Allora, after that first rosetta, I spent the last two months trying to figure out how to replicate it! Last week the light bulb finally went on, and here's the result. The trick is positioning the steam wand tip very precisely at the correct depth in the pitcher, for the right length of time. The choice of milk may be a contributing factor; I recently switched to Clover Organic, and it's marvelous stuff. The coffee is Blue Bottle's Yemen Sana'ani, truly superb for cappuccini and quite user-friendly.
Today also happens to be my girlfriend's birthday, and I must give her credit for inspiring me to take up espresso-making in the first place. She provided the cup, from Brunetti's in Melbourne. Happy Birthday, Darling! You created a monster!
2 comments:
Wow, now that's a nice rosetta! I haven't had anything nearly as good as this. I agree that clover organic milk has worked the best for me in terms of getting microfoam, but I still need to work on getting consistent foam, and my pouring. So basically everything involved in the process.
By the way, I've been jonesing for a naked portafilter for some time, but haven't had a chance to really look for one (I have a gaggia carezza). What machine do you have, and where did you get the npf? Do you like it?
Grazie, Ryan,
That rosetta's still my personal best. The process is very hit-or-miss, mostly miss. Most home espresso machines are less than ideal for making microfoam. But becoming completely attuned to one's machine and milk is still the crucial factor, I think. That takes a lot longer at home than it does for pro baristas.
The naked portafilter I got from Espresso Parts Northwest has been quite helpful in telling me the precise moment when the shot goes blonde (i.e., when to stop). One difference from the Sirena's stock PF: I have to crank the NPF farther to lock in. If you've ever seen a PF come loose under pressure, you wouldn't want it to happen again! :)
Ciao,
Wayne
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