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.