# Espresso or milk first?



## TomHughes (Dec 16, 2019)

Having previously been with a Gaggia classic I was always used to espresso first then steam, mostly because it would do such a p1ss poor job of steaming without being warmed up.

In a word my latte art sucked. And pretty much still sucked when I got a sage DTP. 
Since then I have always done espresso first, then milk.

So for the first time today in about 4 years I did it the other way around, getting the espresso ready in the basket (but not engaged) steaming milk, then PF in a pull (after a short purge). Kept agitating the milk whilst the espresso was pouring, then the second it finished it was off and the milk was in. Wow, completely different, proper latte art! (no pictures I'm afraid.

I guess I have never considered the time the espresso was sitting there and losing crema as that important. More fool me!

Lucky you guys with dual boilers eh!


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## -Tristan- (Jan 2, 2020)

I've got the DTP and I do it exactly as you laid out above.

Get the coffee in the basket, rest it on the side, do my milk, purge steam wand and wipe (of course) then put the PF in after the machine auto-purges and pull my shot while agitating the milk at the same time. I'm still a beginner so I have not yet produced latte art though!

Of course this method is because the DTP is a thermocoil, I can't brew and steam simultaneously!


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## Border_all (Dec 19, 2019)

I as a new to hobby guy have only done what you did first ie pull espresso then steam milk and add to the espresso. At moment getting milk steamed is hard enough so zero latte art ?


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