"Latte art" heats up in home kitchens, but Starbucks isn't teaching it

Once an obscure skill practiced by a handful of baristas, latte art is invading the home, reports the Wall Street Journal. A spokeswoman for Starbucks says "foam art" isn't part of the company's barista-training process. "I don't think we want to legislate creativity," she says. But some Starbucks baristas do compete in latte-art competitions, she adds. (Read the Wall Street Journal story)

Comments

[B-Mo]

La Colombe Torrefaction by Rittenhouse Square in Philly is purported to be one of the top coffeehouses in the country. They practice latte art, and it is appreciated by their customers. BUT this is a coffeehouse that is about coffee and espresso drinks ALONE. They do not have flavored syrups, nor do they have a menu posted. It appeals to a different crowd.

Latte art is not practical during busy times in a Starbucks store, but I don't see why anyone would be ANTI-latte art during a slow period of the day.

And Espressoblend - you know that these things get sanitized, right?

[jojo]

we have the steaming pitchers and do the art at night, only for our "for-here" customers, when we are able to create a strong connection with customers

[Carol]

Latte art is very cool.. and customers do enjoy it.. I think starbucks is missing something it called "Caring for the customers" and talking to them , you are all about just about getting the drink out to them fast and taking there money and saying Next....

[logan]

There isn't a button for latte art on the machine? I thought that's just how things worked? Press a button and boom it's done.
Rosettas, hearts, tulips.

11,000 stores. 11,000 to many.
I combat what you destroy every day.
Community, quality, inflated prices.
Thank you for setting specialty coffee back
in it's quest to involve, educate, and create appreciation for the work of hundreds of individuals throughout the start to finish process of coffee.

[Cyberista]

Seriously, I see no harm in wanting to express some creativity on the job! Who is it really going to hurt if there happens to be a foam heart on top of your latte? I agree with the fact that Starbucks doesn't have exactly the right equipment for art. The most I can usually get is a rough heart or crude rosetta, but it makes being a work a little more enjoyable. Sometimes it even makes a new connection with an interesting conversation piece. Sure, if your customer is in a huge rush, they aren't going to appreciate much, but when it's slow or you get a customer that's a little less uptight and hurried, why not?

As for the pitcher, kudos for the effort! There is no official rule stating you can't use your own pitcher. It just has to be approved and treated like any other pitcher, meaning it gets cleaned and sanitized regularly. It also tends to be up to the DM, SM, and the individual barista as to whether or not we accept a customer's home item. Clearly, we don't allow dangerous items, or things that may damage the equipment (such as blending biscotti), but our store routinely gets customers who bring in their own rice milk because we don't have it. We even have separate non-dairy and soy pitchers for just such an occasion.

Back to the art: when it's slow, I personally attempt to perfect my Starbucks art (however futile it may be), so check under your cap; you never know when you may get that rogue pretty latte.

[Jeff]

as by 2012, we hve the necessary tools and ingredients quality to make latte art, basic at least.

If you steam you milk properly, it's harder not to pour a heart or an apple. The problem is the spoon use. just because the trainning manual says top with foam. It shouldn't mean take apart milk and foam and just add some milk with the spoon. The very essence of capicciono and latte is foam, thus, properly steamed milk.

[Angel Elizondo]

Okay this is coming from a barista, in order to even begin to create latte art you have to have good foam. So customers don't have to think it's just to look cute because flowers and hearts can be boring to make as they are to look at but one thing is for sure every time you see one, and that is that the beverage was made well!