A long black is a style of coffee, most commonly found in Australia and New Zealand. It is now becoming available in the UK, predominantly in London.
A long black is made by pouring a double-shot of espresso or ristretto over hot water (usually the water is also heated by the espresso machine). A long black is similar to an Americano, which is made by adding hot water to the espresso shot; but a long black retains the crema and is less voluminous, therefore more strongly flavoured.
The order in which a long black is made (water first, espresso second) is important -- reversing the steps will destroy the crema from the espresso shot and make an Americano.
Short black is an Australasian synonym for the basic espresso.
Famous quotes containing the words long and/or black:
“And long shall timorous fancy see
The painted chief, and pointed spear,
And Reason’s self shall bow the knee
To shadows and delusions here.”
—Philip Freneau (1752–1832)
“For me chemistry represented an indefinite cloud of future potentialities which enveloped my life to come in black volutes torn by fiery flashes, like those which had hidden Mount Sinai. Like Moses, from that cloud I expected my law, the principle of order in me, around me, and in the world.... I would watch the buds swell in spring, the mica glint in the granite, my own hands, and I would say to myself: “I will understand this, too, I will understand everything.””
—Primo Levi (1919–1987)