Here’s the deal. You have a latte, right? And that’s espresso poured over steamed milk and topped with a little bit of foam. Then you have a macchiato, which is espresso “stained” with a very small bit of foamed milk.
Well, Starbucks has just thrown a wrench into the espresso beverage classification system with their new FrankenBrew, the Latte Macchiato.
Yes. The Latte Macchiato.
Confused? We are, too. According to Starbucks, the drink, which is set for release tomorrow and will be one of the company’s core beverages, “features steamed whole milk that is perfectly aerated and free-poured creating dense foam reminiscent of meringue.” And it continues:
The beverage is then marked by slowly-poured full espresso shots, creating a signature espresso dot. Starbucks baristas will use this carefully crafted technique to draw out an intensely bold and roasty flavor that highlights the Starbucks espresso in the beverage.
Okay, got it. So, it’s…wait, what?
If you’re as confused as I am, no worries. Starbucks has handily provided an anatomy chart, as well as some gorgeous PR shots of the new beverage. It looks like the espresso is sitting on top of a layer of steamed milk and topped with a healthy dose of that meringue-like foam.
Part of me wonders if this is maybe Starbucks’ answer to the longstanding criticism of their macchiatos not being true macchiatos. As the Huffington Post wrote in 2012, alluding to an unnamed-but-definitely Starbucks, “There is another type of macchiato called ‘latte macchiato,’ which is a cup of hot milk with a shot of espresso, but it does not have caramel-flavored syrup added, which is what the chain coffee shop would have you believe is a true macchiato.” You’ll also note that the macchiato, a staple Starbucks offering (albeit with the inclusion of caramel) is left off of the anatomy chart altogether. Hmm. Hmm.
Well. Whatever the case, you know I’ll be there at the crack of dawn to try it out tomorrow. Because nothing completes a bit of research like an experiential purchase of the item in question.
