Frothers

[7over]

Tex, nope... wouldn't want that.
However... according to Wiki, I may be ok using Latte as a descriptor:
"The Italian form means "coffee and milk", similar to the French café au lait, the Spanish café con leche and the Portuguese café com leite. Other drinks commonly found in shops serving caffè lattes are cappuccinos and espressos.
Ordering a "latte" in Italy will get the customer a glass of hot or cold milk."

Since I'm serving coffee and milk together, I'm probably ok in calling it a Latte, don't you think? Probably not going to offer cappuccino's though.

Peter, I think I like option 2 as well. Seems the most likely to succeed ... but I'm going to experiment with option 1 as well and see how that works... or doesn't.

[BoldJava]

...similar to the French café au lait...
Peter, I think I like option 2 as well. Seems the most likely to succeed ... but I'm going to experiment with option 1 as well and see how that works... or doesn't.

I would go with a play on words, "Pumpkin Ole!"  Have a matador pictured, fighting a charging pumpkin, letting the 'ole' mimic the 'au lait.'

B|Calabasa

[Tex]

Tex, nope... wouldn't want that.
However... according to Wiki, I may be ok using Latte as a descriptor:
"The Italian form means "coffee and milk", similar to the French café au lait, the Spanish café con leche and the Portuguese café com leite. Other drinks commonly found in shops serving caffè lattes are cappuccinos and espressos.
Ordering a "latte" in Italy will get the customer a glass of hot or cold milk."

Since I'm serving coffee and milk together, I'm probably ok in calling it a Latte, don't you think? Probably not going to offer cappuccino's though.

Peter, I think I like option 2 as well. Seems the most likely to succeed ... but I'm going to experiment with option 1 as well and see how that works... or doesn't.

I'd promote a cafe latte or cafe au lait. If you can find a cooperative donut shop, have them make you a few dozen beignets. Advertise NO cafe au lait & beignets - yummy!

[7over]

Update:

Got the quickmill in on Tuesday of last week. It worked as advertised pretty much out of the box. After some fiddling with the milk flow 'valve' (really a hose pinching screw) and the steam needle valve (really a thin plastic toothpick with a slightly expanded top to grasp) I was able to get the quickmill to produce really really nice near-micro-foam.

We brought it to the market and setup shop with Caffe Latte's. "Just Latte" vs "Specialty Latte's" (mocha's and pumpkin spice etc)

They were a huge hit! ... too huge. While it can produce a steamed cup of near-micro foamed milk in under 60 seconds, there were times when I had 4 customers waiting for their latte's and more walking away because it was taking 'too long' to get one. The quickmill was working for us from market open at 8:00 am until about 11:00 am without trouble or backup. Most folks did not know we had latte's yet. Than, around 11:00 am we go slammed with people wanting latte's. I had the quickmill running almost non-stop from 11:00 am until about 1:00 pm. All in all, it steamed its way through 4 gallons of milk by that time....  and then it just decided it had had enough and it gave up. It just stopped working. Completely.

It's now cold and dead in my shop and it's being shipped back to Chriscoffee.com as I type.
I've already ordered the Bezzera ($700.00) to see if it will do the trick or not. I can only hope this unit will withstand the pressures of the French Market!

[Tex]

Update:

Got the quickmill in on Tuesday of last week. It worked as advertised pretty much out of the box. After some fiddling with the milk flow 'valve' (really a hose pinching screw) and the steam needle valve (really a thin plastic toothpick with a slightly expanded top to grasp) I was able to get the quickmill to produce really really nice near-micro-foam.

We brought it to the market and setup shop with Caffe Latte's. "Just Latte" vs "Specialty Latte's" (mocha's and pumpkin spice etc)

They were a huge hit! ... too huge. While it can produce a steamed cup of near-micro foamed milk in under 60 seconds, there were times when I had 4 customers waiting for their latte's and more walking away because it was taking 'too long' to get one. The quickmill was working for us from market open at 8:00 am until about 11:00 am without trouble or backup. Most folks did not know we had latte's yet. Than, around 11:00 am we go slammed with people wanting latte's. I had the quickmill running almost non-stop from 11:00 am until about 1:00 pm. All in all, it steamed its way through 4 gallons of milk by that time....  and then it just decided it had had enough and it gave up. It just stopped working. Completely.

