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Wanna Whole Latte Love (Sorry, Valentine's Day)


RoastMonkey

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Reading back through this thread, there are a few points worth explaining, especially in reference to some of saf's comments:

First of all, one misnomer I would love to quash is that lattes are synonymous with coffee. This is not to imply that lattes are somehow inferior, but saying "coffee" when you mean a "latte" is just inaccurate. I think of lattes as a coffee-based cocktail. To make an analogy, a Manhattan is not bourbon.

Secondly, while there is not really a standard size for lattes, most boutique shops weigh in at 6-8oz in an attempt to find the right balance of milk and coffee. We have a "12oz latte" on our menu and generally offer a triple shot to maintain the ratios, but only a handful of folks take us up on that. At 12oz, you have five times as much milk as coffee, so there isn't a whole lot of coffee flavor. In this context, a dark roast makes more sense since the flavor is prominent, if one-dimensional, but as mentioned in one of my earlier post, really what you are tasting is the roasting process and not the natural flavor of the bean, which to me personally is way more interesting.

Lastly, milk steaming is a true skill that when done correctly perfectly sweetens and texturizes the milk. There is very narrow temperature range for achieving this result, between 145 and 150 degrees. Above 150 degrees, proteins start to break down diminishing both sweetness and microfoam. Take it much above 160 degrees and you scald the milk.

This is why we serve our lattes the way we do, but that's not to say that people can't enjoy their drinks prepared differently. If someone requests an extra hot 12oz latte, that is exactly what we strive to serve them.

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People who drink lattes do not like coffee.  A typical Starbucks "latte" is basically a hot milkshake.

That's silly...almost like saying that people who eat hamburgers don't like steak, or to take from Joel's post, that people who like a Manhattan don't like bourbon. Two entirely different things, albeit with similar ingredient bases.

And using Starbucks as an example of anything to do with coffee is off base. :)

There are great cups of coffee, and great lattes. I happen to love both. Personally I like latte's with breakfast, and coffee on its own or with later meals, but just because you like one doesn't mean you have to dislike the other.

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People who drink lattes do not like coffee.  A typical Starbucks "latte" is basically a hot milkshake.

Seriously? I love coffee. I buy high quality beans, grind them myself, and drink my coffee black most of the time. Sometimes I drink, and enjoy, a latte. Or a cappucino. Sometimes I even enjoy a salted caramel mocha from Starbucks, the horror! I still like, and appreciate, coffee.

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