Bitter Barista

Latte art competitions have been milking it for too long – they used to be fun, but now their focus on the wrong things is harming barista skills, says our cantankerous columnist

There’s time and place for everything. In Italy, the country that gave us the espresso, the only time for a cappuccino is first thing in the morning. In the birthplace of coffee, Ethiopia, dairy is typically processed into other products to extend its life in the hot climate, and butter is traditionally added to black coffee. Closer to home there’s a different attitude. The abundance of pasture land, cooler temperatures and widespread lactose tolerance means milk is widely consumed by Brits at breakfast, lunch and dinner. And local baristas, it seems, share that love – just look at their latte art.

The rise of speciality coffee and the rise of latte art go hand in hand. A heart or rosetta topping one’s flat white or cappuccino quickly became a hallmark of cup quality, and a key point of difference from the high street coffee chains. At first, my baristas struggled to pour even the most basic of requests, but this changed rapidly and soon their rosettas were served with dozens of leaves, while it wasn’t uncommon to see peacocks and unicorns. Some shops cashed in by offering latte art courses to consumers.