Gentlemen, thermometers. A young lady taking part in this weeks coffee classes...working fulltime in a cafe, with some years experience, not even one of our own coffee clients, but coming in to further her interest.... "Despises" (her words) thermometers...said you should be able to do it by hand, said she could rely on her hand. We asked her to froth some milk using her own technique, then put the thermometer in. It was lucky to reach 55. This kind of temperature is guaranteed to result in a complaint about "cold coffee". Apparently her boss has been at here about the "coffee" not being hot enough...she was putting it down to his lack of expertise in all things coffee. Beginners and experienced people alike need to have thermometers on hand all the time to check what they are doing. Some might say that beginners need to use the thermometer quite a bit, atleast initially, otherwise there will be no CONSISTENCY in what they are doing. Cafe clients like to use the "consistency" line as a rod to beat their suppliers over the head with....so we need to be very careful to contain all references to "consistency" to a manageable level...which is zero. In my view thermometers are a necessary piece of equipment and to say otherwise is to do many beginners here a disservice, because the lack of a thermometer may actually stop a lot of them from getting up and running quickly and properly after the purchase of their new toys, and can lead to a great deal of unnecessary frustration long term if they think that they SHOULD be able to do something by hand but cant, then feel somehow inadequate for not being able to do something that apparently...everyone else says they can...! I still use a thermometer every time because there is no way I am going to waste my time making a coffee for my own pleasure, that does not satisfy. I am one of these people that tends to stop too soon when not using a thermometer, and I end up with luke warm milk. Se la vie! So the bottom line is, dont let anyone tell you you should be able to froth milk without a thermometer. If you want to use one, or if you think you need one...get one, use it, and dont be afraid to bring it out to use in front of other people. Refusing to be made to feel inadequate by all you asbestos handed milk frothers out there! Regardz, FC.
