What's A Cortado, And Why Is It The Coolest Drink In Wisconsin?

OAK CREEK, WI — Alton Brown, noted Food Network personality and longtime host of Good Eats has named Valentine Coffee in Oak Creek as the most notable coffee shop to enjoy in Wisconsin.

Brown toured all 50 U.S. states, and ventured into Canada for the most delightful cup of coffee, and compiled a list that can be viewed here: Top Coffee Stops — AB Road Eats

This is what he had to say about his tour: "If this tour had a coffee theme, it was specialty drinks, which is totally not me. I’m an espresso guy … maybe a Cortado or Gibraltar … the occasional hand pour. But this tour really turned me around. Here then, some of my favorites."

He chose Valentine Coffee in Oak Creek for its Cortado. What's a Cortado, you say?

Joe Gilsdorf, one of the owners of Valentine Coffee in Oak Creek, says it's one of the core espresso bar drinks, with Spanish origins. "Historically, people are more familiar with cappuccino, caffe latte or a macchiato or a straight shot of espresso," he told Oak Creek Patch.com. "The Cortado gained steam with the 3rd Wave coffee movement, which we are a part of."

The 3rd Wave is traditionally known as a movement among local roasters and coffee purveyors toward producing more higher-quality brews with an eye toward quality over mass-production.

"You steam the milk a little less hot than a traditional latte, and then add just enough to smooth out and sweeten the espresso out. We default to whole milk, it's just sweeter and you can texture it better," he said. He also said Brown makes a point to stop by Valentine Coffee in Oak Creek whenever he's in the area working on a show.

Here's Brown's entry for Wisconsin:

Valentine Coffee (Milwaukee): These guys are top notch roasters and I had a killer cortado. This goes on the list of one of the best cups I’ve ever had.

Patch.com Photo by Scott Anderson