It's now cold and dead in my shop and it's being shipped back to Chriscoffee.com as I type.
I've already ordered the Bezzera ($700.00) to see if it will do the trick or not. I can only hope this unit will withstand the pressures of the French Market!

Huge difference between a frother and a steamer. Those bleepin frothers (Bezzera included) are just gimmicks, not suited for your needs (Really, they're not suitable for anything - IMO).

With enough steam power in a true boiler and a large enough milk pitcher, you can steam a half-gallon of milk in a minute or two - enough for a dozen lattes. With the frothers you have to mess with them constantly - too much trouble!


edited: It's not about the quality of the milk product so much as it's about time. It takes forever to produce frothed milk for a steady stream of lattes. A good supply of steam will crank out steamed & frothed milk in seconds per latte - faster for multiple lattes.

[mp]

Update:

Got the quickmill in on Tuesday of last week. It worked as advertised pretty much out of the box. After some fiddling with the milk flow 'valve' (really a hose pinching screw) and the steam needle valve (really a thin plastic toothpick with a slightly expanded top to grasp) I was able to get the quickmill to produce really really nice near-micro-foam.

We brought it to the market and setup shop with Caffe Latte's. "Just Latte" vs "Specialty Latte's" (mocha's and pumpkin spice etc)

They were a huge hit! ... too huge. While it can produce a steamed cup of near-micro foamed milk in under 60 seconds, there were times when I had 4 customers waiting for their latte's and more walking away because it was taking 'too long' to get one. The quickmill was working for us from market open at 8:00 am until about 11:00 am without trouble or backup. Most folks did not know we had latte's yet. Than, around 11:00 am we go slammed with people wanting latte's. I had the quickmill running almost non-stop from 11:00 am until about 1:00 pm. All in all, it steamed its way through 4 gallons of milk by that time....  and then it just decided it had had enough and it gave up. It just stopped working. Completely.

It's now cold and dead in my shop and it's being shipped back to Chriscoffee.com as I type.
I've already ordered the Bezzera ($700.00) to see if it will do the trick or not. I can only hope this unit will withstand the pressures of the French Market!

IMHO why not hold out for Nuova Simonelli Mac Digit or similar which you can pick up for about  $500.00 and know you can steam until the cows come home.  HX machines have been proven.

My 2 cents.

 

[Tex]

OK - Here's what I'd recommend:



I've used ones similar to this and they rock!

[7over]

Thanks Tex! The day you posted this I sent her an email and left a voice mail asking some key questions... power consumption is one concern (1,400 watts for that Astra) but have not heard back from her yet. I'll try again today. This looks like the right machine for what I need at the market.

I did get the quickmill to work after talking with tech support... there is an overload switch inside the machine on the thermo-block that got tripped during one of my marathon steaming sessions. Two screws to remove the top and a tap on the switch brought it back to life. ... So I'm not under the gun to get the Astra last Tuesday (like I wanted) but we're still going to get it if it's available.

[Tex]

Thanks Tex! The day you posted this I sent her an email and left a voice mail asking some key questions... power consumption is one concern (1,400 watts for that Astra) but have not heard back from her yet. I'll try again today. This looks like the right machine for what I need at the market.

I did get the quickmill to work after talking with tech support... there is an overload switch inside the machine on the thermo-block that got tripped during one of my marathon steaming sessions. Two screws to remove the top and a tap on the switch brought it back to life. ... So I'm not under the gun to get the Astra last Tuesday (like I wanted) but we're still going to get it if it's available.

I used one similar to this Astra: it was simply an espresso boiler without the group. Steam and hot water dispensers, that's basically all they are.

The one I played with had a one-gallon boiler and a 1200 watt element, so you can imagine the steam it generated - anyone want to power a small locomotive?

Good luck on getting it!


edited: They're not uncommon;
http://santabarbara.craigslist.org/bfs/1984271890.html
http://tampa.craigslist.org/pnl/bfs/1935507660.html
http://greenville.craigslist.org/bfs/1959861357.html
http://oregoncoast.craigslist.org/bfs/1946755174.html

[Roasting Realtor]

They ordered the Quick Mill.  Since we are only using it for about 3 hours a week, and then not hard like 7over, it might work until they can get a plumbed in espresso machine next year.  Thanks for all the guidance and advice.  It has been very helpful.

