I am pretty happy with my coffee making skills but when it comes to texturing milk, I've got a long way to go! Anyone else in my situation?

Mr Gadget,

My Master was showing how he whirls to get the texture and shine, I was practicing this morning and got only a mess!

use full cram milk not low fat, for some reason organic never works as well for me either. You can buy a toroid jug if you want to make it easy for yourself, but texturing milk requires 2 steps: expanding the milk (with small not large bubbles) and then stretching the milk. Lower the wand for this and make sure that the milk is swirling around the jug. This is really the important step. you can tap the jug on the bench when you've finished to collapse any large bubbles.

A woman wandering around Sydney, asks a man on the street "How do you get to the Opera House?" The man replies "Practice"...

cheers

2sheds

I use soy milk as thats all we drink, but its turns out pretty good.

With my machine I found the best solution when using that dirty cow's milk was to fill the stainless jug 2/3 full, whack it under the steam wand with the tip just under the surface and let it rip.

You will hear when it it ready because the sound will change, it will actually sound like it is slowing down.

But thats just me and my system, YMMV as they say.

Cheers,

Jake

Yeah I have read all the tips on milk texturing but still don't get it right all the time. I just need to practice more as 2sheds said.

As you have admitted, practise is the key, but some hints...

Start with a cold jug and cold milk (both in the fridge/freezer for a few minutes)

Put the jug on a slight angle, this way you don't need to swirl, the steam pressure swirls the milk itself and you don't make a mess!

Start with the steam tip JUST touching the surface, you should get a 'sucking' sound. This is aerating the milk. How long you do this is figured out by practise and depends on whether you are doing a latte or cappuccino (longer for a cappo as you want more light froth on top).

Then lower the tip of the steam wand under the surface. This is now 'stretching' the milk. Keep going until your thermometer (if you have one - a good investment) hits around 60 degrees C. Then switch the steam off.

Swirl the jug around and tap on the bench a few times to remove any larger bubbles.

And then practise the next step... latte art

Thanks Poita, your tips are pretty much the way I do it although I don't have a thermometer yet (I should get one for consistancy). Also a larger jug is meant to be easier than a small one. I feel that latte art is a very long way off for me. What makes it harder is that my wife doesn't drink full cream milk.

I don't have a thermometer yet (I should get one for consistancy).

They cost about $16 so not expensive and ensure that you don't scald the milk.

Also a larger jug is meant to be easier than a small one.

I got a 600ml jug. Does 2 lattes perfectly and is easy to manage the milk. Any bigger and its touch and go whether the boiler has enough steam to aerate that much milk to 60degC (forgive the pun!)

I feel that latte art is a very long way off for me. What makes it harder is that my wife doesn't drink full cream milk.

Its not as hard as you think. Get the milk right and its quite easy. Curved cups are best as the milk curls up from the bottom as you pour making patterns much easier and nicer.

What makes it harder is that my wife doesn't drink full cream milk.

hmmm I can only think of one solution for that one, but you probably wont like it

I am pretty happy with my coffee making skills but when it comes to texturing milk, I've got a long way to go! Anyone else in my situation?

Yeh, I fall into that category, although I've still got a bit of work to get my expresso right as well. I find the hardest part is consistency, I can get it perfect one time and make a complete bollocks of the next. Still a bit of a novice at this coffee game so hopefully a bit more practice will help.

Cheers

CJ

The woman who taught me to make coffee said that no matter what you do, some days it just doesn't throff the way you want- any tips on guaranteeing a good throff?

Does anyone think ambient relative humidity or atmospheric pressure have an effect?

The woman who taught me to make coffee said that no matter what you do, some days it just doesn't throff the way you want- any tips on guaranteeing a good throff?

Does anyone think ambient relative humidity or atmospheric pressure have an effect?

Waricle,

My experience reflects that of your teacher. Some days you can't help but make wonderful microfoam, other days even the flat whites are too flat...

I think the atmospheric conditions as well as milk variation could explain it. Don't worry, the best barista in the world will have those days... And as long as the base espresso is good, all is not lost.

I find that on the 'bad days' slowing down the steam pressure helps (don't open the valve as much as you normally would)

cheers

2sheds

Yeh, I fall into that category, although I've still got a bit of work to get my expresso right as well. I find the hardest part is consistency, I can get it perfect one time and make a complete bollocks of the next. Still a bit of a novice at this coffee game so hopefully a bit more practice will help.

Cheers

CJ

what really helped me with consistency was doing barista courses. Understanding the theory behind making a good coffee also makes it easier to recover from mistakes.

The woman who taught me to make coffee said that no matter what you do, some days it just doesn't throff the way you want- any tips on guaranteeing a good throff?

Does anyone think ambient relative humidity or atmospheric pressure have an effect?

the quality of the milk matters, particularly freshness, cold milk, protein and fat content.

For me it seems that depending on the alignment of the planets of our solar system and my heart rate at the time depends on how good the milk turns out!

I'm thinking of changing the power cable on my espresso machine, to increase it's performance...

I've already improved the crema by painting the rim of the basket with a green marker pen...

cheers

2sheds

<gasp> he mentioned the word - cable!!!<gasp>

I've found that a better power cable lowers the taste floor of the coffee, gives more depth to the taste stage and makes the grinder quieter......

No it doesn't......

yes it does.....

what really helped me with consistency was doing barista courses. Understanding the theory behind making a good coffee also makes it easier to recover from mistakes.

Yeh, i've been considering looking into that, will have to get off my backside and book myself into a course.

I'm thinking of changing the power cable on my espresso machine, to increase it's performance...

I've already improved the crema by painting the rim of the basket with a green marker pen...

cheers

2sheds

:o:D:D

Cheers

CJ

<gasp> he mentioned the word - cable!!!<gasp>

I've found that a better power cable lowers the taste floor of the coffee, gives more depth to the taste stage and makes the grinder quieter......

No it doesn't......

yes it does.....

Ooops

cheers

2sheds

Well I am using squash balls cut in half for the feet of the grinder and machine, amazing damping factor. i haven't changed the power cord but I did get my electrician to install a dedicated circuit straight to the coffee equipment. Makes a huge difference!

Yeh, i've been considering looking into that, will have to get off my backside and book myself into a course.

:D:D

Cheers

CJ

Yeah I'm interested in doing a course one day.

Slightly OT, when judges are comparing baristas coffees in a competition, are they blind folded when assessing the taste and aroma? If not their results would be flawed.

Yeah I'm interested in doing a course one day.

Slightly OT, when judges are comparing baristas coffees in a competition, are they blind folded when assessing the taste and aroma? If not their results would be flawed.

Oh no, the DBT has made it's way to coffee tasting:eek:

... it all started with talk of cables:D

Cheers

CJ

Bugger all this computing- I'm going to make myself a nice cup of coffee!

Bugger all this computing- I'm going to make myself a nice cup of coffee!

Me too, let's make a nice one... like this?

Me too, let's make a nice one... like this?

I've got a naked portafilter, it ruthlessly reveals my poor technique! It's amazing how different the coffee tastes without going through a spout.

Hi Michael,

I have been doing a lot of thinking lately, the grinder that you ordered

..., should I? No, yes, no, yes...! I have been thinking,... still thinking...,

Which one? The answer is simple, but, no, yes, no...