Starbucks Moving to Two Percent Milk

The CNN article linked to above doesn't explain what's behind Starbucks' move to 2% fat milk as its standard - what kind of journalism is that? Oh, sorry, it's not journalism; it's "reporting". Anyhow, in this piece I wrote way back in February, The Right Milk for Coffee Drinks, I shared with you my thoughts on the right stuff when it comes to milk. Based on my experience with New Zealand's coffee landscape, I mentioned that milk that is low fat/no fat and high in calcium and protein makes the best milk foam for espresso drinks and imparts the best flavor. In New Zealand there are even specific brands of milk sold for making espresso drinks. One of the things that has always put me off about Starbucks is the lingering bad taste left in my mouth by their drinks. To me it's that the milk is too high in fat and typically heated to the point where it is starting to scald. Anyhow, perhaps this move to 2% fat milk is an indication that Starbucks is not beyond learning from others.

P.S. Since making the post, I came across another piece on the move to 2%: http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7007522170. It seems the move comes from "customer feedback" which is no doubt motivated more by diet than taste.

The Right Milk for Coffee Drinks

When I say that New Zealand has the best coffee, I'm sure my friends in California think I'm just biased because I'm a Kiwi, i.e. a native New Zealander.

Well, to back me up, here's "Exhibit A": check out this post by a "real" Calfornian from iNeedCoffee.com who states he found "coffee paradise in Auckland, N.Z."

"Exhibit B" for today is that you can buy milk in New Zealand that is specifically formulated for its superior frothing qualities for espresso coffee-based drinks. As of yet, I haven't heard of Americans taking their lattes that seriously, and actually one of the things I don't like about coffee drinks in the U.S. is the unpleasant aftertaste left by the milk. A lot of that in my opinion has to do with the fact that the milk is too often heated to the point where it starts to get a scalded flavor to it. Could it also be the milk?

In New Zealand there are three commercially produced milk formulations for making coffee drinks: Sun Latte, La Vie, and Froth Top. Here's an extract from an article from New Zealand's "Cafe" Magazine that rates the virtues of milk forulated for making latte plus "blue top" which is how standard homogenized milk is typically referred to in New Zealand. The article is posted on the Sun Latte website.

All of these milk formulations are distinguished by being non-fat and high in calcium and protein. Not only are they good for you, but they are one of the key elements to making the taste of coffee in New Zealand something that leaves the U.S. equivalents in its dust. Could we say "Eat my froth"?

Can you microwave milk to make lattes?

Someone asked today if you can microwave milk to make lattes. My unequivocal answer is "yes". At the risk of being lambasted by purists who insist you have to steam the milk using the steamer wand on your espresso machine, some time ago now I abandoned that for the more convenient method of preparing the milk for my lattes and flat whites by heating the milk in the microwave and then whisking it with an Aerolatte battery-powered milk whisk. Believe me, I get the same outcome that I used to get using the steamer wand, without the cleanup hassle. The Aerolatte just needs a quick rinse under the tap when done. For more specifics, read my article on steaming your milk with the steam wand or alternatively using an Aerolatte whisk.

What's the "Got Milk Campaign"

My previous post about the naughty bikini baristas of Seattle made reference to the "Got Milk" advertising campaign. Every Californian and probably most Americans that read that will instantly conjure up an image of an upper lip with a milk mustache. However I may have left international visitors scratching their heads and licking their lips for more, so let me explain.

The reference in the title to the "Got Milk campaign" refers to an advertising campaign encouraging the purchase of cow's milk which was created by the advertising agency Goodby Silverstein & Partners for the California Milk Advisory Board. The campaign has been running continuously since October 1993. The campaign is credited with putting life back into milk sales across America after a 20-year slump.

The Got Milk campaign has since been joined by the Real California Cheese campaign. The sucess of both of these campaigns bears testimony to the power of advertising, and that not only sex sells. The multiple websites that have been spawned around these successful advertising campaigns makes it difficult to search for the "offical websites" for the campaigns since the fun-and-games sites come up first it seems, but here are the official websites for Got Milk and Real California Cheese.

Official website for Got Milk

Official website for Real California Cheese

And then of course go here for our article on how to steam your milk for coffee drinks.