Homemade Cappuccino

Last night we had a fabulous dinner at Ca 'Del Sole and with dessert my husband had a cappuccino. It had been so long since I had one, I usually order a latte, and I loved it. So for breakfast this morning I decided to make my own. I don't have a milk frother but I improvised with a pot of hot milk and my immersion blender. It worked perfectly. The milk was steamy, frothy, creamy and delicious.

I love this cup and saucer. My sister gave me 2 of them for my birthday a few years ago. Makes me smile whenever I use them.

 Anthony Bourdain had a cappuccino in Rome on his new show The Layover and it showed the Italians finishing their drink by using a spoon to eat the cream at the end. Delicious!

You'll need an espresso maker for this drink. I use the 12-cup stovetop one. I've had a fancy electric one in the past that didn't make espresso nearly as well as this one does.

Do you make fancy coffee drinks at home? What's your favorite?

Latte

There is something about a well made latte that makes dessert taste even better. We used to have one of those fancy espresso machines that claimed to make strong smooth espresso and perfectly steamed milk. I think we used it twice and then gave up. The process was complicated and the clean-up not worth it. Now, we use a traditional espresso maker and heat the milk in a pot on the stove. Sometimes, when I'm craving a mocha (I refuse to pay over $3 for one at Starbucks unless I'm out with friends) I add some cocoa and a little sugar. Tonight, it's a latte with a side of carrot cake. Yummy!