How to Practice Italian Coffee Latte Rosetta Pattern and What is the Proper Latte Coffee Ratio and Coffee Amount?

Some friends have asked FrontStreet Coffee how to practice the pitcher movement when making etched latte art. This article serves as a supplement to "How can I create beautiful etched lines?" If you haven't read it, you can click the link first. This article won't repeat the content mentioned above.

Issue 1: Asymmetric Patterns

The first problem: if your pattern is asymmetrical, there's only one possibility - your milk pitcher and coffee cup are not aligned in a straight line.

What does it mean to form a straight line? From the front side view, you should only see the flat profile of the latte art pitcher and coffee cup, not their three-dimensional shape.

When observed from above, the coffee cup handle should face inward. This way, when creating the pattern, the design will be facing forward (for right-handed baristas). The center lines of the latte art pitcher and coffee cup should form a parallel straight line. Only then will the pattern be symmetrical.

Issue 2: Uneven Line Density

The second problem: if during etching, one side has dense lines while the other side has sparse lines. There are two possibilities. The first might be caused by the first issue mentioned above. The second possibility is that your pitcher movement force is uneven - meaning the swing amplitude is larger on one side and smaller on the other.

FrontStreet Coffee's suggestion is to first practice without milk. Start with an empty pitcher to get familiar with the motion, as shown in the video below:

First, familiarize yourself with the force points of the pitcher movement. As demonstrated in the video, the thumb is responsible for fixing the position, while the other four fingers apply force, making the pitcher handle a pivot point to swing the latte art pitcher back and forth.

If you've mastered the force principle, you can practice with water, as shown in the video below:

This back-and-forth pitcher movement practice is the most important process. Control the water flow and control the swing amplitude. Because practicing with water is different from practicing with an empty pitcher, when using water, you'll encounter corresponding resistance during the swing. To practice maintaining consistent water flow and swing amplitude requires patience and persistent practice. Moreover, as can be seen from the video, as the water in the pitcher decreases, it becomes easier to swing.

Basically, there's no particularly difficult technique here - it all relies on muscle memory. If your pitcher movement isn't good, it's definitely because you haven't practiced enough.

Issue 3: Thick Etched Lines

The third problem: your etched lines are too thick. This also has two possibilities. The first possibility is that your milk foam is frothed too thickly. The second possibility is the most difficult to change - the habit of placing the pitcher against the cup when creating patterns. In the past, when creating large white hearts or pushing tulips, placing the pitcher spout against the coffee cup provided more stability, but this actually creates limitations when etching. When swinging the latte art pitcher, this habit can easily restrict the movement, and being too close to the liquid surface results in very thick white lines that lack aesthetic appeal.

Important Notice :

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