First, the milk needs to be steamed to a silky consistency at between 55 and 65 deg C in order for distinct patterns to be formed. If it is too foamy, the pattern will be "white- washed", with blurred boundaries between the white and brown parts of the drink. If it is not foamed sufficiently, the milk will not flow.
Then comes the technique of pouring the milk. If it is poured too high, the espresso's crema will be broken easily. And a low pouring position will cause the foam to drop out earlier.
To train students on steaming the milk well, she gets them to steam soap water, which looks and behaves like the real thing.
She showcases the fern-like rosetta design, which she says is one of the toughest basic latte art designs to master. Much of its difficulty lies in having to wriggle one's wrist in an S-shaped wave while pouring the steamed milk into a cup of espresso to form the pattern. This ensures that the thick layers of "leaves" are evenly interspersed with coffee and milk.
She says: "Your wrists need to be relaxed while having a loose grip on the pitcher, instead of stopping and stacking pours of milk when forming a tulip design."
Her skills were showcased at this year's Singapore National Barista Championship and she came in sixth.
The former restaurant manager says: "It was like being in a performance as you made 12 coffee drinks in 15 minutes and shared the stories behind the brews. It has made me a better barista."
ST's Best Latte Art contest
Stand a chance to win one of 10 pairs of exclusive tickets to a special June 9 preview experience at the Singapore Coffee Festival.
All readers have to do is tell us, in 20-30 words, which featured latte art is the best. Answers are to be sent to stpromo@sph.com.sg and winners will be notified through an e-mail.
Entry to public is only open from June 10 onwards.
SCF Experience For ST Readers:
- 10 ST Readers, each with 1 partner, will be treated to a special Singapore Coffee Festival Experience.
- 7-8pm: Cocktail reception at the VIP lounge where canapes will be served.
- 8-9pm: Private workshop at Common Man Coffee Roasters MCR Lab for a private workshop (Topic: Introduction to Specialty Coffee).
This will take participants through an introduction to coffee as a product, what separates specialty coffee from commodity coffee, what varieties are consumed and what processing and brewing methods do to the final taste in the cup. The class will finish with a cupping session which will cover a number of CMCR's Single Origin coffees to exemplify the topics covered.