Lactose-Free Lattes | Part Two

Are the mainstream milk alternatives just not your thing? If soy, almond, and rice milk don’t quite cut it, read on to find your next macchiato mixer. In part two of this four-part series, we’ll explore some anomalous lactose-free and vegan alternatives to dairy milk. Quinoa, Hazelnut, Pea, and Coconut!

 Spoiler Alert: None of these stood out as a clear winner, as they were all pretty different. However, pea milk was the only contender that won a spot in my refrigerator. Pea milk’s thick texture and neutral flavor allured my dairy-dependent taste buds. Pea milk had a subtly sweet flavor and a luxurious texture. Supported by its creamy opaque appearance, latte art would be a breeze with this beverage. The milk created a silky latte with a marvelous mouthfeel due to the high protein content. Don’t worry! It doesn’t taste like peas. Hazelnut milk was also delicious. If we were to make a family tree, this would be almond milks beautiful cousin; it had a nutty undertone but this time in a good way! In other words, this milk created velvety milk with a luscious layer of foam on top. Bonus: the hazelnut flavor in this milk made a mad mocha! Coconut milk wasn’t bad either. It flaunted a fantastic subtly-sweet flavor. If you can’t handle the varying flavors of the other options, definitely try this out. But be warned, If you want a creamy latte, the milk frothing may not be on par. In reality, latte art really wasn't an option and the foam was limited. Quinoa milk…hmm. Don’t buy this one.  Gellan Gum is an additive to some brands of alternative milks to help them foam and behave more like dairy milk. The coconut milk's inability to froth well clearly displayed this attribute.