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MOST OF US IN SPECIALTY COFFEE remember the first time we ever saw a more-experienced barista pour a rosetta: Was anything as impressive as that ribbon of pearly white flowing perfectly into the brown folds of crema, the barista gently rocking her pitcher side to side as though it were no big deal, then quickly flicking her wrist to transform seemingly random swirls into the perfect, symmetrical fernlike flower? I know I'm probably not alone if I admit that first rosetta was totally a big deal to me: It was the first truly magical specialty-coffee experience I'd ever had, and it convinced me there was something to this barista thing—something I immediately knew I wanted to be a part of. Twelve years, countless rosettas, several friendly local throwdowns (and one semipathetic entry in a Coffee Fest Latte Art Competition) later, I'm still in pursuit of the perfect pour, determined to continue trying to improve my latte artistry. What is it about latte art that captivates us? Why do we continue to chase this lactic dragon? (Or swan, or five-tier tulip?) Smiles, Everyone, Smiles! For one thing, latte art is a simple and sudden way to make a customer feel touched and awed by coffee and inspired by the interaction he has with his barista. A design on the top of a drink signifies that this isn't just diner swill or gas-station sludge: It's a hand-crafted drink made by someone who cares, and whose talent is the result of hours of practice, concentration, and passion. "The pretty part develops as the barista does," says Christopher "Nicely" Abel Alameda, who got his start in the latte arts at Espresso Vivace in Seattle before moving to Los Angeles to work at Intelligentsia and Handsome Coffee Roasters. "The focus should always be on the customer. Before every [Coffee Fest Latte Art] competition, when my guests know I am about to compete…I thank them. I wouldn't be able to win the 'dollar dollar bills' if they don't give me their dollar bills, providing me the opportunity to practice and serve." "I believe latte art is a vehicle to help ascend the medicinal consumption of coffee to an even higher plane of culinary appreciation," Nicely, who currently manages the coffee program at restaurant the Hart and the Hunter, continues. "Those that choose to take a moment and really recognize the fleeting piece of artwork they get to ingest the same as they would a beautifully plated dish of delicacies, bonus points." "I think latte art has power to make people smile," says Junichi Yamaguchi, a barista at the Theater Coffee in Tokyo's Shibuya district—and he doesn't just mean the person who ordered the drink. "The taste can make only [the] customer happy…but latte art can Rippled Heart GOOD POURS: HOW-TO All pours begin by filling the cup about halfway, from a height of about two inches, to raise the liquid without drawing. When you're ready to begin the design, with the cup tilted, drop to within one half inch of the liquid in the center of the cup. Solid Heart Same as the monk's head except: When the cup is almost full, lift the pitcher straight up to above two inches and slowly draw through to the bottom of the cup. Monk's Head Hold position in the center of the cup while slightly increasing the rate of pour until the cup is full. 66 barista magazine Slightly rock the pitcher back and forth to begin a pendulum motion in the milk as you hold position in the center of the cup. When the cup is almost full, lift and draw through, just like the solid heart. Tulip Begin by pouring a rippled dot in the center of the cup and stopping. Pour a second dot about one half inch above the first while you push forward slightly, then stop. Pour a third dot at the top of the cup and, instead of stopping, lift up and draw through the design like you would with a heart. Rosetta Form the base of the rosetta just like you would for a rippled heart by staying in the center of the cup for the majority of the pour. At the very end, keep rocking the pitcher while you pull back to the top of the cup. When the cup is almost full, lift and very slowly draw through the center of the design, stopping when you reach the bottom.