Food - Drink
Cortado: The Espresso Drink You Should Try On Your Next Coffee Run
By RYAN CASHMAN
The Basque Country region of northern Spain is home to many things and is the ancestral home of the cortado, an espresso-based drink that is a staple of Spanish cafe culture. Translated as "to cut" in Spanish, this espresso and milk infusion has developed a reputation here in the States.
Not much is known about how the cortado came to be, only that it was created in the Spanish Basque Country to "cut" the acidity of espresso while retaining its flavor with steamed milk. This espresso drink has become a staple in the northern part of Spain and the entire country.
The ratio between espresso and milk makes the cortado different from all other espresso-based drinks. The typical recipe is two ounces of espresso to two ounces of steamed milk, served in a Gibraltar — a small rocks glass.
To make an at-home cortado, warm the milk in a frothing pitcher while the espresso is brewing in the machine, then pour it over the espresso and serve immediately. If you don't have an espresso machine, simply order a double espresso with two ounces of steamed milk on top at any Starbucks.