Steamed Milk and Latte Art

As you all know, my real passion is the expansive world of single origin coffee, but I can never get too far away from a properly proportioned cappuccino (and occasional latte).  If the milk has been steamed properly, and there’s not too much of it, the sweetness of the milk in combination with the texture and body of espresso combines for an amazing and satisfying sensory experience.

Milk is also the root of what I believe to be an ugly side of coffee, that being the serving of “cappuccinos” and “lattes” with far too much milk, and milk that has typically been oversteamed.  The result here is a customer who comes to understand these drinks as representative of all caps and lattes, and a business that can use almost anything as the underlying “espresso”, as its flavor is obscured by all the milk.

Before I send you off to some links and videos, let me set the record straight on what these drinks should be.

The SCAA's definition of a traditional cappuccino is a single shot of espresso with 'equal amounts of foam and milk' served in a 6oz ceramic cup, and the consensus among the definitions for latte I found is a ratio of one part espresso to three parts steamed milk.  The mathematicians among you would observe that this would mean that there should be 5 ounces (four shots) of espresso in a Starbucks “Vente” latte, but in reality, there are two (meaning that you are paying a LOT of money for a cup of hot milk).  And in Italy, if you order a traditional latte, you’d be served a cup of heated (not steamed) milk, with coffee from a moka pot (aka the stovetop espresso brewer) rather than an espresso machine.

So I offer what follows in the dual spirit of inspiring you to try it at home (if you are so equipped) and to know more about it so you can be informed on how to select a café and order drinks away from home.

First, I’d like to strongly recommend the amazing Frothing Guide from Coffee Geek.  This takes you from the composition and science of milk, through steaming techniques and then to latte art.  There is a lot to read here, and it is an impressive and easy to use resource.

Then, here are a set of YouTube videos, showing closeups of the pouring of latte art in the shape of a rosetta, a phoenix, a swan, a cartoon man (Pilsbury Doughboy?) and a complex five-heart tulip.  Then, once you’ve mastered these, you can pull out some chocolate syrup and a toothpick and try your hand at etching.

And finally, I found a link online today to the 2007 World Barista Championship Judges Manual.  This is interesting reading, if you have an interest in seeing how ace baristas are evaluated across a number of techniques in the finals of the amazing global competition.

Craft Beer Festival, Boston Coffee Scene and the 2011 World Barista Champion

Tanji and I had a nice mini vacation to Boston this last weekend, the highlight of which was the American Craft Brew Festival on Saturday at the World Trade Center. Though it was at times a challenge to pick through the 510 available beers in the 3.5 hours allotted, we practiced moderation and tasted just 56 selections. As those of you helping me through the Uprising program at Novare Res know, the definition of "beer" is growing in every imaginable direction, and the Festival was a great excuse to taste offerings from the best small breweries in the country (110 of them, to be specific). My favorite beers were from the hometown boys at Allagash, but I loved getting to taste the offerings from Notch, a Massachusetts-based brewery dedicated to a wide range of "Session" beers with alcohol not exceeding 4.0 ABV. While I love strong beer, there are times when I don't need the alcohol. Hopefully, they will be distributing in Maine soon.

Here's a snap of me having a brewski with the Smuttynose guy:

Thankfully, we had gone to the afternoon session of the Festival, so getting out of bed the next day was easy.

Sunday, we had a nice visit to Thinking Cup, a great cafe on the Common that is presently the only place in Boston to get Stumptown Coffee. Our friend Phil, the barista, made us some nice pourover Ethiopia and Sumatra, along with some tasty shots from their La Marzocco. A wonderful place to hang, and I highly recommend it when you are in town.

I've really been enjoying James Hoffman's coffee blog since discovering it a month or so ago. James is a former World Barista Champion and the owner of London's Square Mile Coffee Roasters. James is engaging and a good writer, and he challenges any and all preconceptions about coffee preparation.

This morning, James posted an excellent video of this year's WBC Champion, whose presentation was incredibly passionate and unique to these competitions.