Latte Art
A rosetta tops a vanilla latte at Wild Boar Coffee. Photo by Kelly Sterner
A tap and a pour of milk with an artful touch into a hot cup of espresso sprouts a leafy rosetta out of the top of a latte.
The baristas at Wild Boar Coffee on College Avenue are known for being connoisseurs of latte art. Eclectic art adorns the walls and if you look a little closer it’s in the cups, too.
Sam Sirchio has been a barista for nine years. He learned to free pour and etch latte art from lots of practice and lots of lattes. “It’s just kind of a natural habit now pouring anything – even a glass of milk,” Sirchio said with a smile.
Sirchio likes to do free-pour latte art, pulling out his go-to, classy, leafy rosetta at the rim of the cup. One cup after another he puts a little artistic flair on a cup of espresso. Although, he claims he’s not an artistic person.
Customers forgo the whipped cream, not for the calories, but to preserve the top of their artful latte. Sirchio said latte art is almost an expectation now among coffee drinkers. “It seems like when I first started here in 2009 we’d always get a lot of, ‘oh wow! I can’t believe you did that. Did you know that there’s like a leaf in here?’ And now it’s like, ‘oh yeah, good job.’”
Jake Thaler, a senior at Colorado State University, didn’t know it was called latte art, but he knows he likes to drink a cup of Joe with a little art at the rim. “I’d much rather drink a latte with a dog drawn on the top than one without. Or maybe I don’t wanna drink it, just look at it.”
People do make requests. “Usually they’re kind of tongue-in-cheek requests,” said Sirchio. “A phallic latte, we’ve had those before,” shouted a barista from the back. The creative designs the baristas come up with keep their customers on their toes. A dragon, a pierced heart, and flowers can all be etched into the espresso and foam.
A swirl of a simple thermometer into the rich espresso like a paint brush to a palate allows a barista to draw into milk. A quick dip into a cup of water repeats the process to even create E.T. and Elliot flying over the moon.
The baristas at Wild Boar Coffee on College Avenue are known for being connoisseurs of latte art. Eclectic art adorns the walls and if you look a little closer it’s in the cups, too.
Sam Sirchio has been a barista for nine years. He learned to free pour and etch latte art from lots of practice and lots of lattes. “It’s just kind of a natural habit now pouring anything – even a glass of milk,” Sirchio said with a smile.
Sirchio likes to do free-pour latte art, pulling out his go-to, classy, leafy rosetta at the rim of the cup. One cup after another he puts a little artistic flair on a cup of espresso. Although, he claims he’s not an artistic person.
Customers forgo the whipped cream, not for the calories, but to preserve the top of their artful latte. Sirchio said latte art is almost an expectation now among coffee drinkers. “It seems like when I first started here in 2009 we’d always get a lot of, ‘oh wow! I can’t believe you did that. Did you know that there’s like a leaf in here?’ And now it’s like, ‘oh yeah, good job.’”
Jake Thaler, a senior at Colorado State University, didn’t know it was called latte art, but he knows he likes to drink a cup of Joe with a little art at the rim. “I’d much rather drink a latte with a dog drawn on the top than one without. Or maybe I don’t wanna drink it, just look at it.”
People do make requests. “Usually they’re kind of tongue-in-cheek requests,” said Sirchio. “A phallic latte, we’ve had those before,” shouted a barista from the back. The creative designs the baristas come up with keep their customers on their toes. A dragon, a pierced heart, and flowers can all be etched into the espresso and foam.
A swirl of a simple thermometer into the rich espresso like a paint brush to a palate allows a barista to draw into milk. A quick dip into a cup of water repeats the process to even create E.T. and Elliot flying over the moon.
Latte Art How-To with a Barista
Sam Sirchio, barista at Wild Boar Coffee, demonstrates how to free-pour and etch latte art. From what he calls simple, free-pour leaves and hearts, to etching E.T. and Elliot flying over a full moon. After getting a quick how-to in the world of latte art, check out some of Sirchio's favorites. |
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A dragon etched into a latte. Photo courtesy of Sam Sirchio
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A mocha adorned with whipped cream and a leaf. Photo courtesy of Sam Sirchio
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A pierced heart. Photo courtesy of Sam Sirchio
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E.T and Elliot flying over the moon. Photo courtesy of Sam Sirchio
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