What is the proper way to use a Frother on an Espresso Machine?

Answer:
What is froth, anyway?  It's a funny sounding word, that much I know!  And, I know it is associated with espresso, cappucino, and the like; but not being a connosseiur of either of those (though I do like my regular coffee!), I had to do some digging to learn all about froth and frothing and frothers!

Froth: WikipediA explains froth this way:  "Foam consisting of bubbles in a liquid".  And, it goes on to say that froth is usually made with milk, especially for espresso and other coffee drinks.

Digging more, I learned about espresso machines and a little about how they work.  I learned that some come equipped with a frother, and some do not.  I also learned one may purchase a hand-held frother.  I also learned most experts agree that the frother that comes with the machine is far better for making true froth!

The espresso machine frother consists (typically) of a steaming tube with air intake holes, which introduces steam into milk along with air at high velocity.  According to coffeegeek.com, proper frothing takes a certain knack of keeping the steaming tube tip very close to the surface of the milk so it injects steam-heated air at high speed into the milk, resulting in a foamy froth.  Coffeegeek.com says that good froth will be pourable, not clumpy and ridgid.

It occurs to me that one must have to acquire a taste for steamed milk, or froth.  I've seen pictures of how froth is used to create neat little designs of white foam in a cup of espresso or cappucino, and it looks creative and interesting, but I don't know if foamed milk is my idea of a good addition to a good cup of coffee!  To each their own, I say!

Hmmmmm.....I'll stick with my regular, thanks.