2

When I migrated to Melbourne, Australia a couple of years ago, I asked locals what the most Melburnian coffee one could order was. The response was uniformly a "Magic".

I've then moved to Perth and the "thing" here is a "long mac topped up". Don't hate it, but it's not really my cup of coffee...

But none of the baristas here in my two years here understood what a Magic is. And if I'm honest, I'm not even a 100% sure what's in it.

To my understanding, a Magic is a double ristretto with three-quarters foamed milk in a tulip cup. But I really dislike having to ask for a coffee with a long instruction like that.

What is the most concise way to order a Melbourne Magic when not in Melbourne?

Marc Dingena
  • 121
  • 3

1 Answers1

2

A Melbourn Magic is just a double ristretto in a 150 mL cup topped up with steamed milk, flat white.

I'm not familiar with coffee offerings in Perth, but I suspect it's going to be very difficult to find a coffee shop that even carries 150 mL cups. See if you can ask for a double ristretto with an equal amount of flat white steamed milk added. It'll be inconsistent to some degree each time you order it because most coffee shops won't have the right equipment to make it.

Alternatively you can buy your own 150 mL / 5 oz cup and ask them to make it in that by making a double ritretto and then topping up with flat white. It's hit or miss whether they'll actually do it.

R Mac
  • 1,640
  • 5
  • 17
  • "most coffee shops won't have the right equipment to make it". In my experience so far, most shops have never even heard of a ristretto. But maybe I am just unlucky with the shops I visit. I feel like a ristretto isn't a very otherworldly thing, is it? – Marc Dingena May 28 '23 at 05:37
  • Eh, that depends on a few factors. While you actually CAN order a ristretto at big chains like Starbucks (they use fully automatic machines), the commoditization of espresso as "coffee" has rendered many distinctions somewhat useless. A great example is the Starbucks Machiato drink. Try asking your local Starbucks barista what the difference between a machiato and a latte is. You'll get a good chuckle out of the response. Of course the experience will be different in different places and at different shops because it depends on the training and experience of the person making the drink. – R Mac May 28 '23 at 14:10
  • Notably, though, any coffee shop should have the right equipment to make a ristretto or a lungo. This is because both methods use the same equipment as is needed to make an espresso (standard portafilter, single basket). The only reason a person wouldn't be able to make any of the variants of the traditional espresso shot is if they simply don't know how. – R Mac May 28 '23 at 22:48
  • I've got a 170 mL keep cup and it's happened a couple of times now that the milk splits. I don't know what causes this, but I presume it's because there's not a lot of milk in the cup. And this doesn't happen with Magics, again presumably because a double ristretto is only the volume of a single shot... How can I stop milk splitting without overcomplicating my order? Note that it's almond milk. – Marc Dingena Jul 15 '23 at 05:44