Friday, July 18, 2008

Let's Talk Coffee With The Hermit...

Being a coffee and caffeine addict, as many people (including the Hermit) claim themselves to be, often involves drinking many types of coffee products, such as espresso, cappuccino, regular coffee, as well as many other forms of the drink itself. However, one aspect of coffee that many people mistakenly get wrong is the fact that they think espresso and cappuccino are the same exact drink when in fact they are not. Even though espresso and cappuccino may look like the same drink and may be considered the same by the average coffee drinker, for true espresso fans espresso is a totally different drink altogether! Here are some of the main differences between the two drinks and perhaps some reasons why many people prefer one over the other:

Cappuccino is Generic!
Perhaps one of the reasons that many people consider cappuccino to be an espresso drink is because cappuccino has traditionally been a coffee drink that has had some espresso in it. Even though cappuccino is more of a regular coffee consistency, the first form of cappuccino was made partly from espresso. Nevertheless, though, since cappuccino isn't 100% espresso then they naturally have very different tastes. On the other hand many people who dislike regular espresso will often turn to cappuccino for a spruced up version of many of the coffee brands that they drink! For this reasons, though, some individuals may refer to cappuccino as a generic form of espresso considering the fact that it has much less espresso than the real thing!

Espresso Characteristics
When trying to distinguish between cappuccino and espresso, perhaps the most defining characteristic of espresso is the fact that the drink is much thicker than it's cappuccino or coffee counterpart! Much of this is due to the fact that espresso has to be made from an espresso machine, whereas coffee and other types of cappuccino can either be handmade or placed in a coffee percolator that will give them the desired result. Perhaps, however, this is one way that many people are able to distinguish between espresso and virtually every other type of coffee anyway. Espresso machines are typically depicted as large machines that have many parts to it, but there is a long process that the espresso goes through in order to be just right for the person drinking it!

Cappuccino and Espresso Lovers
What are some of the reasons, though, that espresso may be liked over cappuccino or vice versa? One of the reasons that many people like cappuccino is because it is less thick than regular espresso. Many people's stomachs may not be able to handle all types of espresso, which is the reason that cappuccino may be more readily available in restaurants and other coffee shops than espresso is.

Altogether, though, it's important to realize that there indeed is a difference between the two coffee drinks. Espresso and cappuccino are two very different drinks in nature and have very different defining characteristics, as well as attract two different types of coffee drinkers as well!

Man...all this talk of coffee has made me realize that our cups are empty. Want a fresh cup...? I'm afraid it's just regular, but for the Hermit and his friends, sometimes that works best, ya know?

3 comments:

blondie said...

Works for me Jim!
Drinking regular old coffee too. And not even a name brand since the generic 'store brand' is always cheaper and tastes just fine!
Fill'er Up :)
Thanks
blondie

HermitJim said...

Hey Blondie...For you, my friend, I dug into my own Private stash! Nothing but the best for my favorite Blonde person!

Glad you could drop by this morning! Now my morning is complete...

See ya

js said...

I drink Taster's Choice with Carnation Condensed Milk. Makes all the difference.

js