The latte art festival celebrates a unique experience and exchange between the customer and the brewmaster. By R Palisetty
let’s catch up over coffee.” But what if you could give each cup a twistIJ The bitter smell of coffee wafting through the house is a wake-up call for many coffee aficionados who begin their day with the dark and robust drink.
The coffee culture has moved beyond a dollop of foam on your coffee. With the latte Art Festival at Cafe Coffee Day, the mood can be set for the perfect day by creating a heart or a tulip or other designs on your coffee. The latte art designs are poured by the brewmaster over a cup of coffee.
Coffee is conversation and love for Naina Soin, manager and trainer in North India who says, “The special touch of latte art creates a unique experience for the customers. The five handpicked latte art designs express love and beauty, celebrating the joy of drinking coffee.”
This festival is designed to celebrate the skill imbibed in the team members to brew coffee on the table. The brewmaster creates the latte art on the table and the secret lies in the way it is poured out. “It makes each cup different from the other. Though the ingredients remain the same, the expression comes out a little different every time,” said Soin.
Shahrukh Khan, the coffee guru has trained all the brewmasters in Delhi-NCR region. During this festival, we come across five designs — the heart, the double heart, waving heart, rosette, and tulip. “A combination of easier and complicated designs are available on the menu. latte art can be an n-number of things because it is an expression that you pour into a cup with delight for the customer.”
To make the ideal latte art, you need nicely brewed espresso and froth milk. Though it sounds easy, it never is. In a cup, espresso is poured after which the milk is poured in a circular motion depending on the design. “Espresso is the canvas and the brewmaster is drawing with the milk,” said Khan. Amateurs should keep a few things in mind before trying it out. “The espresso should have cream on top and the milk should have an appropriate amount of fat percentage because if you overheat the milk, big bubbles appear and the glossy texture of the foam disappears.”
A good brewmaster is adept at making a great cup of espresso, texturing the milk at precise temperature and pouring it with a free hand.
The latte art is being served in 10 cafes celebrating an experience for the customers and the brewmasters’ skills. On an average, two brewmasters are going to be ever present in each store.
The training for the brewmasters depends on each and every individuals. Said Khan, “It requires a lot of practice. The heart can be learned in a month or so but the tulip and double heart require three to four months of time with regular practice.”
In one instance recalled by Khan, one of the brewmasters made a heart for the very first time and he was so overjoyed by the accomplishment that he was eager to learn more.
The latte art festival has captured the attention of the customers since it is happening in India for the very first time and has been immensely appreciated. While on the floor, the team in its entirety ensures that the coffee that goes to the customer’s cup adheres to the quality standards put in place and at the same time, making it a warm experience for drinking cappuccino.