cafeaulait

Cafe au lait is a coffee beverage consisting of hot milk blended with coffee, typically in roughly equal parts. The term is French, meaning “coffee with milk.” In English-language usage, the accented form café au lait is standard, while the concatenated form cafeau lait or cafeaulait appears in branding or informal references.

Preparation varies by region. In France and other Francophone areas, it traditionally uses freshly brewed coffee (often strong drip or percolated) mixed with hot milk, with little to no foam, and is commonly served in a wide cup or bowl. In many international cafés, cafe au lait is prepared with espresso and steamed milk in approximately equal parts, approaching a latte in texture, though it may be presented with a lighter coffee base and less foaming than a cappuccino. The milk is heated to hot and is typically not heavily frothed.

Cultural context and variants. Cafe au lait is a classic component of French breakfast and is widely enjoyed in Francophone regions. It is related to other milk-forward coffee beverages such as café con leche in Spain and Latin America and the Italian caffè latte, which share the concept of coffee with a substantial portion of milk but differ in the type of coffee used as the base. The beverage is valued for its milder coffee flavor compared with straight brew or espresso-based drinks.