The Home Barista's Guide to Espresso - Coffee Prince in Surat

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Contrasting texture of poorly frothed milk (left) and properly frothedmicrofoam (right)Frothing milk to a microfoam is very simple when you know how to do it, but it does take time to learn.Two processes occur when milk is frothed: first, when the tip is at the right depth, the milk is convertedto microfoam; second, the milk is heated. These two do not happen at the same rate on every machineor tip design, so the point at which you transition from foaming the milk to simply heating it varies frommachine to machine. Finally, the amount of steam varies from machine to machine too, so the timespent to heat enough milk for a six ounce cappuccino can go from 10 to 40 seconds.Four things to learnWhere to put the tip: There are three zones distinguished by sound. In the first zone nearest thesurface, the tip makes a bubbling noise and as it gets slightly deeper, a sucking or tearing noise. In thesecond intermediate zone, there is very little noise. In third zone near the bottom of the pitcher, themilk begins to roar loudly.The tip should stay in the second, silent zone for the entire process. In order to create microfoam,position the tip at the top boundary, so you occasionally hear a sucking/tearing noise. Too much of thesucking/tearing noise and the foam will stiffen and not be micro enough. To just heat the milk after thefoaming is done, position the tip near the lower boundary so you occasionally hear a roaring noise.The milk in the pitcher should whirlpool or form a standing wave of turbulence in order to fold foam intoliquid. With a one hole tip, angle the entry, and keep it close to the edge of the pitcher to rotate the milkinto a whirlpool. With a multi-hole tip, point it straight down and keep it near the center of the pitcher—the hole dispersion pattern on a properly designed tip will create a whirlpool or a standing wave ofturbulence for you. If your multi-hole tip does not do this, change it for another, or block some holesand convert it to slower, single hole use.How long to foam: As the liquid turns to foam, the volume of the milk increases. This is calledstretching. Keep foaming until the milk has gone up about 50% in volume. If you foam more than that,you will get a light microfoam for the classic cap-on-top cappuccino, but latte art will be impossible.
Typically, the side of the pitcher will be lukewarm (40°C, 100°F) at this point. However, volume increaseis a far more reliable indicator, and with some frothing setups, one even keeps the tip at the foamingpoint until the milk is fully heated.How much longer to heat the milk: The milk should be heated to about 70°C (160°F), which is justbelow the point where protein curdles and the foam is destroyed. The easiest way to do this is to holdone hand on the side of the pitcher and stop when it gets uncomfortably hot. If the milk suddenlyincreases in volume, the proteins are curdling, and you've gotten it too hot. With experience and aslower frother, you can hold the pitcher by the side rather than the handle and have your other handfree (it also helps to have a higher pain threshold!).How long to wait before pouring: This topic is treated fully in the next section, Pouring Latte Art.Barista Technique:Pouring Latte ArtIf you followed the instruction on the previous page, the milk will initially be very liquid and will hardlymark the surface of the espresso. After about 10 to 20 seconds, it will thicken to the right point for welldefined latte art. After about 20 to 25 seconds, you can pour something with blurry shapes, a middlething between a cappuccino and latte art. After that, a simple round cappuccino foam cap will form.Swirl the mug a few times and rap it gently against the counter just after frothing and just beforepouring.On a single boiler home machine, some people prefer to froth first and then make the espresso. In thiscase the milk will stand about one minute. In order to keep the foam capable of latte art, reduce theinitial stretch to about 33% and frequently swirl the pitcher while you wait.Steps to pouring latte artThe prevailing usage calls a drink of any size with latte art patterns a latte. If a drink of any size with ashallow cap of soft foam on top is called a cappuccino. A drink with a hard foam cap is called ruined.The exception is the macchiatto, which is a ristretto espresso with about one ounce of milk either incappuccino or latte art form, depending on your wish, and the barista's whim or skill. Good cafés will notserve anything in larger than a twelve ounce cup. I and most purists frown on any milk drink larger thansix ounces.If you are pouring a cappuccino, let the frothed milk rest for 30 seconds prior to pouring. A cap of softfoam will form automatically. The softness of the foam cap is a check on how well you've microfrothed.Do not attempt latte art until you get the soft foam cappuccinos, since this confirms that you arefrothing correctly.Below are the steps to pouring latte art:Turn the handle of the cup to the left and turn the saucer away from you if it has lettering. The setup should befacing the person being served.Let the frothed milk sit 10 to 20 seconds.Tilt the cup towards yourself until it is close to spilling. The more the tilt, the more quickly the milk will mark thesurface (rather than sinking out of sight).Slowly start pouring the milk at the lower end (closer to you) until you see a cloud of white billowing up.For a heart, move the pour towards the center, and oscillate it side to side.
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The Home Barista's Guide to Espresso - Coffee Prince in Surat

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