Espresso at Home

[md4958]

Originally Posted by leasingthisspace

Mister Moo thanks for putting this down. I really like reading what you have to say about coffee. I enjoy coffee but i like putting sugar/ milk in which I know it is wrong but I drink what I like. I hope to someday enjoy coffee to the point of no add ins. I have been cutting back on all that stuff. Thanks for your wisdom.

I was once at a winery in Piemonte and asked the manager there, what he considered the best wine... his response "the one you enjoy drinking." The same holds true for coffee. Drink what you like, like what you drink.

There is nothing wrong with putting in sugar and milk in your espresso. In fact in Italy MOST people use sugar or sweetner in their coffee.

As far as milk goes, if you add a touch of steamed milk it is called a macchiato (that crap that starbucks calls a macchiato is really a caffe latte) If you add cold milk it is called a macchiato freddo.

If you add 1/3 espresso 1/3 steamed milk and 1/3 foam from the steamed milk, then you have a cappuccino. Alter the portions to 40% espresso and 60% steamed milk (leave out the foam) and you have a caffe latte.

Take your steamed foamy milk and make it very very warm (not hot) serve it in a highball glass and add a short shot of espresso (2oz) and you have a latte macchiato... the ladies love this one because it looks really beautiful when you add the espresso to the milk.

When steaming milk remember the rule I always tell my employees... if its too hot to hold, its too hot to drink (the steaming pitcher). If you scald the milk, not only will it taste bad, the first sip will fry your tastebuds for the rest of the drink.

Also cold milk+ chilled frothing pitcher= better foam.

Moo, any thoughts you would like to add?