At the risk of sounding egotistical, I am stronger than anyone
Tom: Coffee art from my brother in law….
JC: Tell me more….
Tom: He makes the coffee black, then pours the frothed milk carefully into one area, then using the thin end of a spoon he crafts the image. I’m going to try it this morning!…
photos { thanks Tom }
{ Latte art at Gimme! Coffee in Williamsburg }
At the best cafes in New York — like Café Grumpy in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, or Gimme! Coffee in Williamsburg, Brooklyn — it’s the coffee itself that will grab you.
Most espresso drinks in this country are made with over-roasted blends on “super automatic” machines that leave little control to the person operating them and turn out anonymous brews.
At cafes that are part of what some call the artisanal coffee movement the drinks reflect an obsession with each detail of the journey from farm to cup and an almost cultish pride in the results.
Those results are apparent as soon as you pick up the cup. The crema that crowns these espressos is a ruddy, alluring come-on that persists as you decide whether it’s closer to the color of terra cotta or burnt sienna. It’s not the pale froth that quickly dissipates on lesser espressos. And it’s evidence that the sugars and oils in the coffee have been properly emulsified through careful brewing.
The aroma will be more nuanced — with suggestions of scents like jasmine and orange — reflecting the pedigree of the beans it’s made with, and the care and precision with which it was brewed.
It will feel richer, fuller and more viscous in your mouth. The acidity of the coffee will be balanced; the tannins will contribute shape, not sting.
If you take milk, it will be steamed to order just for your drink — a top-quality cafe never uses the same milk twice. And it will be poured to create a pattern in the crema — a heart, a leaf — that not only makes the drink more appetizing, but demonstrates the attention paid to it.
{ myflickrbox }
{ kiki }
{ Skull-a-day }
Barista Miyuki Miyamae of Japan concentrates on her latte art during the finals of the World Barista Championship in Tokyo August 2, 2007. Each competitor is required to serve each of the four sensory judges a single espresso, a single cappuccino and a single signature beverage of his or her choice (espresso-based and alcohol-free) for a total of 12 drinks, while also being judged by one head judge and two technical judges, in a period of 15 minutes or less. { Mainichi Daily News/Reuters }
related { Tea vs. Coffee | Healthy Espresso }
December 27th, 2006 at 9:17 pm
it’s art plain and simple. elegant and beautiful
December 28th, 2006 at 10:52 pm
its a great work of art with just a little patience and creativity. I salute you!!!
December 29th, 2006 at 7:26 am
O.O That’s a wonderful way to serve espresso! In fact, it’ll be a great way to add some flavor to any upstart coffee-shop.
January 1st, 2007 at 10:36 am
very rad!
January 1st, 2007 at 5:09 pm
amazing….great way to pick up chicks in coffee shops :D
January 3rd, 2007 at 10:41 am
This is a great new form of culinary or beverage art sure to be copied and used in many restaurants to come. Brilliant.
…And I don’t even drink espresso.
January 3rd, 2007 at 4:01 pm
QUOTE NY TIMES ARTICLE:
Those results are apparent as soon as you pick up the cup. The crema that crowns these espressos is a ruddy, alluring come-on that persists as you decide whether it’s closer to the color of terra cotta or burnt sienna. It’s not the pale froth that quickly dissipates on lesser espressos. And it’s evidence that the sugars and oils in the coffee have been properly emulsified through careful brewing.
END QUOTE.
QUOTE ME:
“Sei duro come pisani ….”
END QUOTE.
1: Espresso is just an espresso. (coffee only).
2: Crema = Cream. (learn to translate please)
3: Cream is different to steamed milk. (That’s just plain common sense, see point 2)
4: Espresso with Cream or Steamed Milk = Cappuccino, yes it has it’s own name and it is not Espresso.
But really; I thought that coffee is probably part of most peoples daily routines, it is mine it is the first thing that i take when i wake up in the morning.. I’d have thought the NY Times could have at least got their facts straight with a simple coffee article.
