Latte art for taste buds
Identifying a good cappuccino
With latte art, the popular technique for decorating cappuccino and flat white, one has the great advantage of being able to engage and thrill almost everyone. In addition to being great for social pics, it is in fact an excellent method to bring new customers closer to the world of high-quality coffee.
Those consumers who are used to have low standard coffees often associate a cappuccino with a drink composed of espresso and milk froth of inversely proportional volume and quality.
A skilled barista able to produce excellent latte art can be the breach which triggers the idea in that customer that milk, like coffee, must be processed with care and method to produce a good and servable drink.
For a barista, being able to create incredible latte art is a big source of pride.
The skills and methods required to produce memorable patterns are very high, the years of practice and liters of milk used are never enough.
So finding a good latte art on our cappuccino can tell us a lot about the quality of the coffee we are drinking, but it doesn’t tell us everything.
Surely we can see that to produce that excellent drawing, the milk was foamed at least discreetly: starting from cold milk, heated to the right temperature, with the right amount of air in the foaming phase in order to get the ideal density and then poured with the correct technique. Much of the work then, but not necessarily enough to be satisfied by the whole drink.
Unfortunately, a beautiful pattern on your cappuccino or flat white doesn’t always correspond to an equally excellent espresso at the base.
A barista could produce amazing patterns and then pour it on top of a terribly extracted espresso.
Just as he could ruin an excellent espresso by pouring a wonderful latte art but made with the wrong temperature steamed milk.
In our latte art course, we analyze the techniques for beautiful free pour patterns as well as we see in-depth what variables affect the flavor of the final drink, such as milk temperature, foam density, speed of execution, and quality of the espresso at the base.
For a consumer, the tasting phase is always the best judgment method.
Next time you happen to order a cappuccino or flat white, whether they are made with latte art or with the traditional method, mix the drink before tasting it.
This is in order to well incorporate foam with milk and coffee and get a superior sensory experience.
In drinks made with latte art especially, the ring of crema espresso that usually surrounds the pattern, often brings with it a rich charge of flavor and intensity which, at times, could slightly contribute to a higher level of bitterness in the first sip.
Furthermore, where possible, try to engage with the barista, following his guide on the sensory notes to expect and on the type of coffee you are going to drink, this can help you understand in advance what quality product you are paying for.
We, therefore, recommend not being influenced too much by a beautiful (or less beautiful) drawing on your cappuccino and, only after the usual social photo, mix well before tasting it.