S4:EP13: COFFEE SMARTER
Topic: Milk & Latte Art
Guest: Siri Simran Khalsa, Lofty Coffee Company
Title: Director of Coffee
Instagram: @loftycoffeeco, @SDCoffeeNetwork
Website: www.loftycoffee.com
This is the first podcast episode I kind of wished was done on video. Not because my beard was trimmed to perfection, but because I got to see Siri as she explained the details of steaming milk and creating latte art over the chat.
The biggest takeaway: Don’t get ahead of yourself. This is the wax-on, wax-off Karate Kid theory of everything. You could probably jump right into trying to make a heart (or, in my case, a blob) on the first day you start pulling espresso, but you’ll never really get good. Take some time to make sure you’re using the tools and understand the variables that go into making a good coffee drink.
Variables for steaming include the type of milk, the pitcher, the ambient temps, the rising temperature of the milk, and the placement of the steam wand under the surface of the milk.
Variables for latte art include the cup being poured into and the skill of the barista. The barista is making constant micro-adjustments accounting for the speed and height of the pour in relation to the interplay of the milk on the brown espresso canvas.
There is so much science that goes into making a coffee drink. Siri gets into the chemistry of fat and protein breakdown when introducing heat and air from the steam wand. I have to really think through this part of the show, but basically, the proteins create structure, and the fats create texture and add sweetness.
Once you’ve got steaming milk down, you’ll be farther along than me. It takes practice to learn how to do well, and it takes practice to stay in shape as a milk steamer.
When you start attempting some latte art, you’ll inevitably have some milk blobs that don’t look good (but still taste great). You might even get frustrated, but then, what is that? Is that a heart? Holy hell! You did it!
You’ll be hooked. Those swans and flowers and dinosaurs will be topping your morning espressos in no time. Unless you’re like me and you decide to leave the latte art to the professionals. I go to the coffee shop and enjoy the show.
SIRI’S PRO-TIPS:
Keep your milk and pitchers as cold as possible to give yourself more time to steam/aerate the milk.
The texture is more important than latte art. Get the texture down first because if the texture is off, then the entire beverage is off.
Use scales to measure the correct amount of milk for the coffee drink you’re creating.
Choose your milk or milk alternative, knowing that more fat in the milk = more need for air from the steam wand. Less fat = Less need for air. It will be easier to steam and foam milk with a lot of fat, like whole milk, and harder with fat-free or non-dairy kinds of milk.
Use the right-sized pitcher for the volume of milk. When steaming milk, you are adding heat and air, which will add volume.
Use a simple clip-on thermometer to help monitor the milk temperature. Some coffee-specific ones will even have appropriate temperatures marked for you.
FROM THE SHOW
It isn’t easy to teach the basics of latte art in an audio only podcast. Thankfully we have former Latte Art World Champions with Youtube channels. It is amazing what you can learn online for free. Siri mentioned that sometimes she would find inspiration on social media. Drink making, be it lattes or cocktails, seem to be a popular topic on TikTok and Instagram.
DEFINITIONS
Siri used two terms in this episode that I wanted to define or at least clarify.
Breve (or Caffé Breve): is a variation of a latte where the steamed milk is replaced by half & half to make a richer, foamier drink. Half & half is half milk and half cream. It has more fat proteins and is frothed for longer than a latte making for more foam at the top. (www.coffeehustle.org)
Hydrophobic: In chemistry, refers to a product that doesn’t mix well with or dissolve into water.
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Coffee Smarter: Milk & Latte Art