As for how to eat it, an affogato is best enjoyed with a spoon before sipping back the remaining espresso. Here's how to make a really great affogato at home.

Starting today (July 7) customers at Starbucks stores in the U.S. and Canada can enjoy Affogato-style Frappuccino blended beverages. For this beverage, a barista pours a shot of

espresso over a finished Starbucks Frappuccino; the hot espresso mingles with the icy Frappuccino to create creamy pockets of coffee.What is an Affogato?  
Affogato translates to "drowned" in Italian and is one of the simplest desserts you can create. It's a big scoop of vanilla ice cream with a hot espresso shot poured over it. When the affogato is ready to serve, the ice cream looks as if it has drowned in the coffee.  

Affogato is usually classed as a dessert, but it can also be found on the drinks menu of countless cafes.  

Traditionally, affogato was prepared with fior di latte ice cream, which means "flower of milk." It is Italian gelato at its purest, made without any eggs, chocolate, or vanilla: the only ingredients are milk, cream, and sugar. If you can't find fior di latte, then vanilla ice cream is the next best option.  

A traditional alcoholic version also exists called affogato corretto. Add a teaspoon of your favorite liqueur to the coffee and pour over the ice cream. Amaretto, Kahlua, or Baileys are popular choices.