How to Make a Good Cup of Cappichino?

You don't want your milk to be "fluffy." Lots of baristas get it wrong, froth too much the wrong way, and you get bubbles and a hockey puck of foam sitting on top of your drink. Real microfoam is shiny and has the consistency of wet paint.

There are lots of components to making good milk. You need to use 2% or whole (although we have found 2% to work better), and fill the pitcher to just over halfway, then bleed the steam wand. There are 2 steps to foaming the milk....1--stretch it. You do this by turning on the steam and dipping the wand just below the surface of the milk with the pitcher slightly tilted. It should make a hissing noise and be moving in a circular motion. As soon as you start to feel the milk heat up, 2--sink the wand an inch and a half or so below the surface, and it will begin to foam up and almost double in volume. When the pitcher gets almost too hot to touch, shut off the steam wand. UNLESS your milk is not foamed enough, you need to swirl the pitcher a few times to pop the tiny little bubbles and pour it right away. (Some baristas do not stretch the milk correctly, then have to let it sit on the counter for a minute to let it compact--this is incorrect). Don't forget to clean the steam wand. :)

You will also get different flavors of the caramel if you add it to the espresso first versus adding it at the end. As far as shots go, my husband and I make a 6 oz latte with a double shot (about 2 oz, pulled, with 4 oz milk). I don't think Starbucks has a 6 oz, so they add lots of extra milk to the drinks to make them "bigger." That's too much milk for me, but of course, it's whatever you like. Sounds like a fun Christmas present; hope you get some good results!

ADDED: You can practice with water and a drop or two (literally just a drop or two, no more) of dish soap.

I used to do barista, it really is all about what you like. For a 16 oz cup we put in around a quarter cup of the caramel. You mix the caramel into the espresso before the milk is added. Also when frothing you put the wand down in the milk just to heat it a little and then tip the cup and keep the wand around an inch under the surface. It makes the milk, fluffy!

I had a reputation or maybe a following because of my fluffy milk. :)

I also used to be a barista. Just wanted to add that you should froth the milk first so that it can "settle." If the milk is too foamy and you pour it right away, your drink will be very light and not milky enough. This may be more of an issue with a latte than a cappuccino, though. If you're not using the syrup, put any sugar or sweetener in the cup to dissolve and blend with the espresso. That way, you won't disrupt the foam by adding sugar at the end. Have fun!