Recap and Glossary
Recap
- The pin-drop technique is needed to ensure your milk drops below the surface and preserves a brown colour on the surface. This technique is used primarily in the first half of pouring a design.
- To obtain a smooth, more homogenous design, the flow rate in the first half of a pour should be slower (approx 15ml/seconds).
- A latte art fault that leaves faded white lines on the surface of a drink is called snail trails. This issue is cause by pouring too close, too quickly, or too randomly (i.e., in an arbitrary way) when using the filling technique known as the pin-drop.
- To apply a clear white line on the surface of a drink you need to position the spout of your milk pitcher within 1 cm of the surface.
- The monk’s head design is poured using the placing manoeuvre.
- The heart design is poured using the placing and cutting manoeuvres.
Glossary
Brake A milk pitcher technique useful to immediate arrest the flow of milk; by dropping his or her elbow quickly towards the floor, the barista shifts the milk pitcher to an upright position.
Cutting A milk pitcher manoeuvre, usually practiced at the end of a design, to make a centre cut or etch through part of a design — e.g., to form the stem of a leaf
Drawing height A position of the milk pitcher that brings the spout within 1 centimetre of the surface of a beverage. Only at this close range is it possible to achieve clearly delineated milk foam patterns.
Entry point The position above the surface of a drink where the spout of the milk pitcher needs to be positioned at the commencement of pouring a design (i.e., when the cup is half full)
Flow profile The volume of milk added to a cup per second over the course of the pour
Halfway Point The moment when pouring latte art that the cup is half full
Orbits A latte art fault wherein a barista pours in circles around the outside of the edge of the cup and at close range to the surface;