Heart on my sleeve

I'm not going to lie to you -- two years ago I was guilty of buying both my sister and my mother Aerolattes for Christmas.

For anyone unfamiliar with this little gem, it's basically a tiny motorized milk-whipper that "foams" either cold or hot milk without introducing either steam or heat.

Our three-group La Marzocco, however, is equipped with a roughly 12.5 liter-capacity steam boiler (separate from the 5 liter brewer boiler), with which we zap that milk until it's a lovely, even 150 degrees or so.

While my relatives are both 100% satisfied with their nifty little gadgets, I have to say I'm thankful that you can't make this guy:


with this guy:
,

or else I might be outta work.