Ciao, ragazzi!
My husband, a Calabrese at heart, used to think a simple caffè al bar was the peak of his day’s pleasures. Then I introduced him to the caffè macchiato, and boom—his heart did a little tarantella! Now, he’s obsessed with the Macchiatone—morning and afternoon, like it’s his new ritual.
What’s a Macchiatone, you ask? Picture a caffè macchiato that hit the gym and doubled everything: double espresso (because “caffè” in Italy always means espresso—don’t even think about asking for a drip coffee at a bar!) and double hot milk foam. Don’t you dare mix it up with a cappuccino, which drowns in hot milk like a tourist in Venice. Check the pics for proof!
Italian grammar tip: one → big
Ombrello → umbrella
Ombrellone → big umbrella (the kind that shades your entire Nonna on the beach)
macchiato—-> MACCHIATONE