Tassimo Review – Cappuccino!

So earlier in my blog I posted a review of the Tassimo espresso system. Since then I’ve posted reviews of the espressos you can get from the machine and even a latte than you make by first running an espresso disk through the machine and then running a milk disk through the machine (or vice versa). Today, however, we got a cappuccino disk for the machine.

It is the same basic principle in that it is also a kind of an assemble-a-beverage kit. I just made one, and since I needed a little boost I actually ran two espresso disks through the machine before I used the cappuccino disk. Now, I know that I shouldn’t be drinking cappuccino in the afternoon, but I wanted to check it out, and I’m not Italian in any case. 

First impression: I’m a little disappointed (even though I did have low expectations going in). The cappuccino is covered in a ridiculous amount of giant bubbles. Microfoam be damned! The milk tastes oddly plasticky, like it was over pasteurized and sanitized so that it could be safely stored at room temperature. Most of the reason why drinking a cappuccino is pleasurable is because of the lovely, silky foam and how it swirls together with the steamed milk and espresso in your mouth. None of that here. 

I think I get it though: it’s about the process of making the drink. I can relate to this, half of what I like about making coffee at home is the attention I pay to the process of weighing out the beans, grinding them, pressing down on the plunger of the French press. This is an interesting approximation of that because you do still have to be involved in the process. No, the drink isn’t very good, no better than the latte certainly, but still more fun than using the Keurig.

Overall, I think I’ll be using the latte t-disks more than the cappuccino t-disks. Really, it has nothing to do with the taste; I just cannot get over the huge bubbles of milk!