Cappucino Coffee Makers Compose a Great Coffee
In the US, a cappuccino has multiple forms. When you order a "cappuccino", what do you expect? Most people in this country would say, "something like a latte, but with lots of foam." And they would be right. That's the cappuccino a la Americán, a drink served up in hefty portions. More esoteric cappuccino coffee makers and drinkers would probably cringe at this!
"What's All That Milk Doing Sitting on My Espresso Shot?"
In an American cappuccino, the espresso is poured into a cup, and the rest of a 12, 16, or 20 oz. Cup is filled with liquidy milk foam. While snobbery is unattractive in any form, it seems particularly pointless to bicker about coffee. There is an American method that is different from methods in Turkey, Mexico, or Viet Nam. Even our drip coffee is different, and cappuccino coffee makers and consumers commonly accept this fact willingly.
What's the difference? Milk, mostly, with most cappuccino purists preferring a more traditional, and even, ratio of espresso to milk. According to old world standards, the cappuccino should be about 5 to 6 oz, maximum, and should really be served in a small porcelain cup and saucer. Supposedly the porcelain insulates the foam just right, although most cappuccino coffee makers probably won't hold a paper cup against you.
The espresso should be brewed just right, ideally with a layer of golden-brown crema covering the top. The milk should be a fine foam heated to 145°. This can be a tricky feat, but the milk should sit on top of the espresso like shaving cream-not soap bubbles. That's the sign of a great cappuccino coffee maker and machine.
This is really where the two methods differ: in the true Italian style, you shave off a small portion of the finest foam and place it on top of the espresso shot. In the Buick-esque method of the Americans, you block the pouring of the foam and fill about 1/3 of the cup with milk from the cappuccino coffee maker and throw all the foam on top of that, resulting in 12 oz. of deliciousness.
One thing that is essential for the good cappuccino coffee maker to know is to always clean the wand of the milk frother after use. Everytime. Besides being a health hazard, the milk can form solids on the sides of the wand, which then end up in the next drink. Therefore, it is essential to monitor its cleanliness. You can also do a periodic steam flush with pressurized hot water.