Sipping a hot cup of coffee on a chilly fall 
day is a special moment, but taking that extra bit of time to finish it all off with foam art is a special way to treat yourself, or a friend. Learning how to create latte art is intimidating at first, but once you push through, and use the best ceramic pour coffee dripper to start things off right, you too can create the most beautiful cup of coffee. Here’s what you’ll need:
Patience
As adults, it can be hard to admit that we don’t know how to do everything but it’s a hurdle you will have to overcome if you want to learn how to whip up foam art, after using your ceramic pour coffee dripper. Practice makes perfect so don’t get discouraged when things don’t look the way you envisioned at first. Talented baristas with years of experience work every day to improve their craft, so go easy on yourself.
Whole Milk
Two essentials for making the best cup of coffee are a ceramic pour coffee dripper for a great cup of joe, and whole milk — though, if you prefer, opt for skim, soy, or oat. Just know that the secret to a lot of foam, and therefore beautiful latte art, is whole milk. A good starting ratio is three ounces per one ounce of espresso.
Steaming
Foam is a delicate, sensitive substance. In order to achieve velvety, beautiful foam, whole milk must be steamed at 140 to 160 degrees. Achieving the perfect, frothy foam also requires the right amount of air. If you add too much, your foam will be too thick and turn into globs in your coffee. But too little air, and your foam won’t have any extra volume. If there is too much air, your drink won’t be as sweet. It’s a delicate balancing game but it’s worth it. Because after you make the perfect cup of coffee with your ceramic pour over coffee dripper you can top if off with beautiful latte art.
The Right Cup
A cup with a parabolic slope is to foam art what a ceramic pour coffee dripper is to the perfect cup of coffee — a necessity. Let’s go to back algebra in high school. In simplest terms, a parabolic slope is a u-shape. Cups with this kind of angling create gentle and welcoming environment for your freshly frothed milk to rest. Whereas a cup with a sharp slope causes blow out — a term used by baristas to describe foam art where the white and brown have mixed together to form a tannish color instead of distinct design. The milk crashes into the walls of cups with non-parabolic bottoms, and breaks the crema.
Plan Ahead
Milk pouring is a quick process so go in with a plan. The simplest shape of latte art to practice is a heart. Once you have finished making coffee with your ceramic pour over coffee dripper, hold your cup of coffee by handle straight out in front of you. Then, grab your pitcher with your other hand and hold it so it’s perpendicular to the cup. Pour the milk in a pencil-width stream in the centre of the surface of coffee. Use a ‘high and slow, then low and fast’ motion as you pour. Finish off with a pull through and enjoy!
Remember, it will take a while to perfect your foam art but don’t give up! This is only the cherry on top of an already perfect cup of pour over coffee. Click here to learn more.