The flat white is the coffee Australians and New Zealanders argue over, mostly about which of them invented it. The best known Australian claim places it in Sydney in 1985; New Zealand points to Wellington a few years later. What nobody disputes is the drink itself: a double espresso in a small cup, topped with steamed milk that has been heated until glossy but given only a very thin layer of foam, so the coffee stays in charge.

Melbourne treats coffee with the solemnity other cities reserve for religion, and a flat white is the default order in its lanes and cafes, Grand Prix week included. You do not need a café machine to make a good one at home. What you need is strong coffee and milk with the texture of wet paint, and both are within reach of a kitchen with a stovetop pot or a small frother.

The coffee

Ingredients

• 2 oz (60 ml) freshly made espresso (a double shot)

Method

1. Make a double shot of espresso straight into the warmed cup. With a moka pot, fill the base with water to the valve, fill the basket with ground coffee without pressing it down, screw it together and set over medium heat; take it off as soon as the coffee gurgles, after 4 to 5 minutes, and pour 2 oz (60 ml) into the cup.

The milk

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (120 ml) cold whole milk

Method

1. Heat the milk in the small saucepan over medium low heat, stirring, for about 3 minutes, or in a microwave safe jar with the lid off for 45 to 60 seconds.
2. Hold the frother just under the surface for 5 seconds, then push it deeper for 10 seconds to swirl without adding more air. With a French press, pump the plunger gently 5 or 6 times. With a jar, screw on the lid and shake firmly for 15 seconds, holding it in a towel.
3. Swirl the milk so the foam and liquid mix. Hold the cup slightly tilted and pour the milk steadily into the middle of the coffee from about 2 inches (5 cm) above, lowering the jug toward the end.

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