What is the difference between Espresso Macchiato and Latte Macchiato?

What is the difference between Espresso Macchiato and Latte Macchiato?

• A. Espresso Macchiato is espresso with a small amount of milk foam; Latte Macchiato is mostly milk with espresso poured on top.
• B. Espresso Macchiato uses only water; Latte Macchiato uses espresso.
• C. Espresso Macchiato and Latte Macchiato are the same drink.
• D. Latte Macchiato is espresso poured into a glass of steamed milk.

Answer: (A)

The difference hinges on which component dominates and how the drink is built. In an Espresso Macchiato, the shot of espresso is the main part, with only a small amount of milk foam added to “mark” it. The result is an espresso-forward drink with just a touch of milk. In a Latte Macchiato, the base is mostly steamed milk, and espresso is poured on top to stain the milk, creating a milk-forward drink with a lighter espresso presence and typically visible layering. The names reflect which component is doing the staining: the milk lightly marks the espresso in the first case, while the espresso marks the milk in the second.

The difference hinges on which component dominates and how the drink is built. In an Espresso Macchiato, the shot of espresso is the main part, with only a small amount of milk foam added to “mark” it. The result is an espresso-forward drink with just a touch of milk. In a Latte Macchiato, the base is mostly steamed milk, and espresso is poured on top to stain the milk, creating a milk-forward drink with a lighter espresso presence and typically visible layering. The names reflect which component is doing the staining: the milk lightly marks the espresso in the first case, while the espresso marks the milk in the second.