Poor you! There is an art to making a good cappuccino! It also depends on the milk you use. Now in Australia we can buy a “Barista Blend ” milk in a UHT pack which they say makes the perfect cappuccino. I’ve tried it and it is good. Skim milk also froths better than full fat for some reason. Coffee machines have really taken off in Oz recently. Everyone seems to have one. With ours we bought a separate milk frother in the supermarket for about $30. It’s electric. You put in the milk and just press a button for hot milk or frothed milk. Works perfectly every time without the hassle. Good luck in your search for the perfect cappuccino!
Aussie, I was also wondering what type of milk you’re using because that makes a big difference in the quality of the froth. As LVeR says, skim milk froths better than whole milk.
Fraussie
November 15th, 2012 at 5:52 pm
Yes, I’ve been trying different types. The videos are divided on the advice they give. I’ll go back to skim milk then.
Maple Leaf
November 15th, 2012 at 9:35 am
I’m a latte girl myself and i’m not actually sure how cappuccinos are made. There’s more froth and less milk? It does look tricky and my cappuccino-drinking friends often complain about coffee shops not getting them right. My friend told me about a special milk frother that Nespresso makes. I think it’s for lattes and for cappuccinos. Apparently it’s quite expensive (70 euros), but it works really well. I’d like to get my hands on one at some point! I froth my milk using the device that came with my Nespresso machine and it works nicely for lattes but I have to admit it’s not quite the same as when I get one from Costa (my favourite UK coffee chain!).
Found the accessories I was talking about: http://www.nespresso.com/#/fr/fr/club_nespresso/selecteur_gammes_accs/fiches_accessoires/3192-EU
And what I have: http://www.nespresso.com/#/fr/fr/club_nespresso/selecteur_gammes_accs/fiches_accessoires/3023
Fraussie
November 15th, 2012 at 11:54 am
Nespresso certainly seems to have the answers, but I have now been boycotting Nestlé and all its subproducts for 30 years due to their unsavoury practices in the third world countries where they supply free powdered milk to mothers in the hospitals (against the law, of course, but they just keep paying the fines). A month’s supply of powered milk is about equivalent to the household income so they dilute the powder and use ordinary, often contamined water. By then, their milk supply is down and they can no longer breastfeed their babies who die of diarrhoea or malnutrition. Sorry to say this, as I see you have a Nespresso machine yourself …
Aussie, I was also going to mention Nestle’s frother as an option. They work really well.
At some point, we’ll have to sit down and have a discussion about Nestle over a glass of wine because I know first hand that Nestle does a lot of good in developing countries. The story about the powdered milk is old anti-Nestle propaganda that’s full of inaccuracies.
Fraussie
November 15th, 2012 at 5:54 pm
OK, it’s a date! I much prefer to think that Nestlé is no longer encouraging the use of powdered milk in third-world countries where the women need to breastfeed to survive.
Fraussie
November 15th, 2012 at 11:49 am
Yes, I suspected the milk makes a difference. I have fresh and UHT full cream milk and “demi-écrémé” UHT milk. I would love to have a Barista Blend milk! My outrageously expensive machine has an automatic milk frother which is one of the reasons I bought it but I can’t make it work any better.
Maple Leaf
November 15th, 2012 at 12:28 pm
I didn’t know that about Nestlé. I knew that about another milk group. Well, I suspect as much anyway because they push formula in third world countries as well which just seems completely ridiculous to me.
Francoise
November 15th, 2012 at 1:15 pm
It is like an Irish coffee ! When you know how to do it ,you can easily do it !
I can do it !
Good luck you will be able soon !
Kiwi
November 19th, 2012 at 5:26 am
Just thought of something else. Do you use plain tap water or filtered/mineral water? Might help too. Also, your new machine might simply be too new tasting and might improve after a few trials. You could try buying Italian expresso coffee too, which is much smoother-tasting than French.
One barista here reckons that the froth changes depending what the cows eat (ie, whether they’re eating grass or silage and hay). HTH!
