Caffè macchiato facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Caffè macchiato

Caffè macchiato (Italy)
Type	Hot
Country of origin	Italy
Color	shades of brown, white
Ingredients	espresso, milk

A Caffè macchiato (say "kah-FEH mah-kee-AH-toh") is a popular coffee drink. It is also known as an espresso macchiato. This drink is made with a shot of espresso coffee and a tiny bit of milk. The milk is usually foamed, which means it's light and bubbly. In Italian, "macchiato" means "stained" or "spotted." So, a Caffè macchiato is like a "stained coffee" or "marked coffee." This name makes sense because the milk "marks" the espresso.

What is a Caffè Macchiato?

A Caffè macchiato is a type of coffee that comes from Italy. It is a hot drink. The main ingredients are espresso and milk. It has a strong coffee taste because it uses a lot of espresso compared to the milk. The milk just adds a little bit of creaminess and sweetness.

Why is it called "Macchiato"?

The name "macchiato" has a cool story. Long ago, baristas (people who make coffee) needed a way to show waiters which coffee was just an espresso and which had a little milk. They would "mark" the espresso with a splash of milk. This way, the waiters could easily tell them apart. In Portugal, a similar drink is called café pingado, which means coffee with a drop. This also shows how just a small amount of milk is added.

How is a Caffè Macchiato Made?

Making a Caffè macchiato is quite simple. First, a shot of espresso is brewed. Then, a small amount of steamed milk is poured directly into the espresso. The milk is often heated to be very warm, but not boiling. This small amount of milk helps to make the strong coffee taste a little smoother. It also adds a touch of sweetness without covering up the coffee flavor.

Caffè Macchiato vs. Other Coffee Drinks

The Caffè macchiato has the most espresso compared to milk of any coffee drink. This means it has a very strong coffee flavor. Other drinks, like a caffè latte, have much more milk. A latte macchiato is also different. It is mostly milk with just a "spot" of espresso added to it. The Caffè macchiato is the opposite: it's mostly espresso with a "spot" of milk.

Images for kids

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  A caffè macchiato in Ethiopia (Kaldi's, Addis Ababa).

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  Caffè macchiato as served at Four Barrel Coffee in San Francisco, California

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  Caffè macchiato in Chiang Mai, Thailand, at Impresso Espresso Bar

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  Macchiato at Bradleys Coffee, South Wales, UK

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  Caffè macchiato (Papua New Guinea)

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  Macchiato as served at Venice Grind in Mar Vista, California

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  Double shot macchiato with a little foam, in glass, in Natick, Massachusetts

See also

In Spanish: Caffè macchiato para niños