Exploring Café Allongé: Definition and Pronunciation

A cup of coffee in Paris

Café allongé is a term often used in coffee culture to describe a particular type of coffee drink. This article aims to provide a clear understanding of what café allongé is and how it is pronounced. By examining reliable sources and linguistic references, we can delve into the essence of this coffee variant.

The definition

Café allongé, also known as espresso lungo, is a coffee drink that falls between an espresso and an Americano in terms of strength. It can be prepared in two different ways, each resulting in a slightly different flavor profile. The first method involves adding a small amount of hot water to a double or quadruple espresso ristretto. This dilution process allows for the release of more complex flavors and is comparable to adding water to whiskey. The second method is to make an extra-long double shot of espresso, which achieves a similar oil-to-water ratio as the dilution method, but produces a different blend of flavors due to the longer extraction time.

Pronunciation

The pronunciation of Café Allongé can vary depending on regional accents and linguistic backgrounds. According to French pronunciation conventions, it is usually pronounced “ah-lon-zhay” or “ah-lon-jay”. The first syllable “ah” is pronounced without the “h” sound, similar to the letter “a”. The second syllable “lon” is pronounced like the English word “long” without the “g” sound. The final syllable “zhay” or “jay” has an accent on the letter “e” and is pronounced as the sound “ay” (as in “day”). It should be noted that the pronunciation may vary slightly due to individual accents or regional variations.

Conclusion

Café allongé is a coffee beverage that falls between espresso and Americano in terms of strength. Its unique flavor profile can be achieved through either dilution or an extended extraction process. The pronunciation of Café Allongé follows French pronunciation conventions and is commonly rendered as “ah-lon-zhay” or “ah-lon-jay”. By understanding the definition and pronunciation of café allongé, coffee lovers can appreciate and explore this distinct coffee variation with confidence.

FAQs

What is a Café Allongé and how is it pronounced?

Café allongé is a coffee drink that is between an espresso and an Americano. It can be prepared in one of two ways. The first method involves adding a small amount of hot water to a double or quadruple espresso ristretto. The second method is to make an extra long double shot of espresso. The pronunciation of café allongé follows French pronunciation conventions and is usually pronounced “ah-lon-zhay” or “ah-lon-jay”.

What is Allongé coffee?

“Café Allongé, also called Espresso Lungo, is a drink midway between an Espresso and Americano in strength. There are two different ways to make it. The first, and the one I prefer, is to add a small amount of hot water to a double or quadruple Espresso Ristretto.

What is an allonge espresso?

An allongé will be a longer shot: at least double, if not more, than the traditional espresso volume, and thus will produce what at first may simply appear to be “more coffee”.

How do the French say coffee?

In French, the word for coffee is “café. It is pronounced “ka-fey” with the emphasis on the second syllable. The “a” in “café” is pronounced similarly to the “a” in the English word “car,” and the “e” at the end has a slight “ay” sound.

What is Cafe Creme in France?

Café Crème KAH|fay krehm

Instead, order un café crème. It’s an espresso topped off with a lot of milky foam. And it’s typically served in a bowl. Just as in Italy, the French also consider this a breakfast only drink and it’s never drunk by the French after 11am.

Which is stronger espresso or lungo?

Caffeine Level

The longer an espresso shot is pulled, the more caffeine it has. This is because you’re more fully extracting the coffee grounds. A lungo will have more caffeine than regular espresso, but only by a little bit.

What does upside down mean in coffee?

Ordering a Upside Down Caramel Macchiato means that the steps to make a regular Caramel Macchiato are reversed (first caramel, then espresso, then milk and ice, and then vanilla syrup).

What is a Sprover?

So the term ‘sprover is short for “espresso pour over”; it’s a way to produce a drip coffee using an espresso machine as the water source. You grind course enough that you’re not really generating pressure and let the machine pull ~3 ml/s across the puck until you hit something like a 18:200 ratio.