Frothing is probably the most underappreciated part of coffeehouse culture. After all, without the foam, your cappuccino or latte is just plain espresso. It takes a little practice for even the best baristas to get the knack. Let us take a little dive into the art of frothing.

The experts have just as many opinions on frothing as they do on espresso blends, but everyone pretty much agrees that the best place to start is with stainless steel pitcher, some milk and an espresso machine with a steaming wand.

Other non-plastic containers will work fine, but stainless steel has the perfect balance of weight and agility that makes it easy to handle. Any type of milk can be used, but milk with higher fat content is heavier and takes a bit more practice. Skim milk produces and light, airy foam, while foam from half and half is thick and rich.

Frothing will cause the milk to expand to roughly twice its normal volume. To determine how much milk to use, fill the cup you plan to drink from with half the amount of milk the drink requires. For instance, a latte is two parts steamed milk to one part espresso, so fill a third of the cup with cold milk, then pour the milk into the stainless steel pitcher.

It is important that the tip of the steam wand is consistently held just below the surface of the milk. If it is too held too deep, the milk with scorch or boil before it froths. If it is not deep enough, it will blow the milk out of the pitcher and make a mess. Keep the palm of your free hand flush with the bottom of the pitcher. This will help you monitor the temperature of the milk without interrupting the process.

Slide the pitcher away from the machine, at a consistent speed, so that the wand remains the proper depth as the milk expands. At this point, the pitcher should be warmer than the palm of your hand. If it is not, plunge the wand deeper into the milk to warm it up. Be careful not to boil it. If the milk has gotten too hot, turn the steam off and tap the pitcher against the counter a few times to release any large air bubbles. Gently swirling it around a few times will help cool the milk off.

Add the milk to the waiting espresso. You can use a long handled spoon to hold back the froth as you pour, and add the froth last, or pour it directly from the pitcher. For best results, use a pitcher with a sharply-pointed, beak-like spout. Top off your creation with cinnamon, nutmeg or garnish of your choice and enjoy.

Cory Willins contributes to many websites including The Coffee Site where you can read more on coffee information and gourmet resources.