They say that the key to success for any start-up venture is passion and coffee (when they say “coffee” they probably mean “late nights” but I’m taking it literal here). In the past, I’ve had good results by making coffee in an old french press machine but that coffee is just, well, coffee; much like the brew coming out of a drip maker. What I am after here is a café au lait: that one I had a year ago while sitting in that patisserie in Paris. Of course, there are many expensive ways to go about getting one of these (going to Paris, for one). You can also buy an expensive espresso machine (I’ve had my eye on the FrancisFrancis! X1
Here’s what you will need to make your own “perfect café au lait”: some coffee (can of Illy pictured), a moka pot (the Bialetti Moka Express pictured), and a mug. Oh, and you will also need a large spoon (to spoon the coffee) and a stovetop.
Here is the Bialetti moka pot separated into its components. The funnel is where you will be spooning in the coffee, the bottom tank is where you will pour the cold water into, and the top reservoir is where the espresso will end up in.
First, fill the bottom tank with clean, cold water to the fill-line. Make sure not to go too much over the fill-line or else the pot will overflow when you actually make the coffee. Also, I think you need some air there for the proper mechanism to actually work.
Next, place the funnel inside the bottom tank.
Fill the funnel with two heaping spoons of espresso. Make sure that the espresso doesn’t go over the sides. I’ve tried a few different varieties; it’s all a matter of taste. Right now, my espresso brand of choice is Illy, which can be found in a bunch of grocery stores in New York City. Whichever brand you pick, just make sure that it is “espresso-ground”; meaning, a very fine grind of coffee bean (other grinds are “course”, “medium”, etc.).
Screw on the top of the moka pot and heat it on your stovetop. If you are using a gas burner, make sure that the flames don’t extend farther than the circumference of the moka pot. For my stovetop, I usually set the dial to a setting of about 3.5 out of a max of 6 (but I’m sure that every stovetop is different.)
While the moka pot is pressurizing and the coffee is a’brewing, I start preparing the milk. The traditional way is to heat the milk with a steam frother, but I don’t have one. The next best way is with a standard-issue pot, but I don’t like the extra washing. So, I heat my milk in the microwave oven. This will take some experimentation on your part to get the timing just right. For me, the perfect time in my microwave is 36 seconds, exactly and approximately. The goal is to get the milk just hot to the touch, but without boiling. If the milk gets too hot, you won’t be able to froth it.
After the milk has been heated, I like to sprinkle in a bit of sugar before I froth the milk. This step, of course, is optional.
Next, froth the heated milk with a frother. I suppose you could use a small whisk as well, but Svante gave me this electric frother a few months ago and it works surprisingly well. He said that it cost him 2 dollars or so at an Ikea store in Maryland. Good deal.
Froth it, froth it real good!
You want the milk to end up looking something like this.
Usually, after I’ve finished preparing the milk, the timing is just about right and the coffee is ready. How can you tell with the moka pot? Well, with the Bialetti, steam starts coming out the top and you’ll hear a gurgling noise. Turn off your stovetop and pour the coffee into your frothed milk.
Enjoy! (I like my espresso with Petit Beurre butter cookies. Svante likes his with a piece of select dark chocolate.)
** Two more tips: After you purchase your Bialetti Moka Express, run it through with just water at least 5 times. This will clean it of all of its impurities (you can’t see them, but you can definitely smell them). To care for your Bialetti, do not wash the inside with detergent, simply rinse thoroughly with warm water and let dry - it gets better with age.
May 21st, 2006 at 2:18 pm
Nice guide.. I followed it.. liked it… and blogged it!
http://www.id34.com
May 21st, 2006 at 2:18 pm
[…] Step by step guide on how to make an excellent cafe au lait easily at home for less than $30. This is the way 9 in 10 Italian homes do it. Take a look. Posted by james Filed in Uncategorized […]
May 21st, 2006 at 10:54 pm
Okay. Now I’m confused. What’s the difference between and au lait and a latte? From what you described, it sounds like a latte. I thought a Starbuck’s au lait was just regular brewed coffee with frothed milk. Maybe Starbucks shouldn’t be my coffee standard. But for the price of one FrancisFrancis! X1 you could buy over 400 Starbucks cafe au laits.
