Latte art is the craft of creating leaves or other patterns on top of an original cappuccino or latte.

In the 1980s, David Schomer inadvertently poured white milk foam onto the surface of coffee in his coffee cart in the United States, creating a pattern resembling a heart.

This accidental heart-shaped effect was surprisingly well-received by customers. Subsequently, David began to focus on perfecting this heart shape and eventually invented leaf art. As the coffee industry increasingly paid attention to this technique, the modern trend of latte art emerged.

Initially, latte art focused mainly on visual presentation. However, after long-term development and evolution, latte art has evolved beyond aesthetics. It now emphasizes the dense texture and integration of milk, as well as techniques to enhance the overall flavor profile, achieving a balance of color, aroma, and taste.

Every year, the "Coffee Fest" in the United States hosts "The Millrock Latte Art Competition," gathering latte art masters from around the world to showcase innovative patterns and proficient techniques.

In the "World Barista Competition" (WBC), often dubbed the "Olympics of the coffee world," latte art has become an essential professional coffee skill. Representatives from each country demonstrate their superb latte art skills during the cappuccino segment of the competition, highlighting the importance and professionalism of latte art in the world of Italian-style coffee.

With the development of specialty coffee, latte art techniques have diversified. Baristas increasingly focus on honing this skill, dedicating themselves to the artistic forms that float on the surface of coffee. Apart from improving their techniques, they also upgrade their "tools":

1. Milk Pitchers: There are various types of milk pitchers on the market with different spouts, grooves, capacities, and weights. Different spouts effectively control the flow of milk foam into the coffee.

2. Coffee Cups: There are now many different types of latte art cups, including round-bottomed, flat-bottomed, glass, ceramic, and various shapes. Different cups enhance aspects such as milk-coffee integration, flow rate, and return of liquid to the surface.

3. Milk: In addition to regular milk, there are now many different types of milk available, such as skimmed milk, oat milk, blended milk, and purified milk. Different types of milk foam to varying degrees.

4. Etching Needle: Etching requires the use of an "etching needle" to assist. The etching needle has two different-shaped heads: a sharp one used for outlining and another for drawing large patterns. Baristas first froth the milk, blend it with espresso to create a rough pattern, and then use the etching needle for detailed embellishments, enabling them to create relatively complex patterns.

5. 3D Latte Art: While regular latte art patterns are typically two-dimensional, 3D effects can be achieved by varying the thickness of frothed milk. Thick milk foam is layered using a spoon to create a three-dimensional effect. A chocolate sauce is often used with the etching needle for pattern drawing, resulting in an astonishing 3D latte art creation.

As coffee culture flourishes, latte art has become not only an art form and a skill but also an emotional link between baristas and customers. From its accidental discovery to today's world-class competitions, the evolution of latte art not only showcases people's relentless pursuit of aesthetics but also underscores the ongoing quest for the perfect coffee experience.

On the path of continuous innovation, baristas will continue to explore and push the boundaries of technology and imagination, infusing each cup of coffee with more artistry and inspiration. Let us look forward to the even more brilliant future of coffee culture together.