Caffè d'Orzo (Italian Barley Coffee) vs French Morning Coffee (Café au Lait)

Though both are warm morning cups, these two drinks treat milk very differently. Caffè d'Orzo is brewed from ground barley, lightly filled and never tamped, yielding a caffeine-free drink with natural sweetness and nutty notes that the recipe suggests enjoying black, with milk and sugar purely optional. Café au Lait, by contrast, builds milk into its very structure: equal parts strong, dark-roasted coffee and steaming whole milk, sometimes lightly whisked to a foam, for a rounder, creamier cup. Sugar remains optional in both.