Remember the saying don’t cry over spilled milk? The same saying applies to milk that’s about to expire–at least in this house. We’ve only got 2 milk drinkers in the house. We find that while we can go through a half-gallon of milk before it expires, we can’t make it through a gallon without really trying. Late last week, I realized that our milk had half a week before it expired and we probably had 1/3 gallon left. I knew there was no way we could drink that much milk, at least without some cookies. The solution: cappuccinos for everyone!
A cappuccino uses quite a bit of milk per serving as it’s just an espresso shot with a bunch of frothed milk. I love a well-crafted cappuccino. To me, it’s like coffee, meant to be savored and enjoyed, unlike my weekday espressos. I think back to an episode of The Big Bang Theory I saw where Sheldon Cooper offers guests hot beverages. I think there is something calming and comforting about a cappuccino even though you feel the rush from the caffeine.
Cappuccinos No Matter The Time
If you go to Italy, don’t order a cappuccino after 11am as cappuccinos are considered a breakfast drink. But, in my home, I make espressos throughout the day. This past weekend, I was at home cleaning while my fiance was out trying on wedding dresses. Shortly before she came home and the curfew kicked in, I turned on the news. The events unfolding were tough to watch. In the coming hours, more businesses would be looted and journalists would be hit with tear gas. Knowing that my fiance was on her way home and overwhelmed by the myriad of wedding dress choices, I wanted to make her a comforting drink – a cappuccino. I made one for myself too as it seemed like a good opportunity for my fiance and me to change into pajamas, drink our cappuccinos, and watch as Our Nation reached a potential tipping point that evening.
By making 2 cappuccinos, you can easily use at least 20 ounces of milk for both drinks.
No Matter The Milk, No Matter The Kind
Not everyone drinks cow’s milk, but no matter what type of milk you drink, it is going to have an expiration date. Although cappuccinos are traditionally made with whole milk, the idea of making cappuccinos to use milk before it expires will work for any type of milk.
How To Make A Cappuccino
Simply put, a cappuccino is 1/3 part espresso (1 or 2 shots in total), 1/3 part steamed milk, and 1/3 part milk foam.
There are plenty of ways to make a cappuccino depending on the equipment you have. If you don’t have a milk frother, Taste of Home has a recipe.
If you’ve got an espresso machine and/or a milk frother, one of my favorite coffee shops and roasters, Go Get Em Tiger, has a lot of instructional videos.