Have you ever tried dirty coffee?...surely you have noticed a few posts on social media dedicated to this drink. Very popular in South East Asia, it is also starting to become increasingly popular in European coffee shops, so much so that even Gambero Rosso has dedicated a post to it. But what exactly is it?

Let's start by specifying for the sake of the ‘record’ that despite its recent success, Dirty coffee is not exactly a novelty; in fact, it has been on cafeteria menus in Asia for more than ten years.

There is no consensus on its creation: some claim its origin is Thai and others attribute its creation to Katsuyuki Tanaka, founder and owner of the Bear Pond Espresso in Tokyo.

But what exactly is dirty coffee?

‘Woe betide’ to simply call it a latte or a latte macchiato, it is a drink that requires a different preparation, simple but with strict rules, in order to obtain the particular aesthetic effect to which it owes its name, very pleasant according to those who have tried it.

How is dirty coffee prepared?

The dirty coffee recipe plays on the contrast between temperatures, for its preparation you need cold whole milk and hot espresso coffee.

To prepare it, we recommend using a tall, narrow glass, pour in the cold milk and slowly add the espresso.

The contrast between the two temperatures will create a stratification inside the glass, and a gradual gradient on its walls (hence the name of the drink).

In this way, as you drink, you will first savour the taste of coffee and then the pleasant taste of milk, which will be at a perfect temperature for many, neither too hot nor too cold.

Unlike other coffee drinks, dirty coffee excludes the addition of ice, which would alter the temperature balance.

The original recipe doesn't call for it....but in our opinion it wouldn't be bad with a dusting of cocoa on top or at the bottom of the glass, before pouring in the milk.

What do you say, will you try making it?