What Is Cortado?

Is there a standard for milk coffee beverages? Actually, no, Cortado will change due to the coffee culture in different places."

Usually, its coffee recipe depends on the customer's requirements. Traditionally, whether hot or cold, Cortado is just black coffee and a small amount of milk. Then, when people order Cortado in a coffee shop, it becomes an espresso with a small amount of hot milk. In my workplace, we combine it with double espresso concentrated and whipped milk. A little smaller than flat white.

Most people who buy Cortados have a different understanding of it. This is how we make Italian macchiato (double espresso with a bit of milk). Another type, similar to flat white coffee (double espresso and warm milk). Some people will ask for half and half (equal whipped cream and milk) with double espresso, and some ask for a ristretto.

"Ristretto" is the strongest of all espresso, and it is a super high-strength espresso. It is an espresso made by using a double portion of espresso coffee powder, 50% of the water volume, and a short extraction form.

What is short extraction? Usually, it takes 25-30 seconds to extract a cup of Single Espresso, but Ristretto only retains the first half, that is, 15-20 seconds. Naturally, the water volume is half less than Single Espresso.

For others, it all depends on the ratio. In Costa Rica, some baristas think that Cortado is an espresso with an ounce of hot milk. In Japan, some people believe that Cortado coffee is 1:1 espresso and whipped milk. As long as the ratio of coffee to milk remains the same, the size of Cortado can be as small as 3 ounces or as high as 16 ounces.

Other baristas and coffee experts have different opinions. Some think that double concentration, less foam, and no garland are the best. Some think it is a 1 ounce ristretto with two and a half ounces of whipped milk. Others say that it is called a macchiato in Italy and consists of double espresso and milk in a 50 ml cup.

Differences in regional culture are mainly responsible for different cognitions.

As cortado spread from Spain to cafes worldwide, its recipes continue to evolve to meet the needs of local consumers. Significant changes have taken place since it arrived in the United States. Here, the demand for coffee has been gradually increasing for the past half a century, and it is not uncommon to find 20-ounce drinks in coffee shops in the United States.

The most famous change of Cortado is Gibraltar, and "Time Out USA" says it was invented by San Francisco's Blue Bottle Coffee Company in 2005. This variation is packed in a four and a half ounce Libbey Gibraltar glass with a double espresso and two cups of steamed milk. Therefore, many third-wave coffee shops call cortado synonymous with this kind of glass.

Many popular Cortado versions, including the Cuban cortado, are very popular in Cuban and Cuban immigrant communities. Also known as "little cut", starting with Cuban espresso, Cuban espresso is a deep-roasted coffee made with a spoonful of sugar, with caramel color and thick foam. For this reason, foamed milk is added, and you can choose to use whipped milk as a thickening effect.

When cortado entered coffee chains (such as Starbucks and Costa Coffee), each coffee shop developed its own characteristics. Starbucks Cortado is made by adding two cups of ristretto to milk, and Costa Coffee (the world's second-largest coffee chain) describes cortado as "small and luxurious." Caff¨¨Nero is the fourth largest chain store in Europe. It uses 1:2 espresso, milk, and 0.5 cm of milk foam to make coffee.

The price increase may be why the relatively small cortado still exists on the menu today, as some companies reduce costs by increasing prices and reducing cup sizes. Costa Coffee recently redesigned the service size and price of some stores based on industry trends, and consumer feedback-which may indicate a move towards higher-priced small-serve beverages.

Mike Chapman owns the 1914 Coffee Company in Canada and said that inconsistencies in the amount, proportion, and quantity of coffee would make coffee shop owners frustrated. He said: "One day, I want to rename my cafe to MetricCaf¨¦, and customers will specify what they want... and charge accordingly."

Cortado can be anything from macchiato to latte, and the price is fantastic.

Suppose the consumption of dairy products continues to decline as, in the past few years, cortado may have been favored by customers and coffee shops. Cargill, an international company in the field of food, agriculture, nutrition, and risk management, released a report in 2018 stating: "Consumers' use of dairy products is changing worldwide. As consumer use has been declining, especially in the most prominent market for dairy products, action should be taken to deal with concerns about allergens, hormone use, and unhealthy certain dairy products." Whipped milk makes Cortado silky General texture, low viscosity, and smooth mouthfeel.

Since cortado does not have a standard production method, the coffee shop may delete it completely. Research has shown that many customers are confused by the number and complexity of the coffee beverage choices. To simplify items and pricing, coffee shops may ask customers to describe the beverages they want.

Obviously, cortado has many different variations, and the way you buy or serve customers depends on your position in the world. Using this exploration of a cortado, you can create unique flavors that suit you or your customers.