The Heat is On

Maybe it's because of the incredibly abrupt shifts in weather we have in Wisconsin, but it always seems as if a lot of people here will alter their coffee beverage of choice when the weather gets hot. This mostly means asking for "iced coffee."

As an espresso drinker, I didn't think I would be affected, but I found myself ordering an espresso rather than a macchiato one afternoon when escaping the heat. My reasoning was that I didn't want the added hot milk. I still like a little cream to soften my espresso though, so I added a touch of (cold) cream from the available pitcher most cafes supply.

When I was behind my own bar, and could experiment, I tried the old espresso-over-ice trick that some folks ask for. I didn't really go for it. It seemed to deaden all the exciting flavors of espresso, and tasted a little dull. At this time, I also considered adding a syrup to sweeten it up.

This is indicative of an odd discovery I made with a barista I used to work with. We found we only wanted our espresso sweetened when served up cold. When hot, the slight caramelization of milk sugars is enough sweetener for me, but for some reason, my tongue looks for sugar when it's cold.

Once my body chemistry is adjusted to our summer climate, I predict I'll stick with the macchiato, but until then, I'll try to find the perfect cooling espresso vessel.

The Casualty

I work as a barista in Madison, WI, serving up the best espresso I can at Cafe Soleil, L'Etoile's street-level cafe on the Capitol Square. One afternoon I was giving the Maître D' a quick how-to on various espresso drinks. She had become a fan of the cappucino, and I showed her a macchiato, topping off a shot of espresso with frothed milk.

After I poured the drink, she became concerned with the milk pitcher and the remaining frothed milk it contained. "What are you going to do with the rest of that milk?" she asked. "If I have another drink to make, I'll use it, but I'll probably end up throwing it out," I said. When that answer didn't seem to suit her, I continued, "Well, that's the casualty of the macchiato."