Bodum Shin
Coffee should always be served in style, but don’t forget about the milk! The Bodum Shin Bistro is an easy way to froth and serve milk. If you know how to use a French press, you can use this Bodum milk frother. Add milk, pull the plunger upward, push it down and you’re done.
Foamed milk is a must for any type of espresso drink. You can’t make a latte or cappuccino without it. Frothing milk to add air improves and sweetens its taste. Unfrothed milk tends to taste dull and boring. Why would you put so much effort into making good coffee or espresso only to mix it with regular old milk?
Typically milk is foamed using a steam wand and a metal pitcher with a sharp spout. The spout is important because it lets you control the pour perfectly– how else are you going to make latte art? The Bodum milk frother essentially combines the two. The built-in plunger adds air to the milk inside the glass beaker, from which you can easily pour the foamed milk into your espresso.
According to the Bodum Shin instructions, you should add non-fat milk to the black fill line. After frothing, the volume of the milk will double. This is perfect for cappuccinos, but not so much for lattes. Milk for a latte should only increase in volume by a third or so. However, you can control the volume of milk by adjusting how much you pump the plunger.
The glass beaker is very stylish and would be great for serving milk to guests. The entire Bodum milk frother can be cleaned in the dishwasher. You can also remove the metal lid and put the glass pitcher in the microwave. Take care not to overheat the milk. The ideal temperature is 120 degrees, and you should buy a thermometer with this if you don’t already have one. I recommend buying a cheap meat thermometer, but don’t use the same thermometer you use for meat with coffee. You cannot froth boiled milk.
Is the Bodum milk frother as good as a professional steam wand? You won’t be able to get the same results, but keep in mind the Bodum Shin Bistro is significantly cheaper. It’s a good choice if you don’t have hundreds or thousands dollars to invest in a full-blown barista setup, not to mention more convenient. The Shin Bistro is a great add-on to any French press or moka pot.
