Caffè Macchiato Guide

Guide prepared by Anthony Benda, Café Santé Veritas, Montreal, Canada.

The English translation for caffè macchiato means “espresso marked with milk,” which is essentially what it is. A shot of espresso with a tiny amount of milk or foam characterize this drink.

To prepare a macchiato, steam a small amount of milk the way you would for a cappuccino. You will have a few ounces of milk leftover, but it is difficult if not impossible to effectively steam as little as one to two ounces of milk. Once you’ve steamed your milk, set the pitcher aside until your espresso is ready.

Pull a shot of espresso (using the Espresso Guide) into a pre-heated two or three ounce espresso cup. While the shot is running, take time to agitate your milk pitcher to recombine any separating milk and foam. Once the espresso is prepared, fill the little remaining space in the cup with the thickened microfoam and you have a macchiato. Enjoy!