usually have less caffeine than a cup of brewed coffee.

• Light roast coffees generally have more caffeine when brewed by volume, and there will be no difference in light or dark roasts' caffeine levels if brewed by weight.  This is because caffeine is lost in the roasting process, and the more the bean is roasted, the more it expands.  The light beans are smaller after roasting, therefore can be packed in at a lower volume.

Want to learn more about coffee?  Check out our coffee book collection!