when white meets blue

The aroma of a world class coffee awakens the senses and invites you to take that first sip. However what a disappointment it is if you find the milk in your latte or cappuccino has been poorly or inefficiently foamed.

Worse still is when you find that the milk has been over heated to boiling, resulting in a burnt tasting coffee without the sweet creaminess that well steamed milk brings to the coffee liquor.

Using milk correctly is a critically important part of producing a great cup of coffee. It is more involved than it looks and well worth spending some time on to perfect the technique.

The art of creating the perfect coffee depends on the right combination and consistency of the milk and the quality of the crèma, which is the rich, thick, layer you find on top of an espresso.

Milk is most difficult to froth during the colder months. This may be caused by a breakdown of the milk fat by natural milk enzymes, or by cows reaching the end of their lactating cycle. The use of modified milks during these months will guarantee frothing all year round. A better frothing effect is seen from using whole milk but skim milk (and even soy) can be used with a lesser effect.

There is an art to working with milk to achieve a good froth.

Always steam your milk before you brew or ‘pull’ your espresso shots. Remember that freshness is the key and the shot should be used within 30 seconds of brewing.

Start with a clean, cold stainless steel jug and make sure that there is no water on the steam wand before putting into the milk. Fill the jug one-third to one-half full with fresh cold milk to allow space for it to expand as it froths. If you are switching between different types of milk it is a good idea to mark the handles of the jugs to show indicate which milk each one holds.

Immerse the steam wand completely in the jug before turning on the steam wand; this prevents the milk from being forced out of the jug. Turn the steam wand on and move the steam wand to just under the surface. As the milk expands move the jug to keep the steam wand just below the milk's surface. Do not manually agitate the milk. Be careful not to overheat or boil the milk or it will affect the taste.

Once the milk and foam have risen to the top of the jug, you should completely immerse the steam wand to finish heating the milk. Turn off the steam wand when the thermometer reaches 65°C (149°F). The temperature will continue to drift up another 5°C (9°F) once the steam wand has been turned off due to residual heat in the jug and the thermometer's lag effect.

Remove the jug from the steam wand and wipe the wand with a clean damp cloth. Point the steam wand towards your espresso machine and cover the tip with your cloth. Quickly open and close the steam knob to clean the wand. This prevents milk building up inside the wand. Remember that steam wands can be hot so be careful when handling them.