It’s very likely that—one time or another—that obscure drink was an upside-down caramel macchiato. And just what is an upside-down caramel macchiato, you might be wondering?
Well, simply put, it is basically just a caramel latte with a little twist—that twist being a vanilla drizzle on top.
It’s easy for me to simplify an upside-down caramel macchiato to just a caramel latte with a twist because—to be frank—my typical order at Starbucks is a caramel latte. Sometimes I ask for the vanilla drizzle, and other times I don’t.
In my opinion, it’s a lot easier to say “I’ll have a caramel latte with a vanilla drizzle” rather than “I’ll have an upside-down caramel macchiato.” Also—little tip—the barista will probably be less likely to screw up your order if you ask for a caramel latte drizzled with vanilla.
For those of you who are familiar with the ingredients of a caramel latte, perhaps my description of an upside-down caramel macchiato as a caramel latte with a twist is enough explanation.
If you’re still confused about the upside-down caramel macchiato—which is understandable because it is a mysterious and complicated drink—then read on to learn more about the exact ingredients of an upside-down caramel macchiato and why it’s comparable to a caramel latte with a twist.
First and Foremost: What is a Latte?
Like I said, my typical order at Starbucks is a caramel latte, so I should be able to tell you at least what goes into the drink, right?
When a barista is making a caramel latte, they start by pumping caramel syrup into the bottom of the cup. After the caramel syrup comes the good stuff—the espresso. The drink is then topped off with steamed milk and a layer of milk foam. If you order your caramel latte with vanilla drizzle, the barista will then add the vanilla drizzle on top of the milk foam.
It’s that layer of foam on top that really gives the drink a smooth and creamy taste.
Second: What is a Caramel Macchiato?
If you take a caramel latte and flip it over, you basically have a caramel macchiato. The main difference between the caramel latte and the caramel macchiato is the order of the ingredients. In fact, this is the main difference between quite a few different coffee drinks: The way that the ingredients are layered actually affects the way that the drink turns out.
When a barista is making a caramel macchiato, they start by pumping vanilla syrup—I know this sounds off because we’re talking about a caramel macchiato but bear with me—into the bottom of the cup. After the caramel syrup comes the steamed milk, espresso, and, finally, the milk foam. The drink is then topped off with a caramel drizzle.
You can usually recognize a caramel macchiato just by the caramel drizzle: A talented barista will create lattice-style patterns on the milk foam using the drizzle.
Lastly: What is an Upside-Down Caramel Macchiato?
If you ask a barista for any drink made “upside-down,” it means you want the order of the ingredients reversed.
So, if you order an upside-down caramel macchiato, you can expect that the barista will start by pumping caramel syrup into the bottom of the cup. After the caramel syrup comes the espresso, steamed milk, and milk foam. Finally, the drink is topped with—you guessed it—vanilla drizzle.
This drink sounds familiar, doesn’t it?
It sounds just like a caramel latte minus the vanilla drizzle on top, and that’s because the upside-down caramel macchiato and the caramel latte are basically the same drink. If you desperately need the vanilla drizzle on top, simply ask for a caramel latte with a vanilla drizzle and you’re set.
