Got (steamed) milk?

Many of my friends are aware that my favorite drinks are bloody marys, milk and orange juice (well, not all three at the same time). Although I don't get bloody marys very often, orange juice is easily attainable, and so is milk, but not steamed milk (aka steamers). When I was a student in Ann Arbor, I drank hazelnut steamers every other day. Every cafe around the block offered steamers with any flavored syrup that the customer desired. I could pick from three sizes and make special requests from the person behind the counter - more froth, please, could you make that an inch thick? Ann Arbor was steamed milk heaven. Singapore is the what's-a-steamer sort of place. So far, I've found two restaurants that serve steamers.

When my father announced he'd just purchased a cappuccino maker with the points he'd accumulated from his Citi dollars, I was ecstatic. Never mind the espressos or cappuccinos, let me at the steamer function! Oh, the joy of having my own home-made steamer - hot milk with an inch of froth, two spoonfuls of hazelnut syrup (purchased by the bottle from Starbucks at the Marine Parade library), and a sprinkling of chocolate powder.

I suppose my next goal is to get that lovely mixture of Campari and orange juice, a drink I came to love while living in Florence. I'd befriended the owner of a pensione at Via Tornabuoni, a lovely old lady who made me visit her often so that I could tell her what I'd studied at school that week as I gratefully downed the offered glasses of orange juice and Campari. (Signora Gianna was a generous soul. I miss her dearly.)

Well, the steamer is the key beverage for now. For any interested parties, the two places I found in Singapore that serve the drink are Borders Bistro and Flavours at Neil Road (I hope the restaurant is still open!). Catch me in an energetic mood and I'll make you a cup myself!

Posted by Monoceros at March 10, 2003 9:01 PM