What is a flat white.


Answer: Originating from either Australia or New Zealand, a flat white is a coffee based drink typically consisting of a double shot of espresso and steamed milk.  A double shot of espresso amounts to 60ml in volume and this is added to with approximately 100ml of milk.  The process of steaming the milk modifies the proteins to create a thick foamy  consistency allowing baristas to create patterns on top of the milk from the brown of the coffee and white of the milk. This is often referred to as latte art.

Although similar to a latte, the flat white has a stronger coffee flavour due the having a higher proportion of coffee to milk. The latte typically has a total volume of approximately 240ml compared to the 160ml in a flat white.  In addition, the foamy milk is thicker in a flat white giving it a "flatter" appearance.

Although originating from the southern hemisphere, flat whites have gained global popularity and are now both a mainstay for specialist coffee shops as well as large  coffee shop chains such as Starbucks.