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Espresso + milk

Latte macchiato

Milk marked by espresso, the reverse order of a caffè latte.

Steamed milkMicrofoamEspresso

Where it came from

Italy

20th century

Latte macchiato means milk marked by coffee. It is the visual reverse of an espresso macchiato and grew from the same Italian habit of naming drinks by what is marked.

Make it at home

Starting recipe

You'll need

Steamed milk
180–220 g
Microfoam
thin layer
Espresso
36 g
  1. 01

    Steam milk

    Fill a tall glass with steamed milk and a thin cap of foam.

  2. 02

    Pull

    Make a double espresso.

  3. 03

    Mark the milk

    Pour espresso gently through the milk so the layers show briefly.

At a café

Useful when you want a gentler coffee hit than a standard latte.