Coffee Art - Make Latte Art

Making a great tasting cup of espresso is an art form, but to become a top barista, you will have to master the presentation as well. Just as a chef masters plate presentation, a barista masters the presentation of a cup of espresso, by creating patterns and designs in the foam or "crema" layer of a prepared espresso. The artist in the video below demonstrates the art of coffee. As you can see it's a skill that takes years to master

Creating latte art requires several key factors:

1. The espresso must be perfect
2. You must use an espresso machine with a proper brew head and boiler along with enough steam power to properly froth the milk. These machines can cost upwards of $500.
3. Start with very cold milk -- keep the temperature right above freezing
4. Cold milk and steam pitchers will give you more time to create the smooth and velvety texture needed for latte art

In addition to the above process requirements you will also need the following materials

1. Espresso (duh?)
2. Whole milk (yum)
3. Straight walled steam pitcher with a sharp spout (for pouring the milk)
4. Espresso machine with a powerful steam wand
5. Large wide-open latte cup
6. Thermometer (for sketching)