Unravelling the flat white

Frothing folding and pouring. The art of coffee unfolds in the forgotten ingredient milk, the skill of the barista and the quality of the espresso.

In short!!
Flat White has an even mix of liquid milk and smooth velvet foam so it feels like drinking an espresso, only yummier.
Cappuccino has stiff foam and feels like drinking bubbles with a bed of coffee hidden at the bottom.
Latte is milky, has a little foam on the top and feels like drinking a milky coffee.

The exact science
Cappuccino is a light milk-coffee. It consists of one third espresso, one third steamed milk and one third milk foam. The number of calories in a Cappuccino will vary depending upon the type of milk used. If nonfat milk is used, a Cappuccino will contain about 75 calories. If whole milk is used it can contain as many as 120 calories.

Latte is a more dense milk-coffee drink. It consists of one third espresso and two thirds steamed milk with little or no foam. A Latte contains more milk, and caloric content ranges from approximately 130 to 290 calories.

Flat White is a small, yet very dense and textured milk-coffee drink. It consists of a slightly more concentrated and stronger version of espresso and very richly steamed, thick, whole milk. Because a Flat White must always contain whole milk, the flat white calories per cup are always at least 220 calories.

The espresso component of the Flat White is a bit stronger than in the other two beverages. This is because the amount of water used to create the espresso is slightly less than that used for Cappuccino or Latte. It is created using two ristretto shots of espresso. This is a term meaning "restricted". The shot is cut short before it is fully poured. This makes the flavor of the espresso more concentrated, stronger and sweeter.

The origins of the flat white are a hotly debated topic. Traditionally, Australia has taken credit for the birth of this tasty drink, but New Zealand natives are adamant that the drink originated within their country.Read more