Why is a caffe latte served in a glass?

burnt_hands · January 2006

So the general consensus seems to be:

A latte and a flat white are the same coffee
A latte comes in a glass
A flat white comes in a cup or mug
Some people prefer the taste of a latte in a glass
Some people like the look of a latte in a glass
Some people don't

I'm off to buy a flat white and return these asbestos gloves

Remus · January 2006

i always thought a latte had more milk than a flat white.

mattyj · January 2006

to confuse the issue even more - what we call/define a flat white, in the US is a latte.

nunu · January 2006

MMM...Makes me reminisce about egg nog lattes. Stop it Matty.

admin · January 2006

hi guys - have just returned from a brief trip to NZ, where lattes are often served in a bowl - seriously. Makes you wonder where the different customs originate. ...will probably find it was as simple as someone coming across a crate of soup bowls at a 'surplus' auction and deciding to use them in the cafe... a practice which then 'caught on'. They now have rather beautifully decorated latte bowls at many cafes. In terms of standard definitions, just wanted to clarify - I understood ideal flat white to have only around 2 ml of densely textured milk on top, whereas an ideal latte would have around 5 ml. In terms of capacities, if you do a quick test, you'll find that the standard latte glass contains a little more room for milk than a ceramic flat white cup; otherwise there is no difference. -A

over_extracted · February 2006

Same drink different name they both contain the same amount of coffee so whats the big deal flat white sounds like a cup of flat milk with coffee yuck..and why do people call cafe latte (larrey). ::) ::)

askthecoffeeguy · September 2006

Apologies Lukey, you did too. So then, just to be totally clear, except for the 5mm foam thing There is no difference at all between a latte and a flat white except the vessel they are served in? Latte = glass Flat white = cup/mug

Actually, technically, I believe that a flat white should have about 20mls of hot water in the bottom of the cup, followed by a single extraction of coffee, then topped with what I term as 'flat white' milk - meaning that the milk has been textured and rolled during heating, but not 'stretched.' Whereas when heating milk for a cafe latte, it is customary (in my joint at least) to increase the volume of the milk by about one third, whilst maintaining a rolling, whirlpool motion, to induce the froth-free micro-foam, which make for the lovely densely layered and textured effect, somewhat like pouring a Guinness! The resulting taste sensation should also be rich, smooth, and creamy - not unlike drinking a Guinness! There, that's my 5 cents worth, and don't get me started on cappuccinos! ACG

Lukey · September 2006

Actually, technically, I believe that a flat white should have about 20mls of hot water in the bottom of the cup, followed by a single extraction of coffee, then topped with what I term as 'flat white' milk - meaning that the milk has been textured and rolled during heating, but not 'stretched.' ACG

i think you missed the point. there shouldnt be a flat white on the espresso menu. why do u think there's so much inconsistency in espresso made coffee's around australia. there's been so much bastardisation done and people putting there own spin on them thinking it'll taste better. leave the flat whites, mugacino's, babycino, long machiatto's, long blacks far away from the espresso machine and the aussie coffe culture will be a better place for it.

mattyj · September 2006

so when I finally get to visit pioneer, i can't ask for a flat white? :-[

Lukey · September 2006

so when I finally get to visit pioneer, i can't ask for a flat white?

askthecoffeeguy · September 2006

leave the flat whites, mugacino's, babycino, long machiatto's, long blacks far away from the espresso machine and the aussie coffe culture will be a better place for it.

Really? I used to think the same thing about 12oz and 16oz take away coffees, and about chai, and syrup based coffees / hot chocolates etc., but these type of drinks have added an entirely new dimension to my business, contributed to my 50-plus kg a week coffee turnover (not bad for a kiosk), and given me a competitive edge in the market place that sets my business aside from many others in the area. Also, much of my return patronage comes from the consistency of serving a flat white (or espresso / ristretto etc.) exactly the same way every time. Surely, if you are going to be in business, and remain competitive for more than a blink of an eye, then part of that competitiveness is about listening to your customers, and responding to their needs. Otherwise, you might as well trade on the moon. ACG

nzroaster · September 2006

Really?

flatwhite · September 2006

I've gotta say, of the large qty of cafes I visit, most of which for takeaway and being nowhere near the city most of the time therefore not expecting fantastic coffee's, just something to get me by.....I work on the following assumption. Cappuccino means bubblebath style froth with dusting. Latte means bubblebath style froth, no dusting - served in a glass Flat White means not much froth (hopefully), no dusting. What I constantly find is that to the outer-suburb takeaway coffee market 'Flat White' just means "dont put dusting on my cappuccino"

DoubleRistretto · September 2006

Hey FW - just wondered if you have an opinion on Admin's question - 'flatwhite invented where' under the Trade page section! dR

askthecoffeeguy · September 2006

I think an aspect that hasn't been fully explored in this issue is the ability of the barista to visually profile their trade by serving a coffee in a glass. After all, you can hide i lot of mistakes (except taste) under a lid, or even in a ceramic cup - but the glass don't lie! First you eat with your eyes, then you eat with your hands - so goes a Japanese proverb. And I guess that the same is true for coffee, the drink has to first appeal to the sense of sight and smell, before it appeals to the sense of taste. It's all part of the sensory experience. ACG

mattyj · September 2006

Hence Latte Art. But if I grab a glass with no handle, and it feels too hot to hold (because there's no handle), then I burn my fingers, and leave the coffee for the cup to cool down a bit. As I wait, the microfoam starts to turn bubbly (it happends as the tight microfoam starts to dissipate), it doesn't look as good, and begins to not taste as good either. Nothing can beat the mouthfeel or settling milk froth though. Drinking your latte/cappa/fw/whatever as the guiness effect is going strong is an amazing feeling. Glimpse of heaven!

takeaim · September 2006

Hence Latte Art. But if I grab a glass with no handle, and it feels too hot to hold (because there's no handle), then I burn my fingers, and leave the coffee for the cup to cool down a bit.

If it's too hot to hold I probably wouldn't bother drinking it

tommy · September 2006

i remember many years ago before i knew what an espresso was, lattes were distinguished from flat whites by the factor that a latte was served in a glass at billion degrees and served with a napkin to hold the glass with... so that you dont burn your fingers - you just burn your tastebuds instead. go figure?

askthecoffeeguy · September 2006

I'm so old that I remember before the late was even invented (well... commercially available, actually) - and the choice was black or white (from a peculator, of course)! ACG

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