Coffee glasses

The size follows the coffee. An espresso is three centilitres, so a 10 cl glass looks nicely filled and holds the crema together. For a cappuccino allow 18 to 22 cl, for a caffe latte 27 to 36 cl, and for a latte macchiato with clear layers at least 36 cl and preferably 45. The taller and narrower the glass, the sharper the separation between milk, coffee and foam stays.

After that you choose by wall type. Single-walled glass shows the colour best but gets hot, so you want a handle or a holder with it. Double-walled glass keeps the coffee warm longer and stays cool enough on the outside to pick up, which makes the coffee appear to float in mid-air. La Rochère covers the decorative side with relief glass in ranges such as Ouessant and Abeille, while Bormioli Rocco, Onis and Royal Leerdam supply the robust catering sizes. Duralex Picardie is tempered and virtually indestructible.

Rinse the glass with hot water before pouring. A cold glass draws so much heat from an espresso within ten seconds that you end up drinking it lukewarm, and with a small glass, this happens fastest of all. For a latte macchiato, pour in the milk first, then the foam, and only then slowly pour the espresso through it. If you pour in a different order, everything mixes together and the layers disappear.

Hot coffee cocktails call for a glass with a handle and a sturdy base. An Irish coffee is made with hot coffee, whiskey, and sugar, and you pour the cream over the rounded side of a spoon so it stays afloat. Cold works too, although it does not belong in a coffee glass: an espresso martini is served in a pre-chilled coupe.

Coffee leaves a residue behind. Brown veils on the bottom are coffee oil rather than limescale, and they do not come off with an ordinary dishwasher programme. Soak such glasses now and then in hot water with a spoonful of soda and brush out the base; the glass will be clear again.

Heat resistance is the second concern. Tempered glass such as Duralex takes the jump from cold to hot in its stride, thin-walled decorative glass far less so. So never put a thin glass straight under a steam wand. Double-walled glasses are dishwasher safe with most manufacturers, but lay them at an angle so no water stays trapped between the walls, and only put them away once they are completely dry.

If you already know which size you’re looking for, you can click through right away. The cappuccino glasses are listed separately, as are the taller latte macchiato glasses and the Irish coffee glasses with a handle and foot. If you want coffee that stays hot for a long time, take a look at the double-walled glasses. Tea comes in different sizes and a different shape, which you’ll find among the tea glasses, where the handled tea mugs are also listed. And the long spoon that goes with a latte macchiato, which you can also use to float cream on an Irish coffee, is listed under bar spoons.