love thursday: how to make a cappuccino with love
You all know that I love espresso (duh), but the way I love it most is actually in cappuccino.
I haven’t been enjoying *too* many of these lately because of the hot weather, but for me, anytime is a great time for a capp’, so here’s how I make mine at home–without a fancy machine. And here’s another way if you’re into those new fangled blenders and whatnot: At-Home Cappuccino.
So, I brew a pot of espresso, and in the meantime add sugar to the cup:
I put a small pot of milk on the stove to heat, and when it’s steaming hot, I whisk the milk to make foam.
Then I pour some espresso into the cup (as much as I need/can handle!), stir well to mix in the sugar and then pour in the foam:
Then I give it another stir for good measure, remove the spoon and marvel at just how much I love cappuccino.
Happy Love Thursday everyone!
What food or drink says LOVE to you?
32 Beans of Wisdom to “love thursday: how to make a cappuccino with love”
Michelle Kaminsky is an American attorney-turned-freelance writer who lived in her family's ancestral village in Calabria, Italy for 15 years. This blog is now archived.
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Michelle,
This is a silly question but those Italian metal espresso/cappucino makers? The ones that look like little coffee pots? Shaped rather octagonal? With a little spout in the middle? How do they work? 😛
I find myself explaining Vietnamese individual metal coffee filters all the time. And it’s so obvious to me because that’s what I grew up with. But it just seems to confound people.
And I know how a French press works.
But the Italian coffee maker thingy, I can’t figure that one out. Does it foam? Do you set it on the stove?
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Not a silly question at all! We all had to learn to use it sometime 😉
In fact, I plan a post on brewing espresso–it’s been a *long* time coming–but for now, I’ll tell you that the Moka is in three parts: the bottom where the water goes, the middle is a basket that sets in the bottom for the coffee grounds, and then you screw on the top part with the handle that remains empty UNTIL you put it on the stove, turn on the burner and wait….the water comes UP through the grounds in the middle and when you hear that famous gurgling, coffee’s done! But don’t worry–I’ll do this all again with photos one of these days 🙂
Interesting post and beautiful pictures. We have a few Mokas and the newest one, 2 or 4 cup, never gets all of the water to the top and we ending up using this gigantic old one. thanks in advance for any hints!
Hmm, well I actually don’t usually end up with all the water at the top anyway, but I have seen Italians just put that water in the coffee (obviously those particular ones weren’t into super-strong coffee! The old ones are best though–you know that…better flavor 😉
How sweet is that…Happy Love Thursday.
We have one of those coffee makers, the husband loves using it. My brother has two, he always has coffee on the go!!
anne’s last blog post..Do you live in the Past Present or Future???
Yeah for the Moka!!!!
Great photos, Michelle. That espresso sounds good about now.
Cherrye at My Bella Vita’s last blog post..Love Thursday: The Best Surprise
Sounds good all the time to me 😉
Amazing how you got those photos to incorporate for Love Thursday.
I would love to read the post on espresso as I am thinking of buying a machine when we got to Portugal next month and shipping it back to Canada.
running42k’s last blog post..Harry Potter
Do it! I’ll have the post up by the time it arrives 🙂
Well, I love cappuccino for one!!!! Coffee, Cafe au Lait (which I have every morning).
And then there is red wine, white wine, any wine.
I love Jamba Juice shakes and a good ice cream soda. Oh and root beer floats.
And I’m not gonna get started on mixed drinks 😉
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Root beer floats! Yes! Of course I could go for just a plain root beer…doesn’t exist here, you know 🙁
Ah, the famous gurgling. One of my favorite G-rated sounds in life.
My drink that says LOVE? Easy, and related to the above: a caffè doppio corretto amaro, which I have also heard referred to as a caffè calabrese. You can take the boy out of Reggio, but…
paul of crazy like whoa’s last blog post..Street ridin’ man
Oh that’s funny. They *do* love their amaro down here….
What a great way to start a Thursday!
Actually everyday- This is my drink of choice everyday.
I love espresso-a cappuccino- granita di caffe-and plane old iced coffee. I’m hooked! I am so happy to know someone who is passionate about their coffee like I am.
I had to buy a 10 cup machine because I never have enough!!!! I really enjoyed this!
I hear you Susan; glad you like it!
What great shots…
I’m a chai latte girl 🙂
hlt
Tanya’s last blog post..A bit of love
Ooh I like those too–they came into vogue after I left the States, but people have been kind enough to send me little mix packets at least…green tea chai latte is tasty 🙂
I can’t live without my moka pot!
How nice with the hearts! Did you do that on purpose or did they come out naturally?
Besos
Tina’s last blog post..Love Thursday – The Embrace
Completely natural, Tina; the sugar happened first a long time ago (it’s been on my flickr account forever) but then the other two happened when my mom was here (at different times) and I thought it might be fun to group them all together 🙂 Notice the different color cups!
ohhhhhhh, right there with you on this one!!! 🙂 happy LT
Yeah! Another capp’ lover 🙂
We have a espresso/cappu/latte maker here at work…filled with powdered milk (ewwww) it’s not the same! It’s okay when I don’t have the 3.00 for a cappu or latte, then I just get the espresso, heat milk in the microwave and pour it in. I have to remember to bring a whisk…lol…people in the lunch room would be asking me to make them one!
