Latte Art Challenge[d]

[HB]

You may have noticed that Whole Latte Love is running a latte art video contest:



I like this idea a lot more than the contest last year for latte art photos since there's a higher potential for educational value. In that vein, I made a video, but knowing (a) I could never win for lack of skills, and (b) even if I could win, it wouldn't be right, I took another approach. Rather than spend an afternoon trying to video a great pour, I instead limited myself to one take and one take only:



Let me begin with my excuses. Although I regularly drank cappuccinos for years, nowadays I prepare them only a few times a month. If I ever had latte art skills, they could only be politely described as "rusty." The video production steps also caused delays that allowed the crema to fade and the steamed milk to start cotton balling. Next time I'll have the video already going instead of fiddling with on/off switches and the camera's capture modes while the espresso sits.

Technical commentary: For a latte, too much air was injected, though it was about right for a cappuccino. I used my largest cup (12 ounces), which drew out the espresso to a thin layer, increasing the speed with which the crema dissipated. The polishing technique seen in the first part of the video eliminated the "cotton ball" and elicited a nice paint-like texture from the milk. Pouring began high, though not aggressively enough, causing an initial splash of white across what little crema remained. I should have lowered the pitcher nearer the surface and the rocking motion was too late and not quite enough.

Our more accomplished latte artists are welcome to add their own assessment of what went wrong. Or better yet, post your own video under the same rules: No do overs, no editing, just pour and post. If you're up to the challenge, enter Whole Latte Love's contest and include your first and best video here. I think the comparison between "my first try" and "my best try" could prove interesting.

PS: My kids called the above pour "a white barn owl" rather than a rosetta. Ouch!

[Andrew]

OK, I'm too new at this to offer critique on the pour, but next time, let me give you some better background music!

[DigMe]

Ouch!

bc

ps - Say, what is the video editor that everyone seems to favor that uses that same blue background and font?

[HB]

Ouch!

Uh huh. Bring it in one take, buddy.

ps - Say, what is the video editor that everyone seems to favor that uses that same blue background and font?

Windows Movie Maker. It's free, so I use it.

[TimEggers]

Dan you did far better than I could ever imagine I could do! I really stink at steaming milk (I just don't do it often enough to get the proper practice) but hey at least my cappas are tasty...

[scottyg514]

Thats the best looking................Tamper I've ever seen!

[HB]

Thats the best looking................Tamper I've ever seen!

OK, I'm guilty of product placement, but there was a practical reason. The camera needed to focus on something and it was placed as a guide to tell me where to hold the pitcher so it'd be in frame. That is, if I could not see the tamper from my point of view, I knew it was correctly in frame.

So, when will I be able to critique your no retake pour? Or DigMe's?

[RegulatorJohnson]

So, when will I be able to critique your no retake pour? Or DigMe's?

ill bite



first try.

jon

[jesawdy]

ill bite

Jon-

Nice! I think I see what I'm doing wrong in my own pours... must practice. It doesn't help that I only make cappas for my wife maybe 1-2 times per week.

[Dogshot]

Dan, I (should) have no comment on your latte pour, since Abe has already summed things up in what I believe is one of the funniest posts here on HB:

http://www.home-barista.com/forums/buyers-guide-to-the-expobar-brewtus-t225.html

PS: Please humor me by not asking if it was supposed to be a rosetta or a heart.

Dan, that's one hell of an onion.

Maybe you are creating a new form of espresso-art: Latte Rorschach

Actually, I know what it's like to try to manage kids while pouring latte art, and my art is certainly no better.

Mark

[DC]

Latte art isn't really my thing, but .......





Bit of performance anxiety in there, but that's par for the course for my latte 'art.' Sometimes better, sometimes worse. Comments and suggestions welcome as always

EDIT: I hadn't noticed but that's a scarily appropriate line of the song for the video to finish on. It was on the radio too!

[Spresso_Bean]

Add a pole and some eyes and it looked like the grim reaper to me. Pretty cool.

[DC]

Hahaha, nice! I'd never even looked for 'other patterns' in there. Better stop serving these to the girlfriend then eh?

[Nick]

Our more accomplished latte artists are welcome to add their own assessment of what went wrong.

Dan, you should have started with your pitcher pouring from higher.

When pouring latte art, you have to take into account the buoyancy of the foam. In order for the white foam to get under the brown espresso, you have to start from higher up (but not so high as to create splash-bubbles). When it's time to draw the white art, bring the pitcher down, touching or close to touching your cup.

