A coffee latte is a drink which combines a strong espresso coffee and a frothed steamed milk on the top. http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=latte Coffee latte recipes can be as the simple combination of the coffee and the steamed milk or can be varied in a number of ways.

A latte may be flavored used a flavored syrup made specifically for drinks or may have flavorings like chocolate syrup or caramel used in other baking activities added for flavor. A coffee latte can be served hot or iced and may also be an alcoholic beverage with the additional of a whiskey or a liqueur.

The origins of coffee as a drink begin in East Africa when a shepherd recognized the impact on the animals when they consumed the berries of the coffee bush. He shared this information with a local monk who used the same berries to help his fellow monks stay awake for prayer times. From this first caffeinated drink, the variety has expanded greatly with coffee lattes being only one of many variations on the drinks created from coffee beans. http://www.ice-cream-recipes.com/coffee_history.htm

Another predecessor to the common day coffee latte may have been the drink called coffee milk which is believed to have come to America with Italian immigrants arriving in Rhode Island. In the 1930s, this drink used sweetened left over coffee grounds mixed with milk and sugar creating a coffee syrup.http://whatscookingamerica.net/Beverage/CoffeeMilk.htm

Coffee shops serve a variety of coffee lattes and individuals can make a similar drink at home. Some recipes involve using a home espresso machine while others have made latte versions which include strong brewed coffee which does not require the machine. Coffee latte variations include:

1. Using store bought syrups such as the ones marketed by DaVinci Gourmet to add flavor to drinks. DaVinci offers a recipe called the Lucky 4 Leaf Clover which mixes the espresso and milk with cookie dough syrup, peppermint syrup and a chocolate sauce.http://www.davincigourmet.com/coffee_syrup/latte_recipe.aspx
2. An alcoholic version of a coffee latte may add kahlua to a chilled latte drink.http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/kahlua-iced-latte/Detail.aspx
3. Cafe Mocha Latte adds chocolate syrup and brown sugar to a traditional latte recipe. Whiskey can be added or the drink can be left as a non-alcoholic beverage.http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=258291
4. If espresso is not available, a strong brewed coffee can be used in a latte. A double strength version of the coffee can be used as a substitute.http://www.familyoven.com/offsite?r_id=180677&u=http://www.recipezaar.com/124521