A latte or caffè latte is a milk coffee that boasts a silky layer of foam as a real highlight of the drink. A true latte will be made of one or two shots of espresso, steamed milk and a final, thin layer of frothed milk on top. These elements combined result in a balanced milky coffee that's aesthetically pleasing with a smooth texture.

Despite the latte being such a popular choice, it’s often confused with a cappuccino as they’re both frothy coffees. But they are very different drinks. A latte is creamier, with espresso and steamed milk mixed together to create a more subtle taste. A cappuccino on the other hand is much stronger with equal parts steamed and foamed milk. It’s also customary in most places to serve a cappuccino with a dusting of chocolate on top.

The Frappé we know and love is pronounced ‘frap-pay’ and when loosely translated from French, it literally means ‘iced’. This delicious drink is generally made of water, espresso, sugar, milk, ice and is shaken, blended or beaten to combine the ingredients. Enjoyed in a tall glass, it tends to be served with whipped cream and toppings like sweet sauces. A Frappé is traditionally made with coffee, but it doesn’t have to be! Some are made with tea, juice and even hot chocolate.

The ‘café frappé’ started appearing in the mid-19th century with some drinks possessing a slushy-like texture and others appearing similar to an iced coffee. However, the frappé really kicked off in 1957 at the Thessaloniki International Fair in Greece. The story goes that a representative from Nestlé was demonstrating an instant chocolate drink for children with a chocolate base that was added to milk then shaken in a shaker. When on their break, an employee of the Nestlé representative realised there was no hot water to make their coffee, so instead they mixed the instant coffee granules with cold water and ice cubes, mixed it in the shaker and voila, a modern frappé was born! This version of the frappé is still incredibly popular in Greece today and you can find it in most coffee shops across the country.

An americano is simply just hot water and espresso. It’ll either be served 1/2 and 1/2 or 1/3 espresso to 2/3 water, depending on the coffee shop in question or how you’ve chosen to brew it. There is debate about which should be added first, but in the case of the americano, espresso should always be added first as the crema mixes in and creates a more mellow, even taste.

Essentially, drip coffee is coffee that is made by filling a special coffee maker with ground coffee and pouring hot water into it, allowing the water to drip through to the pot. With an americano, water is poured over the espresso but the process is much quicker and there is no 'dripping' involved.

When learning about where coffee comes from, it’s important to know that it doesn’t originate from just one place. In fact, coffee is grown in more than 50 countries around the world, in what is known as the ‘coffee belt’. This includes Africa, Latin America and Asia. These regions have just the right combination of altitude, soil and weather, providing the perfect climate for growing the most delicious beans. 

Considered one of the coffee capitals of the world, coffee from Latin America makes up most of the blends found on supermarket shelves today. The flavour is universally enjoyed which is mostly attributed to its well-rounded taste. A few of the key characteristics of Latin American coffee are:

• Nutty
• Low acidity
• Light or medium roast

Our NESCAFÉ^® GOLD BLEND Origins Alta Rica blend is Latin American coffee at its finest. Grown at high altitudes, the subtle fruity notes and caramel flavours make this coffee a wonderfully rounded blend that’s perfect for savouring.

Still deciding which region you want to send your taste buds to next? Explore our NESCAFÉ^® GOLD BLEND Origins range. With unique blends from coffee hotspots around the world including Colombia and Indonesia, you’re bound to find a blend that inspires you.

Although a mocha is often interpreted differently across the world, it's basically a shot of espresso combined with a chocolate powder or syrup, followed by milk or cream. It is a variant of a latte, in the sense that it is often 1/3 espresso and 2/3 steamed milk, the main difference being that a chocolate flavour is added, which can be light or dark.

It is said that a mocha tastes like a chocolatey coffee. Whilst this is true, a mocha is so much more than that. Where the espresso shot offers an almost bitter taste, the chocolate combination adds a sweetness to create a velvety smooth, luxurious beverage.  

For starters, the cappuccino hails from Italy and the mocha originates in Yemen. They’re both espresso-based drinks, but the mocha contains chocolate flavouring and the cappuccino is topped with a milk foam to form a frothy coffee beverage – sometimes with a dusting of chocolate on top too.

Getting up early makes time for things that matter in your world like exercise, practicing mindfulness and of course, your morning coffee, before your day really begins.

More than ever, it’s important to look forward to your day and any exciting plans you may have. Besides what you have to get done, think about what you want to achieve. Challenge yourself and set tasks that inspire you. This way, your day is bound to get off to a great start.

NESCAFÉ^® fields programs help farmers gain the edge they need to flourish. In Honduras, we helped farmers dry their coffee beans using solar power. These solar driers cost almost nothing to operate and help farmers to produce better quality. Dry beans preserve their quality for longer, giving farmers more time to negotiate a better price and decide the best moment to sell. Thanks to solar driers, farmers in Honduras were able to get 10% higher prices, proving that even the simplest change can make a real difference.

Growing the great quality beans that make your perfect cup is only part of the battle for farmers. To succeed, farmers also need the skills to run their farms as a healthy business. NESCAFÉ^® helps farmers access business knowledge that aims at instilling a spirit of agripreneurship. Prompting farmers to keep better records helps them to have a clear financial picture and to make smarter decisions on their farm. As productivity grows, farmers see the financial benefits of sustainable farming because doing good is good business.