A "gentleman's drink," "hood," whatever you want to call it, is a meticulous matrimony of espresso and steamed milk, knit together to become what is commonly known as a cappuccino. The cappuccino stands as one of the most misunderstood experiences available almost nowhere but offered everywhere. I cannot count the times I have ordered a cappuccino only to receive a mound of foam with abandoned espresso lamenting its extraction on the bottom. It is the wet kitten of coffee.The cappuccino is more than just espresso and milk. It is not only espresso and foam either. The ceremonial blending of the elements is as tender and sensitive and romantic as a first kiss. The cappuccino is not a coffee drink, it is the coffee drink. It is not espresso but a perfection of it. Ordering a cappuccino "to go," as they say expecting a paper cup, is somewhat of a culinary indiscretion, but carelessly serving steamed milk, foam and espresso is a barefaced disregard for the drink altogether.
What is understood as a cappuccino and actually is a cappuccino are two different drinks. If one were to walk into that earth-toned brew butcher found on every corner from here to Uzbekistan, ordering a cappuccino is as easy as a snap of the finger; getting one is not. So, what is a cappuccino if not that nasty plop of foam and sour sludge? All this will mean very little to one who has never been behind the counter, while meaning much to a barista attempting to be a portafilter savant. So, I will write to the barista directly.
The grind will determine the quality of each pull depending on the roast, temperature, humidity, grinder, and age of the bean. The tightness of the pack and texture of the grind are the most important dynamics of the pulling process and fortunately the easiest to adjust once you’ve mastered the required finesse
Imagine a sponge sitting outside; it's dry and shriveled up. Now imagine the same sponge with water poured onto it. It expands. The same thing happens to coffee but in a smaller and more profound way. Opening a door or a change in weather can alter the espresso pull drastically, so you must remember: the coffee needs to be ground correctly to insure perfection in your shots. Silky, brownish reddish colored syrupiness will slowly reveal itself when done right. Remember, if it does not take patience, it is going too fast and will be a bitter disappointment.
Now, for where most baristas get lazy, the milk. So many shops can have a textbook shot but fail on the milk. The right pitcher is part of it: one with a pointed spout and round body is the correct shape —though not too big or small. It should hold about twice as much milk as necessary. Now, if you steam your milk more than once, stop reading, find the nearest bus to Arizona, go to the Grand Canyon, jump off.
Assuming you have the right amount of milk in the pitcher, the next step is to place the fully submerged steam wand about a half-inch from the side of the pitcher, turn it on and get a spin in the milk. (Note: longer steam wands are better.) If the milk is bubbling and not spinning, just tilt and adjust the position of the pitcher. Once you have figured out the rotation of the milk, let some air in by ever-so-gently exposing the tip of the wand, then resubmerge keeping the rotation in the milk. You will notice the sound change. Small, tight, barely shapeable foam is what you want, so this all needs to be done while the milk is still cool, otherwise the foam will be sad and non-existent.
During the steaming process, your shot(s) should be pulling. Multi-tasking is key to proper drink making and if you cannot do both, then stick to making drip until you get it. Once it reaches the appropriate temperature, you should pour the milky masterpiece into the espresso (some do it backwards, ignore them). You want to pour fast enough to keep the foam and milk united but slow down two-thirds to the top. Move the stream to the front edge and pour onto the edge of the cup —making a crescent moon shape— and gently shake the pitcher side to side. This will cause the milk to emerge through the crema; when this happens, pull backwards repeating the motion. When full, slow down and pour the milk past the front of the glass. This will knit the waves into one of the many latte art shapes, a leaf.
Note to the consumer: if your cappuccino is not made with such care, tranquility, obvious passion, then find another shop. Once you have had a real masterpiece, once the art of coffee has been revealed to you, the sub-standard mess of caffeinated sludge just will not do. Your tastes, through exposure and experience, will be illumined, only demanding the best out of a competitive industry offering a misunderstood, maltreated, and abused product generally known as coffee.
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