When coffee met milkshake.

Close your eyes and imagine the best bread you ever tasted. We bet it began by hand, baked just right, and finished with a healthy helping of the freshest butter (or olive oil, if you will). When a recipe is simple, it really comes down to the ingredients. And when talking coffee, few recipes are more simple (or delectable!) than the classic affogato.

Popularized in the '90s, this timeless recipe — named for the Italian word for "drowned" — comes down to a double shot of espresso over ice cream or gelato. Traditionally, those scoops are vanilla, or vanilla bean if you're feeling fancy, but we've also been known to experiment with dulce de leche, chocolate chip cookie dough, or frankly, whatever our heart desires.

The only hard requirement: really good espresso! If you don't have an espresso machine readily available, we recommend making a strong coffee with an AeroPress. Prepare your ice cream in your serving dish and leave it in the freezer to stay cool. Brew your coffee and pour it hot over your scoops, if it gets a little soupy as it melts (and it will) that's a good thing.

There's no wrong answer when it comes to our espresso assortment, but these four bags taste especially delicious in an affogato:

Sightglass Crown Point's seasonally rotating espresso is a consistent crowd-pleaser — especially when paired with milk (frozen or otherwise).

Here comes your next espresso favorite — Caffe Vita's flagship blend, Caffe Del Sol, is smooth, rich, and structured.

PT's Flying Monkey Espresso is balanced, yet fun. Think a blend of sweet flavors with just enough depth. Add milk… or ice cream, because, why not?