Steam milk

Steam milk (the manual)

The manual's steps.

1. Check the level: for the most steam, the manual wants it about halfway up the glass. Lever down, and leave it there.
2. With a container under the steam pipe, turn the knob anticlockwise to clear the condensed water.
3. Put the pipe to the bottom of a tall, narrow jug, half full of milk.
4. Open the knob slowly and move the jug up and down until you have froth. The manual suggests 2 minutes of steam at most.
5. Close the knob clockwise.
6. Wipe the pipe with a damp cloth straight away.

Stretch, then spin

La Pavoni's tip has 3 holes and plenty of steam, so this goes quickly.

1. Fill a tall, narrow jug a third full with milk straight from the fridge, and bring it up to the pipe.
2. Open the steam knob slowly.
3. Keep the tip just under the surface: a soft hiss means air is going in. Lower the jug as the milk grows.
4. Raise the jug so the tip is deeper and the milk turns.
5. Close the knob when the jug is too hot to hold, about 60 to 65 °C.
6. Tap the jug on the worktop, swirl it, and wipe the pipe at once.

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