What goes in the cup
A barista pulls the shot into a small, warmed cup. The milk is steamed with extra air, so the foam comes out thick. The crema is the brown layer on top of the espresso. Only the thick foam goes onto it, usually a teaspoon or two. More than that and you are drifting toward a cortado. Some cafés pour a little steamed milk instead of foam.
Where the name comes from
Macchiato is Italian for stained or spotted. The espresso is stained with a drop of milk. Baristas added the spot to tell an espresso with milk from a plain one. The drink was likely born in Italy in the 1980s. In Portugal the same idea is called café pingado, coffee with a drop of milk.
How it tastes next to an espresso
A macchiato tastes of espresso first. The bit of milk takes the edge off the bitterness without hiding the bean. It adds a hint of sweetness and a little creaminess. The shot feels less intense than it does on its own. A bad shot has nowhere to hide in so little milk. One guide puts it at 95 percent espresso, as a figure of speech.
Macchiato, latte macchiato and the chain drinks
At a chain, macchiato usually means a much bigger drink. Often it is a caramel macchiato, with syrup, usually 350 ml (12 oz) or more. A caramel macchiato is made like a latte macchiato. The milk goes in first and the espresso is poured on top. The espresso macchiato is the other way round, and has far less milk.
| Espresso | Espresso macchiato | Cortado | Latte macchiato | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Espresso to milk | Espresso only | 1-2 tsp of foam | About 1 : 1 | Mostly milk, espresso last |
| Typical size | 30 ml single, 60 ml double | About 60-90 ml | 120-150 ml | Tall glass, varies |
| Milk | None | A spoonful of foam | Steamed, little foam | Steamed milk, then espresso |
| Served in | Espresso cup | Espresso cup | Small glass | Tall glass |
How to order one
In a specialty café, ask for an espresso macchiato. You will get a small cup and no syrup. Shot counts vary, so say single or double. In Italy, ask for a caffè macchiato. In Australia, a short mac usually means one shot and a long mac usually two. Add the words topped up if you want more milk. Long macs vary by city, so ask what you are getting.