Los Angeles is a fast-paced city where many of us grab our coffee on the go. While this practice gets us to work on time (barring traffic, of course), it deprives us of a coffee experience that never fails to delight - latte art.

Latte art is an image or pattern created in the silky foam of a latte. Often this is achieved with nothing more than a steady hand pouring the steamed milk out of the pitcher. This is “free pour” latte art. This tulip is an example of that (photo by journeyscoffee). Other times, the barista “draws” details with a pointy instrument.

By far, the most common motif is the rosetta (photo on right by journeyscoffee), another free pour design, but the possibilities are only as limited as the barista’s skill and imagination, as demonstrated in the video below by Sam Corra, called “The Latte Zoo.”

Don't be fooled by how easy he makes it look. Latte art is difficult to master. Not only do the espresso and milk need to be perfectly prepared, the barista must pour the milk at a consistent rate and rock the pitcher back and forth at the same time. Competitions are held in cities all over the world: DC, Seattle, Vegas, Chicago, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Antwerp, Cologne, and Bern to name a few. The prize can be thousands of dollars, or it can be a contest in which the entry fee is $5 and the winner takes all.

Where can you get yourself some sippable art? Probably not at a large chain, like Starbucks or Caribou Coffee. Their strengths lie in speed of service, drinks you are familiar with and can get no matter where you travel, and convenient (even drive-through) locations. For an artistic cup of temporary eye candy, you’ll need to visit a café where the owners and baristas craft their drinks with only your satisfaction in mind, knowing that their reputation depends on that first sip, and perhaps even that first glimpse.

So, don't deprive your soul. Delight your eye as well as your taste buds the next time you get yourself a latte.

If you liked this article, you might also enjoy: 
? A review of M Street Coffee in Sherman Oaks, where the caramel royal I had boasted a lovely bit of latte art
? Rate My Rosetta.com where you can view people's latte art and give it 1-5 stars
? Coffee art part 1: Recreating the Mona Lisa one cup of coffee at a time
? Coffee art part 2: Girl with a pearl earring and a cup of joe
? Coffee art part 3 – Newport Beach man creates art out of illegal materials 
 

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