Before you go ahead making fancy coffee drinks, you should master the art of making espresso shots, because virtually all coffee recipes contain them. Once you have perfected your espresso making you can increase your selection with some of the recipes described below.

Espresso

This is a single 1oz shot of coffee made with 7g of finely ground coffee extracted at between 18 and 25 seconds. If this sounds complicated, don't worry, there are many espresso makers you can buy that will do most of the work for you. The espresso shot is the basic ingredient for most coffee recipes. Here are some ideas:

Americano (from America) - An espresso shot diluted to taste with hot water.

Romano (from Rome) - Espresso shot served with a twist of lemon.

Corretto (meaning correct or proper) - Espresso shot with grappa.

Doppio (meaning double) - A double shot of espresso.

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Macchiato (meaning marked or spotted) - A shot or two of espresso with just a spot of frothed milk on top.

Iced Espresso - A double shot of espresso over crushed ice.

Cappuccino

A cappuccino is made with one part espresso and about three parts of frothed milk poured over top.

Caf? Latte

A Caf? Latte is much milkier and creamier than a cappuccino. Make with one part espresso with at least five parts of steamed milk with only a small amount of froth on top.

Cafe Latte Fredo

This is an espresso mixed with cold milk in the same proportions as a Cafe Latte and shaken vigorously with ice in a cocktail mixer.

Cafe Mocha

Made with one part espresso and one part chocolate syrup with two or three parts of frothed milk. You can also top with whipping cream.

Espresso con Panna

Made with one shot of espresso and topped with a tiny amount of whipping cream.

Espresso Granita

Made with one shot of espresso mixed with a teaspoon of soft brown sugar and a splash of brandy. You freeze the mixture, then crush it and served in a parfait glass with whipping cream.

Now that wasn't hard at all, was it? And you've earned a wealth of knowledge, just from taking some time to study an expert's word on coffee recipes.