Fraussie
November 19th, 2012 at 10:10 am
Hi Kiwi. I gather you’re back in Italy. Could you ask your barista whether the whole jug is supposed to be creamy and foamy or just the top half. I’m having success at last, you’ll be pleased to hear!
Poor you! There is an art to making a good cappuccino! It also depends on the milk you use. Now in Australia we can buy a “Barista Blend ” milk in a UHT pack which they say makes the perfect cappuccino. I’ve tried it and it is good. Skim milk also froths better than full fat for some reason. Coffee machines have really taken off in Oz recently. Everyone seems to have one. With ours we bought a separate milk frother in the supermarket for about $30. It’s electric. You put in the milk and just press a button for hot milk or frothed milk. Works perfectly every time without the hassle. Good luck in your search for the perfect cappuccino!
Aussie, I was also wondering what type of milk you’re using because that makes a big difference in the quality of the froth. As LVeR says, skim milk froths better than whole milk.
Yes, I’ve been trying different types. The videos are divided on the advice they give. I’ll go back to skim milk then.
I’m a latte girl myself and i’m not actually sure how cappuccinos are made. There’s more froth and less milk? It does look tricky and my cappuccino-drinking friends often complain about coffee shops not getting them right. My friend told me about a special milk frother that Nespresso makes. I think it’s for lattes and for cappuccinos. Apparently it’s quite expensive (70 euros), but it works really well. I’d like to get my hands on one at some point! I froth my milk using the device that came with my Nespresso machine and it works nicely for lattes but I have to admit it’s not quite the same as when I get one from Costa (my favourite UK coffee chain!).
Found the accessories I was talking about:
http://www.nespresso.com/#/fr/fr/club_nespresso/selecteur_gammes_accs/fiches_accessoires/3192-EU
And what I have:
http://www.nespresso.com/#/fr/fr/club_nespresso/selecteur_gammes_accs/fiches_accessoires/3023
Nespresso certainly seems to have the answers, but I have now been boycotting Nestlé and all its subproducts for 30 years due to their unsavoury practices in the third world countries where they supply free powdered milk to mothers in the hospitals (against the law, of course, but they just keep paying the fines). A month’s supply of powered milk is about equivalent to the household income so they dilute the powder and use ordinary, often contamined water. By then, their milk supply is down and they can no longer breastfeed their babies who die of diarrhoea or malnutrition. Sorry to say this, as I see you have a Nespresso machine yourself …
Aussie, I was also going to mention Nestle’s frother as an option. They work really well.
At some point, we’ll have to sit down and have a discussion about Nestle over a glass of wine because I know first hand that Nestle does a lot of good in developing countries. The story about the powdered milk is old anti-Nestle propaganda that’s full of inaccuracies.
OK, it’s a date! I much prefer to think that Nestlé is no longer encouraging the use of powdered milk in third-world countries where the women need to breastfeed to survive.
Yes, I suspected the milk makes a difference. I have fresh and UHT full cream milk and “demi-écrémé” UHT milk. I would love to have a Barista Blend milk! My outrageously expensive machine has an automatic milk frother which is one of the reasons I bought it but I can’t make it work any better.
I didn’t know that about Nestlé. I knew that about another milk group. Well, I suspect as much anyway because they push formula in third world countries as well which just seems completely ridiculous to me.
It is like an Irish coffee ! When you know how to do it ,you can easily do it !
I can do it !
Good luck you will be able soon !
Just thought of something else. Do you use plain tap water or filtered/mineral water? Might help too. Also, your new machine might simply be too new tasting and might improve after a few trials. You could try buying Italian expresso coffee too, which is much smoother-tasting than French.
One barista here reckons that the froth changes depending what the cows eat (ie, whether they’re eating grass or silage and hay). HTH!
Hi Kiwi. I gather you’re back in Italy. Could you ask your barista whether the whole jug is supposed to be creamy and foamy or just the top half. I’m having success at last, you’ll be pleased to hear!