Be your own barista: how to froth and steam your way to happiness with easy, healthful versions of cafe latte and chai masala - includes recipes - Recipe Redux

Vegetarian Times, Sept, 1996 by Nancy Berkoff

THE POPULARITY of specialty coffee and tea beverages is sweeping the nation. People ordering "tall latte, nonfat, extra foam, extra heat" can be heard everywhere.

But what about those chilly autumn days when you want to lounge with a latte or cozy up with a cup of chat, and you don't feel like braving the elements to go get one? With a few simple ingredients and a little practice, you can amaze your friends and family with creamy, steamy coffee and tea creations.

Most coffee drinks are essentially two-step creations: preparing the coffee or tea and then, heating the milk. Some coffee drinks, such as espresso, latte or cappuccino, typically require expensive equipment to produce the characteristic, industrial-strength brew. Espresso machines, often costing S300, extract coffee from the beans with pressurized steam or hot water. If you're not a purist, however, you can save big bucks and get by with quality beans and relatively inexpensive stovetop Italian moka pots, French press pots or drip coffee machines that produce good, strong coffee.

But what about part two, the heated milk? A genuine espresso maker with its milk-steaming spigot is an obvious, if rather expensive, solution. If you don't have an espresso machine, however, you can use your stove or microwave to scald the milk. You also can use a wire whisk or blender to froth the milk. The foam won't be quite as high as that produced by an espresso machine but is an acceptable substitute.

Cafe latte, Italian for coffee with milk, is a mixture of espresso and a liberal amount of steamed or scalded milk and a foamy milk "cap." Espresso is a strong, dark coffee made by forcing steam or hot water through finely ground, specially blended dark-roast coffee. The beverage is served in tiny demitasse or espresso cups without milk. In France, coffee with milk is called cafe au lait and in Mexico and Spain, cafe con leche. Both are usually made with regular coffee and equal parts steamed or scalded milk.

Our other beverage makeover, chai masala, gets its name from the Indian word for tea, which is chat, and masala, a spice mixture. It is a blend of brewed tea, spices and boiled milk.

For your cafe latte you need to begin with a good espresso or dark-roasted coffee, regular or decaf. You might even wish to experiment with a new herbal espresso that contains no coffee, not a trace of caffeine and can be brewed just like coffee. If you choose the real thing, select European, French or espresso roasts; figure about 2 tablespoons of coffee for every 6 ounces of water when determining amounts to purchase. Olivier Birkui, of Provence Boulangerie and Salon Cafe, Long Beach, Calif., recommends a French blend with some arabica beans in the mix. Arabica beans are the Cadillacs of the coffee world. Grown at higher altitudes, they develop elegant, complex flavors.

Chai musala requires a strong, full-bodied tea to stand up to the assertive spices. According to Devon Shah, international tea expert and owner of the Chado Tea Room, Los Angeles, Calif., Assam teas are best. "Teas from Assam are among the most popular in the world," says Shah. "They brew a strong, rich, smooth tea with some fruity back-notes." Although traditionally black teas are used, you may use a tea without caffeine. To keep teas dry, Shah stores them in airtight containers, away from heat and light.

Temperature plays an important role in both beverages. Espresso needs to be brewed to at least 200 degrees; tea should be steeped at 180 degrees. For both beverages, be sure to start with cold, clean water. And believe it or not, hard water actually gives a slightly better product.

Neither cafe latte nor chai masalu could exist without milk. Make yours with whatever milk you prefer--full fat, low fat or skim. I experimented with milk alternatives, including regular and reduced-fat soymilk, rice beverages and nonfat nondairy creamers. Rice beverages couldn't stand up to the heating process and reduced-fat soymilk just didn't foam or scald well. The best results were obtained from regular soymilk, vanilla-flavored soymilk and nondairy creamers. Here are three methods to scald or steam milk:

* If you have a home espresso machine, follow the manufacturer's instructions for using the steam spigot to steam milk, soymilk or nondairy creamer. Traditionally, milk is heated in a metal pitcher with a spout and handle large enough to hold the expanding volume as the milk froths during steaming. Pour the steamed milk into a mug, then pour the espresso over the milk. A foamy cap of milk from the pitcher finishes the beverage.

* Using the microwave method, put milk, soymilk or nondairy creamer in a container large enough to allow the liquid to expand during heating. A quart glass measuring cup for 6 ounces of milk works well. Heat the milk at full power until a skin starts to form, about 2 minutes; continue to heat until the liquid under the skin looks as if it is going to break through. Remove from heat, allow to cool about 2 minutes and repeat the process. Discard the milk skin on the surface. Holding the measuring cup as high as possible, pour the milk into a coffee mug. This creates bubbles that form the foamy cap. This takes some courage and practice but is worth the end product. Alternatively, whisk the milk before pouring to form bubbles or whirl briefly in the blender.