Regarding my previous post about happiness in a beaker, reader Emily writes:
I have a Stabucks Barista mcahine that I use daily to make a latte. I will say that Starbuck’s froth is much better than my froth. But given the recent increase in prices at Starbucks and the number of lattes I can get out of a pound of Peet’s coffee, I am willing to but up with lame-ass home made froth.
Emily is not alone. But now what I want to know is, because I am not an expert in this field in any way, what constitutes a “good froth”?
For me, it is the emotional comfort of warm milk that looks sort of frothy. And I’m happy with my twenty-dollar beaker. But something very telling is, in all my life, I cannot recall having ever seen an actual Starbucks froth. They cover it up with the sippee cup lid. How do we know that it’s even better?
I don’t know that the Starbucks froth is better than my beaker froth. Can we get an expert opinion on this, please?
Admitted latte drinker, here. I only allow myself one a day and don’t keep any coffee at home anymore. I drink a sugar-free, non-fat cinnamon dolce latte….with whipped cream! I get it s-f and n-f so I can have the whipped cream. but I also like the foam. I know it’s there because I immediately take the sippy lid off and drink/eat the cream before drinking the latte.
YUM!
Are you trying to torture me or something?
In the name of research, I went to Starbucks yesterday, and ordered my usual non-fat grande latte. The staff wondered where I had been, as I guess I’d been a regular fixture. Ha ha! I’m only here for research! I said (not). And my half-gallon of milk went bad.
I botched the study, because I didn’t take off the sippy cup to verify the foam qauality. So sue me, but the sippy cup is a part of the experience for me.
Still, it tasted about the same as my home brewed foam plus coffee concoction, at a billion of times the price.
Anyway, we all like the foam, but what makes the Starbucks foam so great compared to home concocted varieties?