By Amy Lee
Latte art is basically the ability to draw on coffee or more specifically the most common coffee used for latte art - espresso, because of its density. The drawing happens in two ways. You can either pour milk in the cup of espresso thus creating a pattern form, special design or a portrait on the top espresso layer which is mainly foam. The other latte art style is named etching and it is done by using a plastic stick. However for a good latte art to be created you need a good espresso machine and a barista who knows what he is doing and possesses some talent. Latte art has been around us for centuries, but it has become more popular in the last years and you can even go to classes which educate you to be a barista. Barista is basically the formal name of the artist who creates the latte art.
Every country develops latte art in different speeds, but this happened after the creation of espresso and the progress of the micro foam. But the country which is taken for the birth place of latte art is Italy. Latte art is possible because of the mixture of two ingredients - the crema and the foam. The foam is basically milk which contains air allowing it to buff up. But however foam doesn't last for long and quickly perishes so due to that latte art last only for minutes, but that is enough time for you to enjoy the marvelous creation that someone has created using crema and foam.
The quality of the latte art depends on the espresso itself. The espresso is bound to have a cream surface which is usually called crema. After the espresso is prepared the barista starts to pour milk into the cup and as the foam and crema react a pattern starts to be seen on top of the crema. However you need a very steady hand to be able to create delicate figures. Of course pouring milk cannot create delicate forms, so for more complex patterns you will need a barista specialized in etching. The use of the stick is much harder, but results in much clearer and more beautiful forms.
Free pouring isn't very precise so it is quite hard to create complicated forms using it. Because of that the most commonly made forms using free pouring are hearts and flowers while etching allows you to create much more complex forms and even portraits, however etching is much more harder than free pouring that's why there are special classes which teach the art of etching in latte art.
Latte art is a marvelous way to decorate a beverage of your choice. And the good thing is that you may not only order an espresso which is decorated, but you can also practice it yourself while going out for a coffee or just while drinking your morning coffee. However latte art done in coffee instead of espresso will result in a fader image, but it will still be a joy to the eyes.
Every country develops latte art in different speeds, but this happened after the creation of espresso and the progress of the micro foam. But the country which is taken for the birth place of latte art is Italy. Latte art is possible because of the mixture of two ingredients - the crema and the foam. The foam is basically milk which contains air allowing it to buff up. But however foam doesn't last for long and quickly perishes so due to that latte art last only for minutes, but that is enough time for you to enjoy the marvelous creation that someone has created using crema and foam.
The quality of the latte art depends on the espresso itself. The espresso is bound to have a cream surface which is usually called crema. After the espresso is prepared the barista starts to pour milk into the cup and as the foam and crema react a pattern starts to be seen on top of the crema. However you need a very steady hand to be able to create delicate figures. Of course pouring milk cannot create delicate forms, so for more complex patterns you will need a barista specialized in etching. The use of the stick is much harder, but results in much clearer and more beautiful forms.
Free pouring isn't very precise so it is quite hard to create complicated forms using it. Because of that the most commonly made forms using free pouring are hearts and flowers while etching allows you to create much more complex forms and even portraits, however etching is much more harder than free pouring that's why there are special classes which teach the art of etching in latte art.
Latte art is a marvelous way to decorate a beverage of your choice. And the good thing is that you may not only order an espresso which is decorated, but you can also practice it yourself while going out for a coffee or just while drinking your morning coffee. However latte art done in coffee instead of espresso will result in a fader image, but it will still be a joy to the eyes.
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Do you enjoy the latte?. Be sure to visit RateMyRosetta.com, a great source for latte art pictures of photos. Don't miss the most excellent how to make latte art tutorial.