May 21st, 2006 at 11:51 pm
Well, I never said that I was an expert on this stuff, but honestly, I am quite ashamed that I don’t know the answer to this question, Clarice. After all, I did work at the Old Town Bakery in Pasadena and all; serving customers capps and lattes no less. So I had to look it up. Here’s the answer: both are made with espresso and steamed milk, however technically, the latte has foam on top whereas a cafe au lait doesn’t. Don’t quote me on it, but I guess what I’m making here is a “latte.” Oh, and you can tell it to those Parisian cafes too, because I always ordered an au lait and got foam on top when I was there.
Either way, you are right, for the price of one FrancisFrancis! you can buy over a kagillion cups of Starbucks’ best. But, then again, you wouldn’t be able to get your latte wearing just your tighty-whities either.
May 21st, 2006 at 11:53 pm
I think the FrancisFrancis looks cool. It’s just a bonus it makes coffee :)
May 23rd, 2006 at 12:58 am
I looked it up, too. It didn’t really help - all I found out was that an au lait was French and a latte was Italian. So maybe Starbucks is trying to have the best of both worlds, given that they are all over the world. But if it’s all the same, go with the au laits….they’re cheaper :).
PS. I agree with Kelli that the FrancisFrancis looks cool. But I think I’d still go with the Kagillion from Starbucks, or even better, Peet’s.
May 23rd, 2006 at 1:49 pm
Wow, you really did your homework on the coffee making, really cool!
[the answer to Clarice’s question]
A Café au Lait is one part regular strong coffee (maybe made in a french press?) and one part hot milk. Caffe Latte is one part espresso and two parts hot milk.
May 23rd, 2006 at 3:56 pm
Ah, thanks for clearing this up, Svante: the major difference is that one is made with espresso (the Latte) and one is made with regular coffee (the au Lait).
August 22nd, 2007 at 8:44 am
Brilliant guide! I have been having mine black recently so I might go for the milk treatment!!
November 22nd, 2007 at 4:06 pm
Thanks for the great photos and instructions!
I admire you for using lly cafe. Such a good roast, perfect grind and a very consistant coffee. I had an espresso cart on the street in Seattle back when Starbux was still a small, regional company(Jurassic Era…). People loved the coffee drinks, though I had to explain to nearly everyone what the drinks were: cap, latte, au lait, etc. I also had a selection of 24 different Italian sodas(the rwal good syrup from Italy). During the summer many people woudl see the cart, and the soda syrups and ask “How much are snow cones?” Well, I ended up selling snow cones(actually shaved ice) which was probably more profitable and less labro than the sodas!
If you find a coffeehouse that serevs Illy coffee, notice that they buy it in 5 pound round canisters. The cannisters are shipped from Italy with CO-2 so the roast remains very fresh. You have to open the cannister with a special wrench, and slooooowly. If you open it quickly the cannister explodes with a mighty air blast and shoots coffee beans(or grounds) everywhere. Raining coffee, but I preferred the coffee be brewed and chilled a bit before it rains…
I am housesitting in the Southwest and the only coffee maker here is an electric Bialetti. Your instructional served well for me, since I couldn’t find an instruction sheet for this espresso maker.
The electric version(model 0083) looks quite similar to the stovetop model. It has a base that makes the electircal contact with the lower pot’s inner heating element.
My great-grandparents were from Napoli, Italia so I always love things that are Italian. It’s great to know that 90% of Italian homes have a stovetop coffee maker. I have seen many of these in the kitchens of homes in Mexico City. For those who haven’t been to that city or Guadalajara, there are streets and districts where you have to remind yourself that you’re in Mexico, since they more resemble Paris, Madrid or Roma.
