Latte Art
Have you noticed when you order a latte in a good coffee house, there is often a design in the coffee foam? The practice of making these designs – called ‘latte art’ – is now something of an art form in itself. National Latte Art Championships are organised to find the most talented barista.
What exactly happens to create latte art? When steamed milk is poured into a shot of espresso, a pattern can be created on the surface. The barista can create shapes by ‘drawing’ in the top layer of milky foam.
It is believed that latte art was originally developed in Italy using espresso and microfoam to create a pattern, although Americans certainly developed latte art in the 1980s and 1990s, particularly in Seattle. David Schomer, creator of the course "Caffee Latte Art" was a big contributor to the use of microfoam to create patterns such as hearts and rosettes.
There are two main styles of latte art. In each case, first the barista must produce espresso with ‘crema’ (ie, a creamy brown surface) and microfoam.
The first technique is called Free Pouring. As the frothy milk is poured onto the shot, the foam separates and rises to the top. As the milk jug is moved, a pattern can be ‘drawn’ on the coffee. The heart and the rosetta are the most popular shapes.
The second technique is called Etching, which involves using a tool to create a pattern after the pour. Designs in this technique can be complicated and intricate.
Either way, the result can be a beautiful cup of coffee.