[Warrior372]

Update:

Got the quickmill in on Tuesday of last week. It worked as advertised pretty much out of the box. After some fiddling with the milk flow 'valve' (really a hose pinching screw) and the steam needle valve (really a thin plastic toothpick with a slightly expanded top to grasp) I was able to get the quickmill to produce really really nice near-micro-foam.

We brought it to the market and setup shop with Caffe Latte's. "Just Latte" vs "Specialty Latte's" (mocha's and pumpkin spice etc)

They were a huge hit! ... too huge. While it can produce a steamed cup of near-micro foamed milk in under 60 seconds, there were times when I had 4 customers waiting for their latte's and more walking away because it was taking 'too long' to get one. The quickmill was working for us from market open at 8:00 am until about 11:00 am without trouble or backup. Most folks did not know we had latte's yet. Than, around 11:00 am we go slammed with people wanting latte's. I had the quickmill running almost non-stop from 11:00 am until about 1:00 pm. All in all, it steamed its way through 4 gallons of milk by that time....  and then it just decided it had had enough and it gave up. It just stopped working. Completely.

It's now cold and dead in my shop and it's being shipped back to Chriscoffee.com as I type.
I've already ordered the Bezzera ($700.00) to see if it will do the trick or not. I can only hope this unit will withstand the pressures of the French Market!

You should really look into a commercial espresso machine for a market, not a prosumer espresso machine or steamer! Prosumer machines are not made, regardless of how these resellers market them, to produce shot after shot after shot or pitcher after pitcher after pitcher of steamed milk. They are made with a mix of home espresso machine parts and a slight few select commercial espresso machine parts. Their parts, boiler sizes and steaming ability cannot even begin to be compared to any commercial machine setup.

With the valve on my Conti open all of the way I could steam a half gallon of milk in under a minute. With the boiler on and the steam valve all the way open the machine is pushing enough watts through the element to the point where you do not even see the pressure gauge move. I would run out of water in the boiler before the machine would stop steaming with an open valve.

[Tex]

Update:

Got the quickmill in on Tuesday of last week. It worked as advertised pretty much out of the box. After some fiddling with the milk flow 'valve' (really a hose pinching screw) and the steam needle valve (really a thin plastic toothpick with a slightly expanded top to grasp) I was able to get the quickmill to produce really really nice near-micro-foam.

We brought it to the market and setup shop with Caffe Latte's. "Just Latte" vs "Specialty Latte's" (mocha's and pumpkin spice etc)

They were a huge hit! ... too huge. While it can produce a steamed cup of near-micro foamed milk in under 60 seconds, there were times when I had 4 customers waiting for their latte's and more walking away because it was taking 'too long' to get one. The quickmill was working for us from market open at 8:00 am until about 11:00 am without trouble or backup. Most folks did not know we had latte's yet. Than, around 11:00 am we go slammed with people wanting latte's. I had the quickmill running almost non-stop from 11:00 am until about 1:00 pm. All in all, it steamed its way through 4 gallons of milk by that time....  and then it just decided it had had enough and it gave up. It just stopped working. Completely.

It's now cold and dead in my shop and it's being shipped back to Chriscoffee.com as I type.
I've already ordered the Bezzera ($700.00) to see if it will do the trick or not. I can only hope this unit will withstand the pressures of the French Market!

You should really look into a commercial espresso machine for a market, not a prosumer espresso machine or steamer! Prosumer machines are not made, regardless of how these resellers market them, to produce shot after shot after shot or pitcher after pitcher after pitcher of steamed milk. They are made with a mix of home espresso machine parts and a slight few select commercial espresso machine parts. Their parts, boiler sizes and steaming ability cannot even begin to be compared to any commercial machine setup.

With the valve on my Conti open all of the way I could steam a half gallon of milk in under a minute. With the boiler on and the steam valve all the way open the machine is pushing enough watts through the element to the point where you do not even see the pressure gauge move. I would run out of water in the boiler before the machine would stop steaming with an open valve.