When I visit NY I will be sure to ask first!! what is in a NY coffee… sure do not want an elephant delivered to my table.
January 4th, 2007 at 11:53 am
It would be a shame to drink it and ruin the lovely art…
But this girl doesn’t starve so I’d be drinking.
Anything like it in Los Angeles???/
January 5th, 2007 at 3:45 am
Great pieces of art, too Priceless to Taste!!!
January 5th, 2007 at 4:39 am
way to go only if they could do it in beer now :)
January 5th, 2007 at 12:40 pm
that is not art.
January 5th, 2007 at 2:36 pm
I don’t drink coffee but it looks cool.
January 5th, 2007 at 4:42 pm
wicked
January 5th, 2007 at 7:10 pm
Well, amazing indeed. However, let us just not mix coffee with coffee… We’re not talking about espresso here. There’s absolutely no milk in an espresso. If you put milk in it, it immediately turns into a cappuccino/cortado/latte etc.
January 5th, 2007 at 8:00 pm
I would be way more impressed if you showed the designs that you are capable of making just by steaming the milk. Anyone can make images or designs by poking at the milk - no matter how good or bad your foam is.
January 6th, 2007 at 12:14 am
Amazing. The best thing I’ve seen in a while.
My favorite…. “Your Ad Here” That’s not just creative, that’s smart.
January 6th, 2007 at 8:38 am
oh i want to place my ad! :)
January 6th, 2007 at 4:22 pm
how come whenever I try that it doesn’t work?
January 7th, 2007 at 5:19 am
BOOOOORING
January 8th, 2007 at 1:13 pm
Actually, crema in this sense is not cream. Crema is the froth on the top of the espresso, which is an essential part of the “espresso experience”; it is one of the primary ways one judges the quality of espresso — not cappuccino, etc. The NY Times article got it right.
January 8th, 2007 at 2:40 pm
one rainy day a couple of summers ago, when i was cold & wet after walking for an hour after dropping off my girlfriend at the bus station, knowing i wouldn’t be able to see her or talk to her for a week, i made my way to a kiosk/coffee stand, and a lovely gentleman made me a heart design in the top of my latte. lifted my heart right up.
thanks for the memory.
January 9th, 2007 at 1:57 am
Just LOVE creative people!
January 9th, 2007 at 1:23 pm
nice way to get more money from stupid rich people :P
i wouldn’t like anyone poking around in my coffee with a screwdriver…
January 9th, 2007 at 2:27 pm
Hello there. I came to you via dooce.com. This is a great post and has inspired me to write my own. Thanks for this.
January 9th, 2007 at 2:45 pm
hey these are awesomatied….
January 10th, 2007 at 7:19 pm
Lovely and precious you art!!! And it look delicious too!!! If I’ll ever go to NY I’ll want to taste your espresso, but without milk nor sugar! Sorry I’m an italian black-coffee lover!!!!
Just to talk in Italy we have different name for different way of making coffe and usally we talk about coffe and not espresso:
-Espresso: coffe with his dense foam on the top in a small cup very strong if youa are not used! May be you can paint on it with some chocolate if you like coffe and chocolate!;-)
- Espresso macchiato: (blobbed?:-S)well anway with a small ammount of milk which can be cold or hot in small cup, if hot you can paint on it!!!
- Espresso corretto: espresso with alccol which can be grappa or else…
- Cappuccino: Espresso in a big cup with a bigger ammount of milk with his own foam and relly good to paint on! ;-)
Here who paint on coffe do it on Cappuccino ’cause it’s bigger and can express hisself better!!!
Hope you enjoid knowing something about italian coffe!!!
Good job again I loved it!!!!
