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National Café au Lait Day

Drink · February 17

A day for café au lait, the French style of coffee made with hot milk, and for the slow, comfortable cups people pour at home or order at a café.

National Café au Lait Day falls on Wednesday, February 17, 2027. That is 113 days away.

Café au lait means coffee with milk in French, and that is exactly what it is. Strong brewed coffee meets an equal or near equal pour of hot milk, and the result is mellow, creamy and easy to drink.

It is close kin to the latte, but the two are not the same. A latte starts with espresso and steamed, often foamed milk. Café au lait usually starts with regular brewed coffee, so it tastes rounder and less intense. In France it is often served in a wide bowl at breakfast, the kind you hold with both hands and dip a piece of bread into.

New Orleans has its own well known version. There the coffee is often blended with chicory, a roasted root that adds a dark, slightly bitter note, and the cup frequently arrives next to a plate of beignets dusted with powdered sugar. The milk softens the chicory, and the sugar takes care of the rest.

Making one at home takes almost no equipment. Brew a pot a little stronger than usual, warm some milk on the stove until it steams without boiling, and pour both into the cup at the same time. Whole milk gives the richest texture, though any milk you like will work. A sprinkle of cinnamon is optional and slightly unorthodox.

The best part may be the pace. Café au lait is a drink for sitting down, the bowl warm in your hands while the morning gets started.

Ways to celebrate

• Brew strong coffee and pour it with an equal amount of hot milk.
• Try drinking it from a wide bowl, French breakfast style.
• Look for chicory coffee and taste the New Orleans version.
• Share a café au lait and a pastry with a friend.
• Dip a piece of buttered bread or toast into your cup.

Dates

All national days on February 17

Also on February 17

• Random Acts of Kindness Day
• National Cabbage Day

Categories: Drink days