Tuesday, January 02, 2007

Homemade Lattes for the New Year

Happy New Year to all my friends and readers!

So for Christmas, my big gift from Adina was my very own espresso maker/steamer. Unfortunately for Sweetwater, there is no Starbucks – in fact, the nearest coffee shop is a 45 minute drive in Abilene. So out of pity and compassion, Adina came to my aid. I had unpacked it from the box and even followed the steps to run it through its “Before Brewing” cycle to make sure all the elements were functioning properly. But because we did not have any espresso coffee, we refrained from actually brewing or steaming for my delectable hazelnut latte – until today.

So the fiasco was comical at best. We do not have any official shot glasses, so we have no idea on just how much water to allow through the espresso filter for a shot. The first time around for two shots, I allowed nearly a half of cup of water to pass through the filter – the espresso was so weak I could barely taste it. And for whatever reason, the maker was not brewing the espresso hot enough. On the second attempt, I did much less water, which seemed to work – but still the espresso was only lukewarm. After settling for less than best, I then took a whack at steaming some milk. It seemed as though I was forming some nice froth (and redeeming my latte-making skills). So I poured the steamed milk and froth into my cup with my already brewed espresso, added some hazelnut flavoring, stirred with my new battery-operated stirrer (it is quite impressive), and…managed to taste tepid milk with a slight hint of espresso and hazelnut. It was horrible! Adina and I have not laughed so hard in weeks.

So pray, for my own well-being, that my latte making skills dramatically improve!

2 comments:

DenverSop said...

There is no substitute for a healthy sense of humor! :-) Thank you for sharing your comical adventure!

txsorange said...

I have no comfort to offer - only that I laughed WITH you. Indeed, your story is the very reason I have neither requested nor purchased my own espresso machine.

Of course, necessity is the Mother of Invention, so I have no doubt you will master the latte soon.

The glory of God's bean should not come easy lest it be taken for granted.

jej