Mini - you have really got a hang for it now bro! You def. inspire me to keep after it. I feel like i have been walking in the dark a little but the above poster who said to pour faster helped me as well. I just went back to the kitchen after reading that and here is the first ever rosetta I have made. Thanks for making this thread and giving me hope lol;)

Critique my work Jedi master haha:D

I'm by no means an expert, but I find it helps to hold the pitcher by the sides rather than by the handle. This gives you more control over the wiggle you need to form the leaves. The rest is about being Zen and relaxing while pouring. I often start out well, then get nervous and start shaking the pitcher too fast, which leads to uneven leaves and other mistakes.

Anyway, great work! Your progress is really impressive. Keep it up!

Well thanks, you guys.

Beezer, I was probably a bit... firm with my opinion. I still think that swinging by the handle is better, but it is certainly my opinion and not at all the only way to pour. Everyone should decide for themselves.

jammin, nice!!! Very solid pour, and there's some good technique behind it. Clean edges, glossy surface, good stuff. Just make your foam a bit thinner, and I bet you will have it.

Mini -

look - i poured a mini haha;)



cheers,
jackson

Aw... no perfect rosetta, but really, REALLY close in my mind.

Week 6

Filled the cup nicely, lots of leaves, random squiggle stem? Oh well, it's pretty!



This was going to be it!!! Do you see how glorious it was looking?!? And then, of all things, I ran out of milk in the pitcher and had to dribble the stem at the end.


This is the best quality control yet. A bit asymmetrical, but let's call it character.

For those who have been keeping track, I answered my original question of "how long does it take to learn how to pour a rosetta?" with "about a week" if you want it. I'm going to declare another answer today. "How long until you can pour a decent rosetta almost every time." "About 6 weeks."

All my pours this past week were what I would consider good rosettas. My definitions are constantly adjusting themselves, but I would have been really happy with any of my pours in the beginning of this thread.

And man do I feel like I'm close to a "perfect" pour like I've been talking about. My average technique forms rosettas, my average foam allows rosettas, but one of these times I'm going to sync the best of both variables together.

One of the last leaf characteristics I'm after now is the wrap-around leaves (where the bottom leaves curve up the sides). I believe this is only possible with optimum foam consistency. I seem to make it happen by "throwing" just a little extra volume of foam for the first two or three leaves, before backing off a tiny bit to make the top leaves taper. Thin foam will separate too early in the cup and destroy my crema with the throw. Thick foam (too much foam) won't carry any momentum, but rather just stick to the top of the crema where it's poured out..

The middle picture probably shows what I'm talking about the best. I'm currently using this idea as a diagnostic tool. Perhaps you can too. Once you get over the technique hump of making one rosetta, look at the way the leaves form to check if your foam is the best consistency. Any other opinions about this?

Until next week...

I find that by pushing into the first couple of leaves while wriggling the pitcher at the beginning, you'll create nice wrap around leaves for your rosetta. Hope that will help!

Hm... you mean moving the pitcher forwards (towards the stem) right when the leaves start forming?

That's right or stay in the middle of the cup and squeeze in as many leaves as you can, the rippling effect will push the leaves near the far end to curve up and wrap around the new leaves being created. Good luck!