I do have one gripe about the Bialetti, old and new models: Why are they made with cast aluminum instead of stainless steel? There are clearly toxic properties in aluminum when heated, and I’m pretty certain the aluminum affects the flavor of the coffee, and when used, the milk heating method suggested on their website.
Is there a stainless steel version? Same brand? Other brand?
Thanks,
Hunter(en italiano Cacciatore)
December 4th, 2007 at 12:16 am
Hey Hunter - Al is NOT significantly toxic when heated. That was an overblown health scare that’s since been discredited, the news didn’t mention that since it’s not as sensational as poisonous cookware. If you’re still interested though, Bialetti makes a stainless steel version though it makes an inferior cup of coffe (in my opinion, though my coffee tastes are hardly dogmatic)
Just a general Moka pot FYI - unless you’ve not used your pot for a week or more, you shouldn’t clean your moka pot. Just rinse it with warm water and rub it with your fingers (wash your hands first though =) ) You want the oils from the previous brew to build up on the coffee pot which both stops any Al taste from being present, but also enhancing the flavor of your brew. (after a week of not being used, it would go rancid though).
I’m not really sure just why old oil helps the taste of the coffee, but it really does. I’ve been using my Bialetti for 5 years now and it just gets better with age.
My Italian friends and family swear by the whole not cleaning the pot thing, and if you tried to clean their moka pots you might be hurt. (oh and they’re not kidding about the moka pot being in 90% of homes…most homes I visited had several pots of different sizes.)
January 6th, 2008 at 8:32 pm
I bought a Bialetti Moka Pot recently at a thrift store for fifty cents. I knew it was some kind of coffee maker and figured it might be a nice addition to my small collection but wasn’t sure just how to use it. Hopefully using the instructions here I can make a perfect cup of caffe! Thanks!
February 10th, 2008 at 12:52 pm
The milk goes in the top part and froths because the pressure valve gets pushed down. You do not need to froth the milk separately. It is a on step process. Works with soy milk. Also, can use water in the top (don’t push the pressure valve down), and it makes a Cafe Americano.
March 1st, 2008 at 12:19 pm
Very well done instructions. However it sounds like a ‘latte’ to me.
Cafe au Lait is done in two special pots with long thin spouts that rise from the bottom of the pot. one for the milk and one for the coffee. When brewed and heated you pour them simultaneously into the cup, so that the two streams of liquid meet and mix before hitting the cup.
April 29th, 2008 at 9:48 am
Ok, don’t know if this’ll help or just add more fire to the au lait vs. latte fued. So, long long ago, I was a lowly *bucks employee and here is the breakdown of what goes into au lait/ and a latte.
Au lait, is half a cup (meaning the actual cup, not a measurment) of whichever brewed coffee you choose (read: not espresso) and the other half steamed milk, generally not including the froth.
A latte is made w/shots of espresso and the rest is steamed milk w/a topping of a large spoonful or so of froth.
A cappucino (just for comparison) would be shots of espresso, steamed milk halfway, and the rest foam/or froth. Then you can order a cap either wet or dry meaning less foam or more respectively.
If you are going for value, try an americano, it’s espresso and hot water. Order it ‘with room’ then add milk or half n half. Costs about half as much as a latte.
I am not claiming these to be the world standards for coffee/espresso drink making, just the guidelines *bucks uses (since who hasn’t been to *bucks right).
By the way, I love my Bialetti’s, we have the 6 and 3 cup varieties.
Anyone tried the Aeropress? At first I thought it looked very late night info-mercial-ish but it gets great reviews….I may not be able to fight the urge to get this much longer….
May 18th, 2008 at 8:13 pm
The descriptions and comments here were great to read . . . One of the few online conversations (on any subject) that hasn’t broken down into some sort of egomaniacal shouting match halfway down the page!
Anyway, I just wanted to throw in my $.02 regarding the caffe latte / cafe au lait debate: I have found that the name/ product actually vary depending on where you are in the world.
