Making lattes at home
April 8th, 2009
I love good coffee. I allow myself 2 cups each morning.
I have a love/hate thing with Starbucks. Their plain coffee is awful but I love me a large (I refuse to use their stupid sizes) skinny hazelnut latte now and then. I hate that they drive cute little local places out of business but I respect that they have a business model that works. And I love that they have drive thrus for those rare occasions that I indulge – I don’t have to lug 2 small children out of the car to meet my minimum daily caffeine requirement. (And putting them in Target and in turnpike rest areas? GENIUS!)
We went from 2 incomes to 1 when I moved to Guatemala (talk about good coffee – *drool*) and the economy is in the toilet (What? you haven’t heard?) so I indulge very rarely these days. Pre-children I used to make my own espresso and steam my own milk for cute little cappuccinos at home. I don’t have that kind of time anymore.
I found this silly little milk frother at Sur La Table a couple of years ago and bought it for my mom. But I ended up trying it out and loving it so I ordered her one online. (I would link to it but it looks like they don’t make this model anymore. Search amazon for ‘milk frother’ and you’ll find lots of options.)
I microwave my milk for 45 seconds then froth away. 
I add my coffee and voila – I have a poor girls latte. Beats paying $4.25 for a latte! I even keep a bottle of sugar free hazelnut syrup around but I only use it if my latest coffee choice is crappy.
I share this because I see these things and wonder if they work. (In other words, no company gave me this product to review…just something I love and wanted to tell you all about.)
April 8th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
Love our milk frother too! You can make yourself some tasty frothy coffee!
April 8th, 2009 at 4:00 pm
We have one of those frothy things at work and it’s fun to play with. I love to make a “mocha-chino” aka hot chocolate mixed with coffee.
April 8th, 2009 at 6:29 pm
I also have that love/hate relationship with Starbucks. But, I am not much of a latte girl (though I have the urge every once in awhile.). I LOVE their plain coffee. Any coffee strong enough to cut with a knife is pure heaven!
April 8th, 2009 at 6:45 pm
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. I think I may just have to splurge on one!! And I have some yummy coffee from Guatemala – yee haw!
April 8th, 2009 at 7:29 pm
Good stuff! No matter what kinds of coffee type drinks I try to make it home it just isnt the same…hello! It’s because of the lack of froth….now to buy one of those thingies on clearance somewhere….
🙂
April 8th, 2009 at 7:49 pm
that’s awesome! i would have wondered if something like that worked or not, too. i love my coffee… my problem lately is calories. i’ve been using dry creamer, but i like milk, but i don’t like it making my coffee too cold.
am i a big baby or what? looks like i should heat my milk up for a few seconds!! 🙂
melissa
April 8th, 2009 at 8:02 pm
Girl…..can we be friends?
My girls (teeny boppers) and I are 5buck-a-holics! But they are truly a “treat” for us too. We will difinitely be trying this out!
Thanks for the tip. You are so sweet to share.
April 8th, 2009 at 8:47 pm
Is that a toddler spoon in your cup 😉
April 8th, 2009 at 8:54 pm
Yes, that is in fact a toddler spoon in my cup!
April 9th, 2009 at 8:35 am
Yummy! Michelle – should you and I take our friendship to a new level some day where we buy each other birthday gifts… I want that. Thank you.
😉
April 9th, 2009 at 9:43 am
We got a super swanky espresso maker from my mom for Christmas and I have to say we rarely use it. That’s bad. I have to limit myself to 1 cup of coffee a day, but I pick the biggest cup in the cupboard.
And it’s sad that in other parts of the country Starbucks puts the local guy out of business. When it became ultra popular in the 90s that happened here. Finally everyone got tired of Starbucks and the boring taste of the coffee that the little guy returned. The best coffee joints around here are the little guy not Starbucks. That isn’t to say that I don’t meet my girlfriends at St. Arbucks on occasion.