The word macchiato literally means "stain" and is not a reference to a large syrupy bullshit drink as a certain coffee chain would have you believe. A macchiato is an espresso shot with a little dollop of steamed milk on top. I find that it's enough milk to cut through the strong coffee flavor, but not so much milk or foam that you lose the coffee flavor altogether. It's the perfect drink!
What you'll need:
- A stovetop espresso maker. These typically run in the $20 range and you don't need a fancy $300 machine. I think these little machines, or cafetiere, def get the job done. They come in different sizes depending on how many shots you want to make. I have a nifty little one that makes two shots and brews them right into the cups.
- Espresso ground coffee. Any dark roasted coffee can be for espresso as long as it's finely ground. You can buy pre-ground coffee that comes in cans, or grind it yourself so that it's fresher. To get my espresso I walked down to Little Italy to a store called Di Palo at 200 Grand St. I bought Sant' Eustachio coffee and it was only $6.99. I think they made a mistake because that stuff is usually $15 and so I bought it right away shhhh. Illy is also a great brand, but typically expensive so it's nice for an occasional treat.
-A steaming pitcher. You can use a normal pot, but I think it froths a little better in the pitcher. I got mine at Ikea for like $3, and it strongly cautions you not to use it on stovetop but I like to laugh in the face of such warnings. Muahahahha. But seriously, you shouldn't be needing to leave it on the heat very long for what we're trying to accomplish, and I believe it says not to put it on the stovetop because it's metal and gets hot. So basically don't grab a burning hot piece of metal with your bare hands and you should be good.
-A Frother. I LOVE this little doo-dad. You can make beautiful foam with one of these so you really don't need those fancy espresso machines.
-Espresso cups, and little spoons.
-Sugar (if needed)
-Milk. Skim milk froths the best. Maybe the milk-fat in whole milk makes it harder to aerate. Whatever the reason, skim is definitely easiest and soy is the hardest.
Instructions on how to make a macchiato:
1) Open up your cafetiere and remove the funnel/filter. Fill the bottom chamber with water up to the steam release valve (the little metal bolt shown here).
2) Insert the funnel and spoon in espresso so that it's level, but DO NOT tamp (tamping is when you pack in the grinds).
3) Screw on the top, but not too tight.
4) Heat on the stovetop over a flame that just covers the bottom of the machine (usually medium-low heat).
5) While the coffee is heating up, add milk to the steaming pitcher. You will only need about 2 Tablespoons worth of milk for a macchiato. Again, skim works best. For a cappuccino just add more milk.
6) Heat the milk over low heat until just scalding. Turn off the heat and use the frother to create foam by keeping it submerged in the milk at first and then gradually moving upwards as you create the foam. Once you have a good amount of foam, bang the pitcher on the counter once or twice to pop larger bubbles and allow the milk to settle for a denser, yummier foam.
7) When you start to hear gurgling from the cafetiere and see a little bit of coffee coming out, turn down the heat and allow to brew for about 15 seconds before turning the heat off completely. The coffee should brew into the top of the machine, or with my machine it brews right into the cup.
8) Pour the espresso into a cup and top with steamed milk. You can also stir in sugar and/or sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on top. Remember that the longer espresso sits, the more bitter it becomes so you have to drink it relatively soon after you brew it. Enjoy!
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