Information from Barista Coffee collectors edition book

Coffee Art

A lot of care needs to be taken when pouring the milk so you don't destroy the crema. Spoons, toothpicks and other pointed utensils may be used together with a good pouring jug to place the froth on the coffee and ceate a desired shape.

The hardest form of coffee art is 'free pouring'. This is where we get into creating art, such as the heart, rosetta, apple, tulip, sparrow and other designs.

Pouring the milk

You should texture the milk whilst the espresso is being brewed. Start with the tip of your jug on the edge of the cup and pour steadily. Once the cup is about half full, lower the pour close to the crema and the foam should appear. You should pour the milk as soon as possible. Hold the cup on its ear and slightly at an angle. Start pouring the milk slowly into the crema. You do not want to pour too slowly, this will leave the foam behind in the jug. You also do not want to pour too quickly because this will break the crema apart. Pour slowly in a few spots in the cup to break through the crema.

Start pouring the milk into the back of the cup once the cup seems just more than half full. Now slowly but very steadily move the pitcher from side to side in one spot in the cup until you see the foam appearing. If you see distinct white lines forming, you’re on the right track. Keep practising and eventually you will be rewarded with your own latte design. Once you see the foam break through the crema you can start pouring patterns.

Heart

1. Pour slowly in the middle to settle the crema so you can have a base to work with.
2. About halfway through, start tilting the jug forward to release some froth.
3. Continue pouring into the middle and let the white circle form.
4. Near the top of the cup start tilting the jug back upwards and move to the other side of the cup in a scooping motion.

Tulip

1. This one is a lot like the heart but you start and stop to get different layers to create the tulip.
2. Start pouring at one end of the cup and once you get your first blob of froth in the coffee, stop.
3. Move the jug closer to you and start pouring again until you have a smaller blob.
4. Near the top of the cup start tilting the jug back upwards and move to the other side of the cup in a scooping motion.

Rosetta

1. To start with, pour slowly to settle the crema to give you a good base to start.This allows the milk to separate to form the pattern.
2. About halfway through pouring, move the jug from side to side until you see the foam appearing on the surface. Keep moving the jug from side to side until you see curved white lines appear. Now slowly move the jug backwards while still moving it from side to side
3. Once you have reached the edge of the cup, start tilting the jug back upwards and move back down the centre of the leaves in a scooping motion. Note: Quick movements from side to side will create a rosetta with lots of leaves. Slow movements from side to side will create fewer and thicker leaves.