Cappuccino

November 7, 2008
  
 
Cappuccino is a coffee-based drink prepared with espresso, hot milk, and steamed-milk foam. A cappuccino differs from a caffè latte in that it is prepared with much less steamed or textured milk than the caffè latte with the total of espresso and milk/foam making up between approximately 150 ml and 180 ml (5 and 6 fluid ounces). A cappuccino is traditionally served in a porcelain cup, which has far better heat-retention characteristics than glass or paper. The foam on top of the cappuccino acts as an insulator and helps retain the heat of the liquid, allowing it to stay hotter longer.

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Mango Shake

November 6, 2008

  

This delicious low-fat mango shake is excellent on a hot day.

2 cups 1% milk
4 tablespoons frozen mango juice (or 1 fresh pitted mango)
1 small banana
2 ice cubes

Put all ingredients into a blender. Blend until foamy. Serve immediately.

Variations: Instead of mango juice, try orange juice, papaya, or strawberries. Serves 4. (Serving size: 3/4 cup)

Each serving provides: Calories: 106; Total fat: 2 g; Saturated fat: 1 g; Cholesterol: 5 mg; Sodium: 63 mg; Calcium: 157 mg; Iron: Less than 1 mg

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Hot Chocolate

November 5, 2008
  
 
Hot chocolate (also known as hot cocoa, drinking chocolate, or just cocoa) is a heated beverage that typically consists of chocolate or cocoa powder, heated milk or water, and sugar. While hot chocolate is generally thought of as a drink consumed for pleasure, recent studies have suggested that hot chocolate possesses health benefits due to antioxidants that can be found in cocoa. Until the 19th century, hot chocolate was even used medicinally to treat ailments such as stomach diseases.

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Latte

November 4, 2008
  
 
What in English-speaking countries is now called a latte is shorthand for "caffelatte" or "caffellatte" ("caffè e latte"). The long Italian form literally means "coffee and milk", similar to the French café au lait and the Spanish café con leche. Caffelatte is today part of the defined international coffee menu, which also includes cappuccino and espresso.

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Iced coffee

November 3, 2008
  
 
There are several ways of preparing iced coffee. Ordinary hot-brewed coffee can be served cold, although this may result in a bitter-tasting product. Cold brewing relies on time, rather than heat, to transfer the coffee flavor to the water. In order to achieve this, ground coffee is soaked in water for hours and then filtered. This may be done in any container, such as a mason jar, although commercialized cold brewing systems also exist.

In more recent times it has become common for coffee shops to offer ‘iced’ versions of their most popular coffee drinks. The iced latte and iced mocha are the two most common examples of this. A quick way of preparing such drinks is to make a small quantity of strong, hot espresso, dissolving the required sweetener/flavorings in the hot liquid and then pouring this directly into a cup of ice cold milk. This method is particularly common in busier coffee shops where rapid customer turnover is required.

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