Flat White : a coffee destined to replace cappuccino

A variant of cappuccino from Oceania seems to have dominated the catering business in recent years.

In Greece, we especially love the drinks that combine espresso with milk, in all their forms - after all, it is a fact that cappuccino became popular in our country before we got into the habit of espresso, while latte won over those who want a hearty drink with plenty milk, for breakfast. In recent years, another milk-coffee has appeared (and) in our country, Flat White. What exactly is this weird coffee and how does it differ from its cousins?

What exactly is a  Flat White;

Flat White is a drink made of espresso and slightly inflated milk (microfoam), which has a smoother and velvety texture than classic foam milk, as found in cappuccino. It is related to latte and cappuccino, but presents significant differences.

It is usually served in a ceramic mug with a saucer, while due to its nature, it is the most suitable coffee for the most popular latte art, which cannot be made with the classic frothed milk. The slightly swollen milk is carefully mixed with the coffee, aiming at a thick cream, which is characteristic of the drink. It is usually prepared with a single dose of espresso, but many baristas prefer to use double Ristretto, for a more intense espresso flavor. The success of Flat White is no easy task. Of course, a good blend of espresso is required, which is suitable for preparations with milk, but mainly a barista who can easily create the microfoam, but also mix it with the espresso, so that the velvety, full texture that characterizes the good emerges. Flat White.

What are Flat White's origins?

Flat White literally started in D. another part of the world, since Australia and New Zealand are at odds over its origins. The first references, both to restaurant reviews and cafeteria catalogs, date to the mid-1980s, always with the term "Flat White". There are, of course, various delicious stories about the creation of Flat White, such as that he was born because of a barista who did not know how to make a good, fluffy frothed milk, or, as the most common myth states, that it was created because cow's milk of Oceania did not "inflate" to become a milkmaid - hence its name, Flat White.

What are the differences between a flat white and a latte?

All three popular drinks are made from espresso and milk, so it's easy to say that we're talking about the same drink, but the differences are there, both in taste and texture, and in how they're made.

Between cappuccino and flat white, the main difference is in the milk. While in cappuccino, success is judged by the presence of rich foam, in flat white the goal is to mix velvety milk with coffee. Still, flat white is the best "canvas" for creating latte art, as microfoam in the hands of an experienced barista can create very beautiful designs.

Compared to Latte, the main difference is that the ratio of coffee to milk clearly leans in favor of coffee compared to Latte, with the result that the drink has a more intense and "purer" taste of coffee than Latte, where The milk used is clearly more, while in most cases it is less swollen than the one used in Flat White.

However, due to the lack of "strict" recipes and the fact that many baristas tend to improvise, the limits between the three drinks are often indistinguishable, especially in terms of their versions served in restaurants.

What's the perfect blend for a Flat White;

Coffee is primarily a matter of personal taste, and any good blend can give delicious and excellent Flat White. However, in general, high Robusta blends (30% - 40%) have a strong body and behave extremely well in preparations that require the addition of milk. Many argue that dark roasting helps the drink take on character, while it is a fact that coffees with high, fruity acidity (such as those from Africa) can give results that seem "weird" to many when mixed with milk.

After all, what matters for a delicious flat white is the good coffee and the relevant experience in its preparation - the blend we choose depends primarily on our personal taste.

 

Flat White, Latte or Cappuccino, what counts first and foremost is good coffee - the coffee we deserve.