Dear Editor: Is there Cappuccino in heaven?

Yes, Virgina, there is cappuccino in heaven. I'm sure it will taste even better than what we get here on earth, but it will taste pretty close to the cappuccino's made with Community Espresso Roast.

If you know me well, you know I'm a big fan of anything that Community Coffee cranks out. If you are a dinner guest, you would also know I love to serve cappuccinos at meal's end. I have a few friends that I could probably convince to give me a kidney in trade for a cappuccino. You know who you are. My old standby Krups machine has been cranking them out for years. We figured out we have owned it for approximately 14 years and it still works perfectly. A few years ago I got serious about making an excellent cappuccino and did some research on the secrets to making a good one. I didn't find too much online, which was surprising. I will share what I did find and what works.

-Grind your own beans. Grinders are cheap and the quality they give you more than pays for them. You will have to grind it finer than you do for coffee.

-Use an aluminum frothing container.

-Use whole milk. I like the Wal-Mart brand organic milk. It seems to froth the best.

-Put the frothing container and the milk in the freezer right before you start the process of making the cappuccino. You don't want it to be frozen, but making it a little colder than normal really helps it hold its froth.

-Use Sugar in the Raw. It doesn't have the aftertaste white sugar does. Although at this writing I am out and really missing it.

-Move the frothing container up and down on the steam nozzle and hold it at a slight angle toward the espresso machine.

-Bang the frothing container on the counter during and after the process to pop all the bubbles and make the froth denser.

-Dust the finished cappuccino with a little McCormick Saigon Cinnamon. Yes, it makes a difference.

If all this talk about cappuccinos has made you crave one, run rapidly to your kitchen and make one by all means. Enjoy!