Student Life Archives (2001-2008)

Coffee lingo: a short dictionary of coffee terms

Americano: a shot of espresso topped with hot water .

American roast: medium roast producing a medium strength coffee; also called regular roast.

Arabica: coffee variety known for its fruity and acidic taste and low caffeine content.

Breve: when half & half is substituted for milk .

Caf‚ br–lot: a coffee drink from New Orleans flavored with spices, orange, lemon peel and brandy, then set aflame.

Caf‚ filtr‚: Coffee made by pouring water over a filter containing coffee grounds; served in demitasse cups (see below).

Caf‚ macchiato: espresso with small amount of steamed-milk foam served in an espresso cup.

Chicory: root of this plant roasted and ground for inclusion in “New Orleans” or “Creole” coffee; also called succory .

Demitasse: tiny espresso cup or the strong black coffee served in such a cup.

European roast: blend which is 2/3 heavy roast beans and 1/3 regular roast beans.

French press: coffeepot where coffee grounds are at the bottom and then boiling water poured over them; filter is pushed down to suppress grounds.

French roast: heavily roasted beans that produce a darker, stronger coffee.

Greek coffee: strong coffee made by boiling water and finely ground coffee together three times in a long-handled, open copper or brass pot called an ibrik and served in demitasse cups so grounds settle; sugar and spices sometimes included.

M‚lange: Austrian mocha made with water and milk and topped with milk foam; served in a large cup.

Mochaccino: chocolate-flavored cappuccino.

Robusta: coffee variety known for robust flavor and high caffeine content.

Swiss water process: one of two processes used to decaffeinate coffee; beans steamed and caffeine-rich outer layers scraped away (other process involves chemical solvent).

Thai coffee: black coffee mixed with sweetened condensed milk.

Turkish coffee: strong coffee made by boiling finely ground coffee, water, and sometimes spices such as cardamom or nutmeg together three times in a pot called a jezve or ibrik, letting the brew cool briefly between each boiling; served in tiny cups and grounds allowed to settle. Bubbly froth on coffee surface means good luck.

Viennese coffee: strong coffee sweetened to taste and topped with whipped cream.

Viennese roast: blend where 1/3 of the beans are regular roast and are 2/3 heavy roast.

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