When I say that New Zealand has the best coffee, I'm sure my friends in California think I'm just biased because I'm a Kiwi, i.e. a native New Zealander.
Well, to back me up, here's "Exhibit A": check out this post by a "real" Calfornian from iNeedCoffee.com who states she found "coffee paradise in Auckland, N.Z."
"Exhibit B" for today is that you can buy milk in New Zealand that is specifically formulated for its superior frothing qualities for espresso coffee-based drinks. As of yet, I haven't heard of Americans taking their lattes that seriously, and actually one of the things I don't like about coffee drinks in the U.S. is the unpleasant aftertaste left by the milk. A lot of that in my opinion has to do with the fact that the milk is too often heated to the point where it starts to get a scalded flavor to it. Could it also be the milk?
In New Zealand there are three commercially produced milk formulations for making coffee drinks: Sun Latte, La Vie, and Froth Top. Here's an extract from an article from New Zealand's "Cafe" Magazine that rates the virtues of milk forulated for making latte plus "blue top" which is how standard homogenized milk is typically referred to in New Zealand. The article is posted on the Sun Latte website.
All of these milk formulations are distinguished by being non-fat and high in calcium and protein. Not only are they good for you, but they are one of the key elements to making the taste of coffee in New Zealand something that leaves the U.S. equivalents in its dust. Could we say "Eat my froth"?
http://www.sunlatte.co.nz/body_critical_review.html
Espresso Coffee Snobs