Recipes

Bạc Xỉu is a Vietnamese coffee drink made with a small amount of phin-brewed robusta coffee, sweetened condensed milk, and a generous pour of fresh whole milk — producing a milkier, sweeter, gentler drink than the classic Cà Phê Sữa. The ratio of milk to coffee is roughly 3:1 by volume, the opposite of a Vietnamese iced coffee where coffee dominates. The name bạc xỉu is a southern-Vietnamese / Cantonese-influenced phrase that translates loosely as “a little white” — referring to the drink’s pale, milky color. The drink originated in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) in the early-to-mid 20th century, born from the city’s mixed Vietnamese-Chinese coffee culture. It was historically the drink for children, the elderly, and people who wanted the flavor of Vietnamese coffee without the punch of a full robusta serve. ...

A bicerin is a layered Italian drink from Turin made with hot drinking chocolate on the bottom, a shot of espresso in the middle, and a layer of barely-whipped cream on top — served in a small clear stemmed glass and never stirred. The name comes from Turin Piedmontese dialect: bicerin means “small glass” — a diminutive of bicchiere. The drink dates to the early 1700s in Turin, where it evolved from an older drink called the bavareisa (coffee, chocolate, milk, syrup mixed together). The cleanest, most authoritative source is Caffè Al Bicerin, a small café opened in 1763 in Piazza della Consolata in Turin, which still serves the original layered version today and is widely credited with both the formula and the name. ...

Vietnamese coconut coffee — known in Vietnam as cà phê dừa (or cà phê cốt dừa) — is a strong, phin-brewed Vietnamese coffee topped with a thick, frosty coconut slushy made by blending coconut milk or coconut cream with sweetened condensed milk and ice. The coffee sits at the bottom; the icy white coconut slush sits on top. The drink is served in a tall glass, layered, and stirred gradually as you drink it. ...

Vietnamese salt coffee — Cà Phê Muối — is a Hue specialty made with strong robusta coffee from a phin filter, topped with a salted whipped foam of heavy cream and sweetened condensed milk. The salt does not make the coffee taste salty. It cuts the bitterness of the robusta and rounds the sweetness of the condensed milk, so the drink ends up tasting smoother, creamier, and less salty than an unsalted version. ...

A cortadito is a Cuban espresso drink made by combining equal parts café cubano (sweetened Cuban espresso with espumita foam) and steamed whole milk — typically 2 oz espresso to 2 oz milk, served in a small 4 oz glass. It is sweeter and more layered than a Spanish cortado: the espresso is whipped with sugar before brewing finishes, creating a caramelized golden foam called espumita. If you’ve only had a Spanish cortado, the cortadito will taste richer, sweeter, and more dessert-like — and the espumita on top is the giveaway that you’re drinking the real thing. ...

A magic coffee is a Melbourne specialty espresso drink: 2 ristretto shots topped with steamed milk in a small 5 oz glass. It is stronger than a piccolo, smaller than a flat white, and considered the unofficial drink of the Melbourne cafe scene. Many Melbourne cafes don’t list it on the menu — you have to know to order it. The magic occupies a precise sweet spot: enough milk to cut the espresso, but not enough to dilute the ristretto sweetness. Baristas love it because it lets the espresso shine while still being a drinkable milky coffee. ...

A marocchino is a small Italian espresso drink made with a layer of cocoa powder, a shot of espresso, and a topping of dense frothed milk — all served in a clear glass tumbler about the size of an espresso cup. It’s espresso, milk, and chocolate stacked into roughly 3 oz, and it’s one of the most photogenic coffees in the Italian bar repertoire. The drink is named marocchino (“the little Moroccan one”) because the deep brown color of cocoa-dusted espresso reminded its creators of Marocchino leather — the soft, dark Moroccan-tanned leather that was popular in Italy in the early 20th century. It’s not from Morocco. It has no Moroccan ingredients. The name is a leather reference. ...

A caffè shakerato is a hot double espresso shaken vigorously with ice and a touch of sweetener in a cocktail shaker, then strained into a chilled glass. The result is a frothy, silky, cold espresso drink with a light caramel-colored foam that looks like it belongs at a cocktail bar — because in Italy, that’s exactly where it’s served. Here’s the classic recipe, the shaking technique explained, 5 variations, and how it differs from iced espresso, cold brew, and espresso tonic. ...

An iced caramel macchiato is vanilla syrup, cold milk, and ice in a glass, with two espresso shots poured on top — never stirred — and finished with a caramel sauce drizzle. The defining feature is the pour order: espresso on top of milk, not bottom. That’s what gives it the dramatic layered look and the original “macchiato” meaning of “marked” — the espresso marks the milk. This is the layered Starbucks-style version, distinct from an iced caramel latte, which mixes everything together. Here’s the exact recipe with Tall/Grande/Venti ratios, the Starbucks copycat breakdown, common mistakes that ruin the layering, and 6 variations. ...

Thai iced coffee — known locally as Oliang or Gafeh Yen — is a strong, slow-steeped coffee brewed with ground roasted corn, cardamom, and sometimes sesame, then served over ice with sweetened condensed milk and a float of evaporated milk on top. It’s denser, sweeter, and more aromatic than American iced coffee, with a deep mahogany-to-orange color that gives it its name (Oliang means “black iced”). Here’s the authentic recipe, two shortcuts using Western coffee, the Oliang spice blend explained, and how Thai iced coffee differs from Vietnamese iced coffee. ...