Whole Latte Love Latte Cup

Coffee and espresso are our passions, here at Whole Latte Love. The pursuit of its perfection has led us to form relationships with and offer products from more than 60 manufacturers. We carry some of the most advanced equipment on the market, from grinders to espresso machines, frothers and more. But, as many coffee lovers will attest, great beverages must start with quality coffee. All the equipment in the world won't be able to help you brew gourmet espresso from charred beans; which is why we introduced Whole Latte Love Signature coffee as a way for customers to get great tasting drinks at affordable prices.

The patriarch of our line of coffee is the venerable and ever-popular Malabar Gold. Created by a nuclear physicist turned coffee roaster, Malabar gold is easily recognized by its deep, rich crema that can last for more than 20 minutes. This blend of Monsooned Malabar, De Luxe Indian Robusta and select Arabica has been roasted in the light Northern Italian tradition to deliver mellow coffee and espresso with low acidity.

Another fan favorite is our distinct dark-roast espresso, Buzzopolis. This collection of Columbian, Costa Rican, Mexican and Sumatran beans is well balanced and bright. Buzzopolis is celebrated for its smoky flavors of plumb, spice and berry that deliver full-bodied beverages. This blend is smooth enough for espresso, but it is also well liked by cappuccino and latte drinkers as it has the ability to stand out in milk-based beverages.

Reflection, our decaf espresso, brews sweet, well-balanced drinks that won't keep you up at night. It packs decadent flavors caramel and chocolate punctuated by fruity notes. Reflection is a blend of fine Central American, Indonesian and African beans.

For drip coffee drinkers, Ethereal and Unconditional offer unique taste profiles and aromas. Unconditional is a decaffeinated blend of Columbian, African and Indonesian coffees micro-batch roasted for unparalleled results. Unconditional features mouth-watering flavors of hazelnut, toffee and plum with a bright body and medium acidity. Ethereal, on the other hand, is a full-bodied coffee with hints of red wine, spice, chocolate and berry. It is a dark roast that is ideal for breakfast and a great companion for bread and pastries.

We also have two samplers to choose from, if you want a taste of all our coffees. Each of our signature coffee has a colorful label adorned with artwork from Whole Latte Love employees and customers.

There are some pretty impressive gourmet restaurants out there. At times, the food may be debatable, but the presentation is always impeccable. Great chefs know that a part of the culinary experience lies in the table service. You just don't serve a gourmet meal on disposable plates. And, so it is with fine espresso. But, it's not solely aesthetics; the cup you're extracting into could have a tangible impact on your espresso.

Everything from the shape, size and material of a cup should be taken into account. Though there is no "standard" shape for an espresso cup, most of them tend have to a softly rounded form that is narrow at the bottom and gets progressively wider at the rim. The wider opening at the top is said to enhance crema presentation, while narrow bottom encourages espresso flavor concentration. The shape also allows to the cup to retain heat evenly so that you don't get hot and cold spots within your beverage.

The size of the cup is also critical. A widely respected espresso authority, the World Barista Championship (WBC), states in its Rules and Regulations that espresso must be served in two- to three-ounce (60-90ml) cups with handles. The Gaggia Logo, Rancilio Logo, Pasquini Logo, Illy Almodovar and Julian Schnabel espresso cups are all solid choices that fall within WBC guidelines. Espresso cups are made tiny for a reason. The compact size of the espresso cup is designed to promote heat retention by reducing the surface area exposed to the air. Also, a single shot of espresso is only 1-1.5 fl.oz, while a double shot barely tips the scale at 2-2.5 fl.oz, so the espresso would be lost in a large cup. A 2-ounce cup is perfect for a single shot; if you're brewing a double go for a 3-ounce demitasse.

Espresso-machine manufacturers go through great lengths to ensure heat stability during the brewing process, but once the espresso is extracted, it's up to the cup to prevent heat loss. We always advocate preheating your cups, but you can also guard against premature cooling by paying close attention to the material of your espresso cup. Most demitasses are made of porcelain, as it is an excellent insulator. Though, you should keep in mind that there are different grades of porcelain. Porcelain created using high firing temps is tougher and more durable; most connoisseurs prefer thick porcelain espresso cups like the Bodum Pavina Grip Porcelain, Francis Reptilia or Gaggia Platinum cups. Also particularly adept at heat preservation are double-walled cups. The contents stay hot while the exterior of the cups remain cool to the touch; if this is appealing to you, check out the Bodum Pavina, Assam or Canteen Glass cups. Of course, glass cups also have the added advantage of allowing you to see and appreciate your espresso.