"latte" news and stories

Coffee can be confusing: How come when you order a macchiato at a shop adorned with that ubiquitous green mermaid, the drink comes out as a tall, steaming cup of foamed, caramel-latticed milk kissed with just a hint of espresso and vanilla -- while at some other boutique cafes it arrives in a doll-house-sized demitasse?

It's all about vocabulary.

Didn't think you'd actually have to learn Italian in order to order a coffee? Well don't worry -- just one word can unravel the macchiato mystery once and for all.

Read on after the jump to find out more about macchiatos.

Plenty of places consider themselves coffee-centric, but few with the passion, conviction and seemingly quirky drinks of Australia. (Of course, they may just seem quirky because we're so busy with our Caramel Macchiatos.) The coffee culture of Australia and neighboring New Zealand, driven by waves of Italian immigrants that have historically settled in the region, are widely considered light-years ahead of the relatively fledgling one in the States, but what makes them so different from us?

Find out how we differ from our friends Down Under after the jump.

If you haven't yet had your morning cup of coffee yet, I guarantee this photo is going to make you want to jump out of your desk chair and head to your local coffee shop for some caffeinated deliciousness. I found this picture at 11:45 at night, and even then, looking at it made me want a slurp of perfectly pulled latte.

Thanks Jim, for this gorgeous picture!

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Unsnobbycoffee.com sounds like it might be something really good for your dad or uncle who still can't pronounce "grande" and thinks "frappuccino" is a made-up word (and to be fair, "frappuccino" is a made-up word, by Boston's The Coffee Connection chain which was bought by Starbucks).

Actually, unsnobbycoffee.com is the website for McDonalds' new ad campaign.

"McDonald's has made it simple and easy to get the delicious espresso drinks you crave. No crazy names or sizes. No second language required. So hang out and have some fun."

What? McDonald's wants to be a coffee house?

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The gorgeous, perfect swirls on top of a latte are an art form. It never ceases to amaze me what a good latte artist can make with the sinfully good coffee drink. But just like pretty much everything in history, a machine is here to up the ante.

The Kitchn has posted a look at a latte printer, one that can give you pretty much whatever art you want on your latte -- from crisp lettering to winged horses. While it's certainly a neat idea, it just isn't the same. What's so wow-worthy about a machine that makes the art? The real jaw-dropping comes from the perfection attained by hand.

But what do you think? Weigh in below!