12.27.2008

Title Track

I promised to hook you up with a way to make cappuccino in your trailer, and here I am to follow through. Of course, you don't have to live in a trailer to be white trash. Personally, I'm hoping to move up to a houseboat in the near future. The point is, it doesn't matter whether you live in a low-rent apartment or a penthouse, whether you're rich or poor, whether you're not even white. White trash is a state of mind. It's a way of life, not a race, tax bracket, or location. One of the easiest ways to tell if you'll find this blog helpful is to ask yourself: Do I want to make something I don't have all the ingredients or equipment for? Would I rather substitute something in the recipe than buy the thing I need? Am I a cheapskate with expensive tastes? Then this is the place for you.

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WHITE TRASH CAPPUCCINO

What you'll need:
+ a saucepan/small pot (I suggest using something without Teflon because, if you don't, you'll probably scratch it up.)
+ an espresso maker, some freeze-dried espresso, or a coffee maker
+ some coffee
+ some milk

What to Do:

1. If you have an espresso maker, you probably know how to use it. So, get that started. If you're using freeze-dried espresso, skip this step. If you're using a coffee maker, get some brewing--I'd say about half a cup for each person you're serving. If you're a fancy coffee snob and you're mad because espresso is only brewed by forcing hot water under pressure through finely ground coffee beans, not by Americana coffee makers, get a life. This is "White Trash Cappuccino," not "Know-It-All Hipster Cappuccino Made by a Barrista in a Dark Corner Cafe." You're probably on the wrong blog anyway.

2. Rant completed. Please continue to the next step.



3. Start out with cold milk (keep in mind that higher fat content=better foam retention) in your saucepan. Put that on high. You can start whisking right away if you want, or you can wait until it's good and hot.





4. Pour the espresso into a cup, glass, or mason jar--that Salpica jar is my preferred travel mug--until it's about a third of the way full. If you're using freeze-dried espresso, drop the ratio recommended on the container into the milk and finish whisking.



5. When the milk's hot enough and you've got enough foam to suit you, add that to the espresso. Add some sweetener if you want, then enjoy. Maybe catch the end of Cops if it's late or the Farm Report if it's early.





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I hope you like it. I think I'll make something with chicken in it next.

The first cup's small, but free

Congratulations! If you're here, you're probably lost. This is my blog, an attempt to escape crippling depression by exploring the culinary arts and wasting time. Since I'm a writer, I guess some of my work could end up on here, too. We'll see if I stick with blogging that long.

Technically it's before ten AM, which means it isn't too late in the day for a milk-based coffee. Warm up some instant cappuccino and stay up all night if you want. Tomorrow I'll tell you how to make the real thing without a milk frother.