The INSIDER Summary:
• An iced cappuccino is a hard drink to make because it involves pouring hot milk foam over ice.
• The barista must make more foam than usual for this drink, and will often end up pouring the excess foam out.
• It makes more sense to order an iced latte, which is what many people mean to order when they ask for an iced cappuccino.
As a barista, I'm usually the last person to judge a person's drink order. My motto? Give it a try! But time and time again, I find myself cringing when I hear the order "iced cappuccino."
Here's why
Let's begin by defining cappuccino and latte. A latte is shots of espresso with steamed milk topped with silky foam. Now a cappuccino, though very similar, consists of more foam than just steamed milk. This makes it physically lighter, and makes the taste of the espresso a bit stronger.
So when you're ordering an iced latte, you want that same espresso and milk, just not steamed. Makes sense, right?
The problem begins when someone orders an iced cappuccino. The question might arise, how does one put hot foam on top of an iced drink? Very hesitantly.
The logic of ordering an iced cappuccino confuses me. Over time, I've found two main flaws with this order:
1. Putting something hot on top of something cold
Yes, milk foam is delicious and feels silky and smooth in your mouth, but when you're drinking a cool iced drink, where does hot milk fit in? Personally, I don't think it's necessary. But that might just be me.
2. The problem with waste
To get an appropriate amount of foam for your iced cappuccino, I must steam a pitcher of milk equivalent to a little less than a tall or small size. After that, if I'm not lucky enough to have a hot latte as a next drink, we have to just throw the milk out. Yup, straight down the drain.
More often than not, people intend to order a simple iced latte when they say the phrase "iced cappuccino." That's totally fine and it's why baristas like to double check. If you happen to be someone that truly wants that hot foam on top of your iced latte, keep this in mind for your next order.
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