Happy Love Thursday!
xo
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You’ll be the hit of the office Lucy! Do it! They also sell little handheld battery operated, um, whippers here–I don’t know if they have them everywhere but they *do* work (cost about 5 euros) 🙂
Even when the weather is warm, I still prefer a hot cup of coffee, no matter the form it comes in. Now, if only I could enjoy a capp in Italy. Thanks for spreading the love!
Susan from Food Blogga’s last blog post..Will It Grill? Avocados and Another Super Salad
I have to admit I switch to cooler coffee beverages in the heat, but still…something every morning. Hope you get that authentic Italian capp’ soon!
i can probably handle a triple shot of espresso. don’t bother ringing the doorbell, just walk write in. i have sugar.
margie’s last blog post..love thursday
Wow, that is a *lot* of espresso. I actually can handle my alcohol better than my espresso 😉
Hmm, is it wrong that I initially read your header as “How to make love to a cappuccino?” LOL! No kidding! I thought, wow, this is going to be interesting. Ha! All the same, I still love your pics. And, of course, now I’m craving a cappuccino — but not in the “love” sort of way. 😉
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Well, I mean, I guess your mind is *somewhere* today….
That’s perfect! So much love!!!!
What food or drink says LOVE to me?
***CHOCOLATE***
In about 50 ways… ;o)
Scarlett & Viaggiatore
Wanderlust Scarlett’s last blog post..Cardinal Rules V
Oooh I’m with you there! YUM!
I’d like to revise my earlier comment. I missed the “food or” part of the question, because I hadn’t had a chance to fire up my own Bialetti yet.
What Scarlett said. mm-hm.
paul of crazy like whoa’s last blog post..Street ridin’ man
Chocolate *and* espresso…mmm….
I have one of those hand held whippers that came with my hot chocolate set! I keep forgetting it in the cupboard because it’s summer now and it’s with the snowman shaped hot chocolate jug…lol
Lucy’s last blog post..It Is Love Thursday…
Dig it out girl!
oh, I just love that last shot!!!
Thanks Janet!
Ahhhh! Thanks for explaining. One big mystery solved for me. 🙂 It sounds like it works similar to a siphon coffee, which just looks like a science experiment to me with the beakers and all. But the water is below, grounds on top, and it sucks it up too.
Wandering Chopsticks’s last blog post..Blog My Blog 2
You got it 🙂
I love the fancy coffees, but I’m afraid I’m just no good at making it!
Gayle @ The White House’s last blog post..Love Thursday: Sleeping Children
Remember that espresso isn’t so fancy here as it’s THE coffee 🙂
Ok, first, how did you make all of the sugar and white parts of the photos look like hearts?! Or is it my imagination today?
I never drink coffee, but I adore chai teas.
And what food says love? Anything I made with love. Or made for me with love.
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Not your imagination Chel…all in the master plan 🙂 Only I didn’t make them do that…they did those hearts all on their own 🙂
Oh how beautiful! I need to start a morning with one of these. So cute pics! : )
Thanks Christina!
you know you are the only espresso i indulge in, right?
even thought i don’t drink the stuff i love the smell. so good. i love all the hearts in those photos. i even spy a small one on the spoon, sort of don’t ya think?
happy lt to you bella.
xo
collette~all over the map’s last blog post..a Love note
Yes! I think it might be my favorite one 🙂
Doesn’t everything taste better when it’s made with love?
nyc/caribbean ragazza’s last blog post..The hot weather in Rome is making me miss snow.
Absolutely!
Bonjour Michelle , it has been a long long time since I’ve passed by here …
I have to learn how to make this loving capuccino , for me a drink that means love is ” coffee ” in the morning when I wake up and bring back the coffee to my man who is still in bed !!
le petit cabinet de curiosites’s last blog post..surprise
Aw that’s so sweet…that’s certainly love 🙂
There’s a happy medium between the expensive espresso machine and the wrist-wearying wire whisk – it’s that battery operated (I hope it’s battery operated anyway) do-dad with tiny whirring metal blades that’s made for immersion (in fact, I think it’s called an ‘immersion blender’). I think it’s usually marketed for processing part of your home-made soup should you want to thicken it, but my husband has found it’s quite adequate for frothing up the heated milk for his morning capuccino. Me? It smells divine, but don’t ask me to drink the stuff. Great pix.
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Yes! I wrote about a little handheld gadget a few comments up. I have one and it’s lovely. I wanted these directions to be as basic as possible to show just how easy sharing love can be 🙂
Lovely. I drink Cappucinos every morning. Drinking one as I read your post!
I make it without the sugar. But add a little chocolate on the top…I even have something to shake it over and make a heart! I do it for my honey when the mood strikes me !;-))
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I sometimes sprinkle some cocoa on as well. I don’t have a handy dandy heart shape thing but I’ve often thought of making one out of a Nutella lid…they’re plastic and cuttable 😉
The Italian metal espresso/cappucino makers work with steam. you place the water and once it boils from the bottom container the steam rises and picks up coffee bits from the coffee that rests on the top container. Most of them work well but, the coffee quality varies.
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Thanks for stopping by Andy 🙂
Susan at Food Blogga took the words right out of my mouth, I totally agree!! Great pictures and great post!
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Thanks Marie 🙂
Had my first cappuccino this morning with breakfast and my second this afternoon with a snack. Not homemade, but still delicious. I’m sold!
Now I need to get me a Moka.
pizzocalabro’s last blog post..The Long-Awaited Vacation Epic
Yes, yes! Get this man a Moka!
I’m crazy on cappuccino and i would love to drink daily if i get chance. Now i’m gonna prepare this at my home. Thank you for the recipe! Adios.
Enjoy!