Each name translates as ‘coffee (with) milk’ (the cubans call it ‘cafe con leche’); and in there native context, each is basically made with strong coffee & hot milk; however, in the States we have come to differentiate ‘cafe au lait’ by using ‘American’ coffee (more water) instead of the stronger espresso style commonly used in France.
As for Starbucks, I believe it is truly an American icon and unlike coffee culture anyplace else, though that may be changing, since I have seen them recently in France & China. If you live in NYC, try ‘Joe: The Art of Coffee’ on 13th (between 5th and University) for a latte so rich, one never adds sugar. I hear that there are others in town with great coffee, though I have not tried them (Cafe Grumpy, Zibetto, 9th St Espresso, Fica)
Italy has a wide variety of coffee/ milk/ foam drinks, maybe more than anyone! I have listed a few below (found on about.com) for fun, enjoy!
caffè (espresso)—a small cup of very strong coffee, i.e., espresso
caffè Americano—American-style coffee, but stronger; weaker than espresso and served in a large cup
caffè corretto—coffee “corrected” with a shot of grappa, cognac, or other spirit
caffè doppio—double espresso
caffè freddo—iced coffee
caffè Hag—decaffeinated coffee
caffè latte—hot milk mixed with coffee and served in a glass for breakfast
caffè macchiato—espresso “stained” with a drop of steamed milk: small version of a cappuccino
caffè marocchino—espresso with a dash of hot milk and cacao powder
caffè stretto—espresso with less water; rocket fuel!
cappuccino—espresso infused with steamed milk and drunk in the morning, but never after lunch or dinner
granita di caffè con panna—frozen, iced beverage (similar to a slush, but ice shavings make it authentic) and topped with whipped cream
May 30th, 2008 at 8:16 pm
Does anyone know why the espresso from the Bialetti Moka doesn’t have the slight froth on the top, and ‘creamy’ texture, of a cafe-bought (i.e. Sbux, Panera) espresso? I’m not talking about any sort of au lait/latte/cap or even espresso macchiato here, just regular espresso. Am I simply making it poorly, or do I need to spend a bajillion* dollars on a ‘real’ espresso-maker to get that foamy, creamy texture?
*not quite a kagillion, but still A Lot More Than $25
July 7th, 2008 at 10:34 pm
I just got one today, in fact 2 hours ago. I f’in love this thing. I love the elixir the Moka Pot makes. I’m an avid coffee enthusiast, dont claim to a connosieur, but this is probably the best coffee I’ve made at home. Didn’t even need sugar to enjoy, the taste itself was far better than a french press (i do love the french press coffee but it cant make an espresso) and incomparable to drip coffee. Though the Moka Pot brew didn’t have the ‘crema’ it tasted pretty close to, if not better than, brand coffee chains (*bux, caribou, …).
I’d eventually like to make my own like tom’s hardware did except with variable controls on pressure, temparature, duration, etc… to experiment and see the results. http://www.tomshardware.com/pc-mod-coffee,video-274.html
Good post. good to learn between latte/au lait.
September 3rd, 2008 at 10:45 am
As a lowly sbux employee and newly made moka owner myself, I couldn’t help but add my two cents.
1. LOVE the conversation on cafe au lait vs latte
2.the moka (dama nuova) that I have does not make crema (the froth that we all love on espresso) well, but making sure the grind for your beans is fine (ask for the espresso grind at the walmart of coffee) will help improve the texture and taste.
3. The instructions in this post are for the original bialetti moka and dama models that do just espresso. This is not the Mukka cow-spotted super machine with the pressure valve on top. DO NOT put milk in the top.
4. after perusing other websites, I found that if you take it off the burner 2/3 of the way, it helps to avoid a burnt taste and the temperature is just right
5. True to the italian way, if you dab olive oil on your finger and run it around the threads on the bottom and top you’ll avoid leakage and damage to your seals.