So there are several different types of latte
art, but something that's important to understand
is that any time that you are intentionally
combining the espresso and the milk in a way
that is intentional, it is purposeful, you're
creating latte art.
Literally if we're breaking that down, we're
saying that it's milk art.
We're creating art in the coffee with milk.
So there are several ways to do that, one
is just to really pour in the center and get
a nice marbled surface and you create a visually
pleasing combination of espresso and treme
and the milk that you're pouring into it.
As long as you're doing it intentionally and
creating what you intended to create in the
cup, that's latter art.
That can take the form of a monk's head, a
very basic form or just really nice textured
marble surface.
Getting on into some more intricate design,
the next stage for the briefs that will be
free pour latte art which means that as you
create a drink, as you're pouring milk in
to an espresso, you can manipulate the way
the milk pours out into various shapes in
various combinations.
So, from a monk's head or a marbled surface
to pulling in into a heart or creating a rippled
pattern like a leaf or layering hearts on
top of one another to make a tulip, this all
happens in the course of filling up the beverage
just to make the drink before you hand it
off, there are no tools involved, there are
no powders or sauces involved in free pour
latte art.
And it really is possibly the most, its a
working baristas craft, you're not degrading
a drink by setting it down and then taking
more time to etch it because a drink really
should be delivered as quickly as possible
to the customer so they can decide if they
want to let it sit and separate or they want
to drink it immediately and get a nice combination
of foam and milk.
So the next stage would be etching or any
sorts of manipulation post pour.
So you can pour a drink, maybe you pour a
dot in the middle and then set the drink down
and get tools out to manipulate that.
These can be very beautiful but it tends to
be art for art's sake and not so much a garnish
or a method of plating.
And again, it does take a little more time,
so that's the time your customer is waiting
and the time the milk is sitting on the counter
both cooling and separating.
So again, it can be great if you can do it
quickly, it can be just as valid, but largely,
baristas would pour free pour before they
would do etching and then etching maybe for
something special like, for mom and dad.