January 14th, 2007 at 5:14 pm
I work at a starbuck’s and i love making artsy drinks and i will be trying these soon :-D
January 15th, 2007 at 5:04 am
In Australia and New Zealand, the cafe culture has advanced way beyond Latte art…it’s not hard to find a thoroughly decent coffee in Sydney, with even less of a chance of a dud cup in Melbourne and it’s almost impossible to buy a bad coffee in Auckland, Wellington or Christchurch (NZ). I’m surprised at this latte art article as I thought in New York, as in Sydney, Melbourne or Wellington, you would be able to get a decent frothy coffee almost anywhere. Making good espresso coffee has become standard in cafes, community clubs and bars all over Australia and New Zealand. It takes a passion for great tasting coffee and efficient service to make a good coffee. A decent, drinkable “flat white” (for definition see:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_white) or latte coffee must have a balanced taste combined with that velvety texture in the milk, the right, drinkable temperature, clean and quality presentation (art is optional) with a decent price (ideally below AUS$3), and served briskly and workmanlike by a barista or waitperson who is more concerned with not keeping you waiting than whether you’re having a nice day. Lastly, a pretty picture in your froth won’t compensate if the coffee tastes…dare I say… sh**e? As a showcase of one kind of barista skill, coffee art is ace. Love it.
January 15th, 2007 at 9:02 am
Sooooooo Awesome!!!!!!
January 18th, 2007 at 7:39 am
My coffee got cold just looking at all this amazing art!
January 26th, 2007 at 11:35 am
I love your espresso art - I’ve seen lots of those photographs on stumbleUpon and I always wondered, where the people got those images. Hope that you create some more - CU, Michelle - www.paranoiaparadise.com - T-Shirts and Stopmotion Films
February 1st, 2007 at 6:06 am
He any chance you couldput the video up as a download. I thought watching the making of these coffees was superb -it was spellbinding and would be great to share.
February 13th, 2007 at 2:53 pm
Beauty is only skim deep! Several years ago I took my daughter to Harrods department store in London. We stopped for a Guiness at the downstairs bar and the bartender there had perfected drawing a clover on the head of the beer with a final skilled flourish at the end of the pour. Maybe not as elegant as these lattes but still the best Guiness I ever had.
February 26th, 2007 at 2:08 am
Check out http://www.ratemyrosetta.com/ for some fantastic latte art :)
March 17th, 2007 at 5:06 pm
This great page has been featured in the lookin’ at cookin’ blog.
http://lookinatcookin.blogspot.com/2007/03/more-than-just-espresso-when-is.html
April 11th, 2007 at 11:24 am
=) beautiful done!!!!
thanks for sharing this post!
June 14th, 2007 at 3:01 am
Really nice latte art… Wish i had a patience to learn some nice ones!
June 14th, 2007 at 4:09 am
This one makes sence “One’s first step in wisdom is to kuesstion everything - and one’s last is to come to terms with everything.”
July 30th, 2007 at 12:29 am
dude….bout time some people put their soul into it. Here’s my work…. http://coffeegeek.com/forums/worldregional/uswest/310228
L.A.’s Bariista -Donny-
July 31st, 2007 at 6:02 pm
I’m working on a new TV show called “Online Nation” that will be airing this fall on Sunday nights. We are taking all of the most talented and creative people and short videos from the web and putting them on national television.
Right now there is a youtube video of an unnamed artist drawing on a latte. I see that you also have it on your blog. If you either know who owns this video or know artists that have similar videos PLEASE contact me.
Thanks!
Love and all that.
Tracy Zindell
The CW
Online Nation
818.753.6122 office
October 16th, 2007 at 8:51 pm
Coffee lover is obviously a complete idiot…
February 28th, 2008 at 7:16 pm
You guys rock!
April 19th, 2008 at 8:05 am
I know this is going back a bit, but I ought to have clarified; the main “image” is formed accidentally when the milk is poured in, the spoon is used only to tweak, for example, in the Swan one, the eye dot was the only thing done by hand after the coffee was poured.