Flat White Coffee [General]
2011 Feb 11
If I may add to this discussion of what a flat white is: Part of what make the micro-foam possible is that it is made with a richer tasting milk. Pam mentioned at one point that the milk in NZ is richer tasting, which is why I suspect that Morning Owl adds cream to their milk for flat whites.
Usually, I prefer my lattes a bit hotter than 150, but with the flat whites, it does maintain the sweetness of the milk, which is really evident with the micro-foam.
At the very least, I far prefer it to the incredibly bubbly cappuccinos and excessively milky lattes.
Usually, I prefer my lattes a bit hotter than 150, but with the flat whites, it does maintain the sweetness of the milk, which is really evident with the micro-foam.
At the very least, I far prefer it to the incredibly bubbly cappuccinos and excessively milky lattes.
2011 Feb 11
Darling son drinks homo milk and more often than not, I steal his milk for steaming. It is a richer, sweeter taste.
I really watch the temperature of the milk for sure, but I do find that the shot I am drawing is plenty hot to make up for being cautious on the milk heat. Especially if I am doing only a 2 to 1 ratio.
I can't thank you enough LWB for getting me on to Flat Whites. Too bad it wasn't under more pleasant circumstances for you.
I have never asked for a Flat White at Bridgehead but I do find the 'small latte for here' that they make is good for not being too bubbly like cappuccinos and not excessively milky. So maybe it really is a FW! Will ask next time I am in.
I really watch the temperature of the milk for sure, but I do find that the shot I am drawing is plenty hot to make up for being cautious on the milk heat. Especially if I am doing only a 2 to 1 ratio.
I can't thank you enough LWB for getting me on to Flat Whites. Too bad it wasn't under more pleasant circumstances for you.
I have never asked for a Flat White at Bridgehead but I do find the 'small latte for here' that they make is good for not being too bubbly like cappuccinos and not excessively milky. So maybe it really is a FW! Will ask next time I am in.
2011 Feb 12
bubbly cappuccinos? i'm not sure what that means. do you mean the foam on top? i haven't had a bubbly one (i don't think), but i have stopped ordering them since my favourite italian stand-up coffee counter closed (still sad about this).
i have found lattes to be inconsistant in this city. every coffee counter in town seems to offer caps and lattes now, but haven't trained the staff on the difference.
i have found lattes to be inconsistant in this city. every coffee counter in town seems to offer caps and lattes now, but haven't trained the staff on the difference.
Food Is Fun!
Again, something I love about Ottawa Foodies. It continues to inspire. Did I really know what a Flat White was or did I just think I did. So off I went to read about Flat White. Maybe not what I really should have been doing this morning but that's what happens when you are a foodie and coffee junkie combined.
What I think I may have learned:
- A flat white is made with milk not half and half cream
- A flat white is one shot espresso and 2 shots milk
- A flat white uses the lower micro bubbles, not the full foam
- A flat white has its milk heated just above 140F (edging into the 150s - but definitely not hitting 160F!!). This is to preserve the sweet flavour in the fat and proteins that does change when the milk gets too hot
So thanks to Lady Who Brunches, I learned a few things and went on to try my hand at a Flat White.
My Rancilio Silvia is one powerful machine and it is hard to keep it to micro foam vs. getting that luscious dense dry foam. It helps to keep the wand deep and away from the surface. Because I had skim milk on hand, I did add a wee bit of half and half just to jack up the flavour.
My coffee turned out to be not so flat, but I will keep trying. What I did love was the 2 to 1 ratio. Nice and strong!
twitpic.com/3ybbw8
And this morning's experience is precisely the kind of thing that makes me a fan of Ottawa Foodies.