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  • Texturing milk on a la pavoni leva.

    HHEEELLLPPPPPPP!!!

    haha, Ive worn out the search bar and couldnt find any relevent threads, however Im convinced I cant be the first CSer to run into this problem.

    Ive been playing around with a la pavoni leva machine and have been having great difficulty getting perfect silky microfoam.  there is no issue with steam pressure, if anything the little boiler is a tad heavy handed when texturing only a little bit of milk however the steam wand is on a strange angle and is quite easy to move around, making it hard to keep in place.  then theres the 3 hole tip...

    should I be steaming milk like i would on any other machine, or is there some special technique i need to adopt when using a La Pavoni?
    am i likely to be able to mod the steam wand to point down more or am i likely to crack/snap it in the process... I think you can buy different wands (and tips) .. is this a better option, or am i wasting my time with trying to steam on a la pav?

    The shots im pulling are wayyyy too good to simply give up, has anyone else had a similar experience?


    Thanks,
    Matt

  • #2
    Re: Texturing milk on a la pavoni leva.

    Originally posted by 797D6673607D120 link=1276410064/0#0 date=1276410064
    HHEEELLLPPPPPPP!!!

    haha, Ive worn out the search bar and couldnt find any relevent threads, however Im convinced I cant be the first CSer to run into this problem.


    You have read KKs post on milk and texturing.. Simple and works with most every thing..

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Texturing milk on a la pavoni leva.

      Originally posted by 58777E7C6B547877787E7C747C776D190 link=1276410064/1#1 date=1276412899
      You have read KKs post on milk and texturing.. Simple and works with most every thing..

      Haha yea thats a fantastic thread!
      however I found I had to throw out my old technique with this machine.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Texturing milk on a la pavoni leva.

        You can get good microfoam on a la Pav lever - keep working at it. It took me a while to change my technique to work when I got mine.

        I dont have any secret maneuvres Im withholding - just find it hard to say in words how to do it besides keep playing with it and youll get it.

        That being said, the steam arm on mine was loose and dangling when I bought it 2nd hand and havent found any reason to change that as it allows me to put it at the angle I want when steaming.

        Okay, an attempt to put it into words: Crack it open with tip in the milk, carefully bring to top so that you get a couple of Ch Chs (technical speak that is ) then play with the depth of tip and position until you get the folding whirlpool - that is spinning 3 dimensionally if you get me - not just spinning around like a top but also "tumbling" from outside to inside. I get it just off centre horizontally and dont really know how deep - I just move it deeper until it happens - seems automatic now. Anyway, I warned you I cannot put it into words very well - just play with it and youll eventually get it.

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        • #5
          Re: Texturing milk on a la pavoni leva.

          Haha yea thanks Pavoniboy.. thats basically what I was doing.
          I found that it was taking me too long to get the whirlpool happening so by the time it was heated the milk wasnt textured properly.
          ill keep at it and am sure it wont be too long before i get it right.
          maybe its better for me to start with a larger quantity of milk so it heats abit slower to get the technique happening.
          it would be interesting to see if a different tip made it easier to get the swirl.


          thanks for your help mate.
          Kotaro

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Texturing milk on a la pavoni leva.

            The 3 hole tip takes some getting used to and I know a fair few people that have changed it to a single hole tip to make life easier, from memory this was done by getting a metric dome nut and drilling it out.

            For an experiment I blocked off one of the holes with a toothpick end for a while and I did find it easier to to get good milk but I have gone back to the 3 hole again and just got used to it.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Texturing milk on a la pavoni leva.

              thanks bf.
              guess ill just stick at it haha.
              can you get good enough milk for rosettas etc?

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Texturing milk on a la pavoni leva.

                Such as I care about Latte art at home for myself it is fine When the quality of the art makes my coffee taste better then I guess I will care more :

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Texturing milk on a la pavoni leva.

                  Originally posted by 7B7C78777F756070777E190 link=1276410064/7#7 date=1276594770
                  When the quality of the art makes my coffee taste better then I guess I will care more
                  I have always stated that and will til the day I pass over...


                  Why..

                  Cause i suck at art and always did ;D

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Texturing milk on a la pavoni leva.

                    My first machine was a Gaggia Factory...basically a copy of the LP Professional. The steam wand arm angle is adjustable and I found that small changes in the angle make a difference. In the end you should be able to texture milk sufficiently well to pour art...whether that be good art or bad art

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                    • #11
                      Re: Texturing milk on a la pavoni leva.

                      Yes, definitely good enough to pour latte art. I cant do any good art, but you can definitely get nice distinct thin lines of coffee/milk/coffee/milk etc. Its just that I cant make it look like a rosetta and as above, dont intend on learning until someone can prove it makes my coffee taste better ;D

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Texturing milk on a la pavoni leva.

                        haha cheers guys, lovin the snobbery haha.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Texturing milk on a la pavoni leva.

                          How did ya get on Kotaro?

                          Im struggling to stretch milk on my La Pavoni Lever as well - seem to be able to heat the milk up with a layer of bubbles on the top but no microfoam.

                          Any tips? just read KKs post and will give that a go.

                          Andrew

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Texturing milk on a la pavoni leva.

                            Originally posted by 2C3E3D4B0 link=1276410064/12#12 date=1280551506
                            Im struggling to stretch milk on my La Pavoni Lever as well - seem to be able to heat the milk up with a layer of bubbles on the top but no microfoam.

                            Any tips? just read KKs post and will give that a go.

                            Andrew

                            How did you go Andrew ?

                            KK

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Texturing milk on a la pavoni leva.

                              Not too bad - got a better result but its a little tricky as the steam wand has limited movement.

                              Thinking of buying 4 litres of milk and just practicing as I know with practice ill suss it out.

                              Im tempted to use the la Pav as the shot maker and my breville as the steam machine as I get good milk on that. thing is i see that as giving up and those who know me know that i wont do it.

                              Cheers
                              Andrew

                              Comment

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