well, to make a fresh cup of cappuccino, espresso or latte, there are two basic methods; either to force steam through freshly ground coffee, or allow boiling water to percolate through it. whichever process you choose, you will probably need some specialised equipment.
let us look at what is available in malaysia and how to go about making the perfect cup of joe at home. firstly, one has to have freshly roasted coffee beans, or freshly ground coffee. not always easy to get out vacuum-packed fresh coffee is nearly as good. whether you actually buy the beans or ground coffee will depend on whether you have a coffee, it is a good idea to keep it in an airtight container in your freezer or fridge.
perhaps the most common mechine on the market that produces coffee by dripping boiling water through ground coffee beans is the electric drip filter variety. you fill the machine's reservoir with water fill the filter basket with ground coffee, and switch it on. a few minutes later, you will have a pot of freshly brewed coffee, sining on the hot plate waiting for you.
this type of machine is not terribly expensive and is convenient to use. it also makes pretty good black coffee. its only disadvantage according to some coffee connoisseurs, is that it stews the coffee slightly and some of the aroma can be lost.
a variation on this method is the "cafetiere". a simple jug, you put some ground coffee in, then fill it with boiling water. after a minute or two of brewing time. you push down a plunger with a filter on it, so separating the ground from the liquid coffee. again though, the coffee can possibly have a slightly stewed taste and loses its aroma.
should you wish to make only a single cup of coffee by his method, you could use a vietnamese coffee filter. this is a small aluminium pot which sits on top of an empty coffee cup. you put some freshly ground coffee into the pot, place a filter on top of the coffee, and then fill the pot with boiling water. the water percolates through the ground coffee into the cup. you then remove the little pot from the top of the cup and enjoy your fresh coffee. this is much easier than filling an electric machine, switching it on then later cleaning it, all for a single cup of coffee.
for the coffee connoisseur however, the cappuccino or espresso must be brewed by passing steam through fresh ground coffee so capturing the maximum amount of flavour and aroma. when brewing coffee at home, many italians use a small two-piece pot on their gas or electric cooker to make delicious coffee. for the cappuccino, you need hot frothy milk to pour into your freshly brewed espresso. you can use a small steel jug with a little whisk type plunger inside to make the frothy milk. warm your milk in this jug and when it is almost boiling, take it off the heat, push the plunger up and down vigorously a few times, and you will have a jug of frothy milk to top off your cappuccino. to crown it, sprinkle some chocolate powder and there you have it!