What happens when you take two shots of espresso and add 6-8 ounces of water? You get a cup of coffee that’s more flavorful and less bitter than a traditionally-brewed cup!

How can this be?

The same amount of ground coffee is used to brew a double-shot of espresso as a cup of coffee; the difference is in the amount of time the grounds are in contact with the water. Less contact means only the best flavor is extracted and the bitterness is left behind. Adding hot water will result in a cup of coffee that’s similar in brewed strength rather than the more intense espresso, but without any loss in flavor.

At King’s Corner Café, you can have your mocha with or without espresso! At the heart of our mocha lattes and “adult” hot chocolate is Ghirardelli Barista Chocolate Sauce. Did you know that cocoa beans are roasted just like coffee beans? Ghirardelli accepts only the highest-quality beans, rejecting over 40%, and roasts the beans in-house to ensure to ensure the company’s signature flavor profile is consistently maintained throughout all its products.

Café Mocha

Imagine blending rich, creamy hot chocolate with a shot or two of espresso — that’s exactly how a mocha is made! We start with Ghirardelli Barista Chocolate Sauce, add a shot or two of espresso and steamed milk. A mocha is then crowned with Cabot’s whipped cream, and a drizzle of Ghirardelli caramel sauce. Not a caramel fan? We’ll sprinkle Ghirardelli powdered chocolate on top instead.

“Adult” Hot Chocolate

We serve regular hot chocoate for the kids — Swiss Miss and hot water — but a real favorite is the decadent “adult” hot chocolate made with Ghirardelli Barista Chocolate Sauce and steamed whole milk. Just like the mocha described above, but without the espresso. The older kids love them too!

Add a Flavor Shot!

There’s only one thing better than a Cafe Mocha or Adult Hot Chocolate — that’s one with a flavor shot of amaretto, hazelnut, caramel, or frosted mint! At King’s Corner Café we use Monin all natural syrups and have several sugar-free varieties on hand.

Enjoy!

For the uninitiated, the world of espresso drinks can be quite a mystery. Even when ordering something as simple as a cappuccino or latte, the customer is presented with numerous options often resulting in a puzzled expression. Once you know the lingo it’s really very simple. The language of espresso is the key.

We talked about espresso in a previous post. Let’s discuss the two most popular espresso drinks next — cappuccinos and lattes.

How do you like your milk?

The only difference between a cappuccino and a latte is how the milk is prepared. Before milk (or soy, if you prefer) is added to espresso, it is first steamed. This process injects air into the milk and will begin to create foam. Incorporating air into the milk improves and sweetens the taste. The milk is heated to a temperature of approximately 160°F. A skilled barista will make a smooth, creamy foam; you don’t really want something akin to soapsuds in your coffee.

Latte

For a latte, the volume of milk is increased by one-third to one-half. That means what starts out as a few ounces of milk ends up appearing to be almost one and a half times that. The end result is a small amount of foam, enough to give extra body to the drink and sweeten it a bit.

Cappuccino

For a cappuccino, more foam is produced — enough to fill one-third of the cup with foam. A cappuccino may end up tasting slightly stronger than a latte because of the ratio of milk to coffee.

Ready to Order? Here’s what you need to know …

Single / Double / Triple: espresso is measured in “shots”; typically the number of shots equates to the size of the drink (single = small, double = medium, etc.). If you like your drink to have a stronger coffee flavor, you can ask for a small double.

The next time you have an opportunity to try a cappuccino or latte from your local, independently owned cafe remember the following:

• the number of shots of espresso (single, double, triple)
• the size of the drink (small, medium, large)
• cappuccino or latte
• milk choice (typically skim by default)

We’ll talk about more options later.

Salute!

Here at King’s Corner Cafe, we take great pride in our espresso – from the beans we use to the quality of the shots we pull. Espresso — with the first syllable pronounced like the letter “s”, not “x” — is a shot of pressure-brewed coffee using very finely ground coffee. Brewing takes about 25 seconds. Properly brewed, an espresso will feature a layer of rich dark golden cream, called crema on the surface.

See those thin strands of liquid? Those are called “mouse tails” and are an indication of a well-pulled shot — a perfect combination of the right grind properly tamped. If the liquid is coming out of the portafilter in something more akin to cat tails, the water is going through the coffee too fast and will be nothing but colored water. Conversely, if the liquid is coming out in droplets instead of a stream, the grounds are either too fine or too densely packed and the shot will be bitter.

When you order an espresso, this is what you get. A single or double shot of espresso. That’s it —there’s no steamed or frothed milk in an espresso — just a bit of heaven in a cup.