[Italyhound]

Dan, you should have started with your pitcher pouring from higher.

When pouring latte art, you have to take into account the buoyancy of the foam. In order for the white foam to get under the brown espresso, you have to start from higher up (but not so high as to create splash-bubbles). When it's time to draw the white art, bring the pitcher down, touching or close to touching your cup.

I am extremely excited about the birth of this thread. I think the videos and tips will help me a great deal. I will add my own video chicken scratch for sure.

[DigMe]

Uh huh. Bring it in one take, buddy.

Sheesh..I haven't had anything close to time to get a camera out during my morning routine...this is the first time I've even been back here since I posted that. Excuses, excuses... Ok...if I can remember to do it I'll get a camera in there with me on Saturday morning. It will probably be nothing like Regulator's! Nice one-take, jon!

Windows Movie Maker. It's free, so I use it.

I figured there must be something free floating around since a lot of people seem to use it. I'll have to look into it.

bc

[FredtheWhale]

Add a pole and some eyes and it looked like the grim reaper to me. Pretty cool.

that was brilliant!

remember that elvis is everywhere.

[gtrman]

ok heres my go at it...if it can be called that!



let me just say I knew it was doomed from the get go.
from the stale coffee, to the slighlty over temp milk, and the whole lotta air that got in to the milk.
but in the spirit of the thread, I posted it anyways.

oh well its my second real try ever at this (first on camera) after having seriously watched others.

...not trying to make excuses or anything

[HB]

first try.

Not bad. Pulling away earlier would have avoided the "bulb" on the top.

Actually, I know what it's like to try to manage kids while pouring latte art, and my art is certainly no better.

No kidding. I hadn't planned on music for the video, but the chaos in the background was captured in the audio track.

Bit of performance anxiety in there, but that's par for the course for my latte 'art.' Sometimes better, sometimes worse. Comments and suggestions welcome as always

Judging from the fluidity of the pour and the bubbles that rose to the top, I think the foam and milk were not well incorporated. PeterG once suggested letting the milk sit a short spell and then doing the thunk / swirl thing to reincorporate them. In competition, baristas will frequently swirl the pitcher in a small circular motion on the countertop. It keeps the motion repeatable and controlled, especially when you're nervous. I've never tried transferring between pitchers like competitors routinely did last year, but I think the same technique could be applied. Abe commented on this in USBC Barista Competition - Competitor Debriefing:

Tricks I learned from the pros

If I learn only one thing from an espresso jam I consider myself lucky. During the judges certification workshop, we were served drinks by two USBC Champions, Bronwen Serna & Phuong Tran. Both terrific baristas.

Avoiding Crema Bubbles

Bronwen is famous for her cappuccinos, and here's what makes her shine: Often, a cappa will show crema bubbles. This may not affect the taste so much as it affects the visual. To avoid crema bubbles she drops a little foam to the cup and immediately starts swirling and banging it on the counter as one would do with a steaming pitcher. After she is happy with the result she pours the rest of the milk.

A perfect cappuccino by Bronwen Serna served during the judges certification workshop.

Pouring Even Cappas

This one comes from Intelligentsia. Ellie, Amber & Matt all used it. The problem with using one pitcher to pour two cappuccinos is that the first pour will have more foam than the second. To avoid it, pour some of the foam into a 2nd pitcher before you pour your first cappa. Then use that foam to top off your 2nd pour.

Dan, you should have started with your pitcher pouring from higher.

Thanks Nick, your contributions are welcome. For those following this thread, Nick was the winner of the SCAA SE Regional Barista Competition. Abe and I were sensory judges in the final round; I remember that you served a very good cappuccino.

Sheesh..I haven't had anything close to time to get a camera out during my morning routine...this is the first time I've even been back here since I posted that. Excuses, excuses...

Remember to save some excuses for the post including your video.

...but in the spirit of the thread, I posted it anyways.

Exactly! You said there was too much foam, but it didn't look like it from the pour. Perhaps it's again a matter of incorporating the two?

[RapidCoffee]

Our more accomplished latte artists are welcome to add their own assessment of what went wrong. Or better yet, post your own video under the same rules: No do overs, no editing, just pour and post.

Dan, you're a brave man! Ok, I'll play: here's a video of this morning's capp. First try, no editing, no do-overs, etc.