...to talk about espresso? Maybe I'm a coffee snob, or maybe it's because I'm from Seattle, but I've got to take a moment to point out a couple things. In all this talk about Starbucks closing
for a few hours today, I've been reminded that some people know neither how to pronounce espresso nor what it actually is. So let me help-a-brother-out....

According to dictionary.com

es·pres·so  (ĭ-sprěs'ō, ě-sprěs'ō)noun  pl. es·pres·sos A strong coffee brewed by forcing steam under pressure through darkly roasted, powdered coffee beans.A cup of espresso

Notice 2 things about the above definition.

1. It is pronounced E-SPRES-SO not EX-SPRES-SO or EC-SPRES-SO

2. The word refers to either a brew process or a specific drink.

-Fine ground, darkly roasted coffee beans brewed by steam to create a strong, shot of coffee called espresso

-When you order an "espresso", you will get a small cup with 1 or 2 shots of espresso brewed coffee

Americano - Espresso and hot water

Breve - Latte made with half and half instead of milk

Drip - Coffee brewed in a regular coffee maker

Espresso - Pure shots of espresso coffee, some people like to add cream or sugar.

Cappuccino - Traditionally - 1/3 espresso, 1/3 stamed milk, 1/3 foam. More commonly in America - a latte with much more foam.

Latte - Espresso with steamed milk and a small amount of foam

Macchiato - Upside down latte. Steamed milk, foam and espresso poured over top

Misto - Drip coffee and steamed milk

Mocha - A Latte with chocolate sauce or powder added