h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

on cold winter mornings, try a carachillo ( that´s what they called it) : Cafe solo plus Brandy - helps when the central heating doesn´t.

You mention Carajillo - and very nice it is too, but don't forget the others:

Let's start with a

1) cortado condensado. This is an espresso with a layer (about a quarter of an ounce) of condensed milk sitting at the bottom of the glass - stir it, drink it, revel in it. It's the base for:

2) cortado leche y leche, which is the condensado, but with a dash of stemed and frothed milk added. It has a largo variation, which is, basically, a double (and that's four shots of espresso, folks). This leads to a

3) barraquito, which is a leche y leche, with the addition of a quarter ounce of either Tai Maria (nononono) or Cuarent y Trez (ho yus!) and a minute chunk of lemon.

These are all served in max 3 ounce glasses, unless you go largo, in which case you're looking at a six ounce glass. That's about the size of a standard cappuccino. There's a neat cafe condesado largo, which is, basically, a two-shot-espresso Latte atop a half ounce of condensed milk, served in a ten ounce (half pint) glass.

Be warned, these condensed milk based coffees are highly addictive, and extremely fattening. But who cares?! They're easy enough to make at home with a decent espresso machine (any Gaggia will do the biz, but avoid the fully auto ones - half the fun is making the thing in the first place).

Bestest!