Most espresso-based drinks come from traditional Italian drinks; however, cortados are one of the only mainstream espresso drinks that are Spanish in origin. The cortado was created in Spain’s Basque country. After its initial creation, and by some process of migration, the drink began to spread in popularity throughout the Galicia region of northern Portugal, and even Cuba. Like lattes, cappuccinos and macchiatos, a cortado is a combination of espresso and milk, but it’s all about the ratio that makes cortados different.
The word cortado comes from the word cortar, which is the Spanish verb meaning ‘to cut,’ as the espresso is typically cut with milk. A cortado is basically a one-to-one ratio of espresso and steamed milk. The beauty of the cortado is how the milk cuts the bitterness of the espresso and reduces the acidity while pulling out the sweet notes and still allowing the flavors to shine.
It’s traditional to use dairy milk in a cortado, but many non-dairy milks steam well and can be used to make dairy-free versions. While this drink contains milk that has been steamed, the cortado doesn’t have as much milk foam or froth as other Italian coffee beverages. The fact that the cortado doesn’t have a lot of foam is what allows the milk to cut through the espresso, blending together as smoothly as possible.
Cortados are traditionally made with an espresso machine and served in small glasses made of either metal or glass, where the drink completely fills the glass. At a typical specialty coffee shop, ordering a cortado means you’ll get about two ounces of espresso and two ounces of milk. Cortados are also meant to be sipped slowly, given that the caffeine content is strong.
While baristas typically prefer to stay true to the cortado’s simple and true form, it is possible to get creative by adding flavorings or toppings to the drink. The most important factor when serving a cortado is that the ratio of espresso to milk is equal. As a delicious combination of only powerful espresso with creamy, light milk, the cortado has become increasingly popular with coffee drinkers due to its simple structure.
