Espresso Knowledge and "Latte" as a Signifier

I have been thinking about lattes recently (caffe latte, not latte macchiato). As Kinsey notes in an earlier post, we sell a lot of lattes here at the cafe, and it got me wondering why that is. 

I) Expansion Of Meaning

My theory is one of cultural linguistics: Lattes are popular not necessarily because of the nature of the lattes themselves, but because "latte" has become a cultural signifier (and perhaps pejorative term) for the ongoing "high-end" or "third-wave" coffee movement; as in, "I just like a cup of regular black coffee, none of those fancy lattes or nothin'."

When someone not entirely familiar with the admittedly arcane jargon of espresso enters the store, they will sometimes cast about at the menu, glance to the tea board, and then say "I'll have a latte." Perhaps some of these customers do actually want lattes (Eric and Cathy, the owners of the store, are avid latte connoisseurs, for example), but I suspect that some who order lattes are ordering them merely because they have heard the word before. Simply because of its cultural cachet, it is a familiar term.

The meaning of "latte" has thus expanded from simply "two shots of espresso with 12-13 ounces of milk poured into them" to "a fancy coffee drink." It is an example of real-life synechdoche, which, sadly, leads to people making uninformed decisions about their coffee.


II) What To Do About It

If this describes you, feel no shame. Cultural linguistic trends are inescapable, and the esoteric knowledge of espresso takes time and energy to learn. We behind the counter don't always expect you to know what the difference between a macchiato and an americano is, and we don't judge you for not knowing. Knowing is our job, and we love to pass on our knowledge.

So next time you come in, if you're not sure what you want, feel free to ask about the strange Italian words on the menu. Let us know what you like and don't like in your coffee, and we'll try to make you something. And if you usually walk in and order a latte, just because you know that that is something that coffee people like, try something -- anything! -- else on the menu. We "coffee people" have liked just about everything up there at one time or another.