The Perfect Latte

​The road to a perfect latte starts with milk and not the espresso.  Now before you think to yourself, I don't know what I am talking about, hear me out.   If the milk is the wrong temperature, type, made the wrong way, or comes from a bad source, it changes the quality of a latte dramatically.  When we think about espresso, it is well known that the process of preparing the shot is extremely important.  The correct grind setting, making sure it's fresh, the weight, and the extraction time are all important factors.  The one variable factor is where you get your beans from.  This is a matter of preference on the roaster and the bean.  Milk however has limited options.  

Let's talk about the 3 of the most popular options, Whole milk, Oat, and Almond.  Sorry Ripple, soy, and coconut, I'll get you next time.  Where you get your milk from determines the quality.  There is a clear difference between really good, high-quality milk and the average option.  The texture, flavor, and nutrients are all different and quality milk enhances the flavor.  Using organic milk and that is as fresh possible is important and on its own, you can taste the difference.  When the milk is heated up, each type needs to be heated to a different temperature, and if done so incorrectly, will scold or diminish the flavor of the milk. Add flavor to some bad milk and you have a latte mess.  Take these tips and the next time you are in a cafe, ask them a bit about the milk they use and which brand or farm it's from.  If you find something that you like, then you can search for more cafe's that use it.