Besides the power issue, there are also problems with a lack of certifications. Lacking a NSF or similar sticker, the consumer/prosumer espresso machines aren't legal in commercial settings. We had a county health inspector going around our farmers market checking for this.

[7over]

The Astra Steamer in Baton Rouge has vanished with nary a call nor email from the seller in response to my inquiry. However, I just located and contracted for an almost new unit out of Oregon (of all places) for the same price. I'm waiting on information regarding shipping box dimensions and weight so I can arrange shipping. It will not likely be here in time to finsih out the markets but we have several events that we're getting geared up for that this little (ok, large) steamer will work nicely with.

As for our 'espresso' sans grouphead ... we're cold brewing 2 lbs of coarse ground Java Pancoer into 1.25 gal water for 12 hours to produce a pretty strong concentrate that we call "Rocket Fuel". We mix 1 part Rocket Fuel with 2 parts whole milk to get a cold latte. We steam that combo together for a "Just Latte" and mix with syrup or chocolate to produce mocha's and "Specialty Latte's" (foo foo drinks).

The Astra will dramatically speed the steaming process and increase the volume of dinks we can produce. So far, customers at the market have been vociferously positive about these Rocket Fuel Latte's.
I'll say that I prefer a latte made with espresso... they have more depth in the coffee aspects of the drink... but the Rocket Fuel version is pretty darn good. More than passable.

I'll get a video of the steaming action when I get the Astra in house.

[Tex]

The Astra Steamer in Baton Rouge has vanished with nary a call nor email from the seller in response to my inquiry. However, I just located and contracted for an almost new unit out of Oregon (of all places) for the same price. I'm waiting on information regarding shipping box dimensions and weight so I can arrange shipping. It will not likely be here in time to finsih out the markets but we have several events that we're getting geared up for that this little (ok, large) steamer will work nicely with.

As for our 'espresso' sans grouphead ... we're cold brewing 2 lbs of coarse ground Java Pancoer into 1.25 gal water for 12 hours to produce a pretty strong concentrate that we call "Rocket Fuel". We mix 1 part Rocket Fuel with 2 parts whole milk to get a cold latte. We steam that combo together for a "Just Latte" and mix with syrup or chocolate to produce mocha's and "Specialty Latte's" (foo foo drinks).

The Astra will dramatically speed the steaming process and increase the volume of dinks we can produce. So far, customers at the market have been vociferously positive about these Rocket Fuel Latte's.
I'll say that I prefer a latte made with espresso... they have more depth in the coffee aspects of the drink... but the Rocket Fuel version is pretty darn good. More than passable.

I'll get a video of the steaming action when I get the Astra in house.

From what I've seen, most folks want to have just a hint of coffee come through the milk, sugar, and flavorings of their coffee drinks.

It's been ages since I've consumed any Starbuck's products, but I do recall that their frappuccino drinks used a coffee concentrate that's similar to what you're using. I'll leave it to your imagination as to whether that's a compliment or not.

[7over]

Update:
I don't have video yet but I gotta tell you that the Astra Pourover steamer is one fantastic milk steamer. While I'm no expert at stretching / texturing milk yet, this machine will let me steam half-a-gallon of milk in less than 60 seconds and get a crazy amount of thick heavy dense foam on top.

I have absconded with the machine from my roasting plant to my house to use over the Thanksgiving Holiday when we had 24 people over for Turkey and fixin's. In the past, I was stuck at the controls of my Gaggia for hours trying to produce drinks for the unwashed hordes. This year, with the Astra, I was able to make 6 drinks all at the same time and only had to pause to put more froo froo junk in cups (Chocolate and Flavored Syrups).

This was an excellent purchase!

Tex, we're also experimenting with a triple strength french press hot brewed coffee as our espresso substitute for Latte's. 255 grams of grounds produces 24 ounces of very strong coffee. So strong that it allows me to only have to use 2 ounces in a 12 ounce cup of milk and the coffee still comes through nicely. Not as nicely as espresso mind you, but the compliments we get on these are strong enough indicators that what we're producing is more than 'good enough' for the latte crowd.
(don't ever compare me to sbux again! )

Video is next...