Last Updated on May 21, 2022 by John Moretti
The menu at most coffee shops nowadays is a large collection of unintelligible words and phrases in multiple languages and does not typically provide enough information for someone who is not acquainted with every drink to place an order that they will enjoy. The Caffe Misto and the Latte are two drinks that are ground on modern menus that are often misunderstood and typically confused with one another.
The Caffe Misto is made with equal parts filtered coffee and hot milk. The milk is often steamed to a thicker, denser texture in most modern coffee shops. The Latte is prepared with two shots of espresso and steamed milk. The Latte tastes stronger, and the Misto is more full-bodied.
The Caffe Misto and the Latte are two of the most popular coffee drinks anywhere, and you have probably drank one or both of these drinks at some point, even if you did not know what it is called. In fact, you have probably made one of these drinks yourself at home without giving it a name. Let’s demystify these two coffee drinks to help you place a better order the next tie you visit a coffee house.
The Caffe Misto
The Caffe Misto is a simple coffee with an exciting-sounding name, especially to the western ear. The truth is that this drink is prepared from a very simple recipe and is one of the most commonly enjoyed coffee beverages anywhere, even if you do not know what it is called.
This drink, the Caffe Misto, is simply translated to ‘coffee with milk.’ This entire recipe for a Caffe Misto is coffee and milk, with nothing else at all. However, how this drink is prepared is what sets it apart from other coffee beverages.
The Caffe Misto is specifically hot, brewed filter coffee combined with equal parts hot milk. This drink is not made with espresso, and it is not prepared with cold milk. If espresso is used, this drink becomes a Flat White, and if cold milk is used, it is referred to as a simple White Coffee.
The specific requirements of a Caffe Misto are brewed coffee and Hot milk. The milk can be simply heated, or it can be steamed with an espresso wand to a texture that is similar to the milk used for the Flat White. There can be no foam on the milk, as present in Cappuccinos, and the milk must be as hot as possible without ruining the flavor of the beverage.
The classic Caffe Misto is a strong, large, rich, delicious beverage that separates itself from other white coffees with a rich, smooth flavor and texture that is easy to drink and very comforting. This drink is a favorite in many homes and coffee shops throughout the world.
The Caffe Latte
The Caffe Latte, also known simply as the Latte, is among the most iconic and widely enjoyed coffee beverages anywhere in the world. This drink is famous for its delicious taste, unique texture, intense coffee flavor, and large size of the beverage.
The Latte is defined as an espresso-based drink that is made with two shots of strong espresso and steamed milk. This beverage is prater to be of various sizes depending on where it is made, and it is often served as a flavored or iced beverage.
Regardless of the way it is presented, the basic recipe for the Latte always stays basically the same. It is always made with two shots of espresso and milk.
However, the truly defining feature of the classic hot Caffe Latte is the way the milk is prepared. The Latte is made with steamed, textured milk. This milk is not foamed, but it is steamed to be thick, silky, sweet, and smooth with an espresso machine steam wand.
This milk is the defining feature of the Latte and makes this drink warm, rich, decadent, and beautiful to behold.
The Latte is a strong drink, but it is easy to enjoy because the sweet steamed milk mitigates the intense flavor of the double espresso present in the drink. The milk is warming and milk, but the coffee is rich and intense, which creates a perfect flavor combination that makes the Latte one of the most popular drinks everywhere.
What Are The Real Differences?
The Caffe Misto and the Latte are both just coffee and hot milk, which is why these drinks are often confused with one another, especially when the Caffe Misto is prepared with steamed milk, so what sets these drinks apart from one another?
The difference between the Caffe Misto and the Latte is clear: the Misto is made with brewed coffee, and the Latte is made with espresso.
The flavor of espresso and filter coffee is drastically different, and they have vastly contrasting levels of intensity. Espresso is far more intense and strong-tasting than filter coffee, but filter coffee can be richer and full-bodied compared to espresso.
Preparing a drink with these different coffee brews makes the drinks very different from one another. The Caffe Misto that is made with filter coffee is a rich, smooth, full-bodied coffee that is easy to drink and very warming.
The Latte is significantly more intense and tastes much more coffee-forward than the Caffe Misto due to the espresso that is used to prepare the drink.
The coffee that is used to prepare these drinks is the main difference between them, as the milk that is used for the Misto and the Latte is often prepared in the same way in most modern coffee shops. The difference between intense espresso and well-balanced filter coffee is the difference between these two drinks.
Which Drink Should You Order?
If you find yourself in a coffee shop and confronted with a choice between the Caffe Misto and the Latte. Which drink should you order?
In the end of it, the better drink for you is based on how strong you prefer your coffee to taste. The Latte is the better drink for the coffee drinker who enjoys stronger tasting coffee, and the Caffe Misto is the better fit for the person who enjoys a more easy-drinking beverage.
Both drinks are delicious and well-balanced, but the Latte is more coffee-forward than the Caffe Misto.
Conclusion
The Caffe Misto and the Latte are both very similar, as they are both coffee drinks prepared with hot milk. Modern versions of both drinks use the same type of milk, but the main difference is the way the coffee for the drink is brewed.
The espresso in the Latte makes the drink very strong and intense compared to the filter coffee used for preparing the Caffe Misto. The Misto is easier to drink, the Latte is stronger-tasting, but both drinks are delicious and will be enjoyed by anyone who enjoys milk ink their coffee.
