How did the coffee bean originate and lead to latte art?

Latte art traces back to two places. A steam-pressure espresso machine was patented in Milan, Italy, by Luigi Bezzera in 1901, and the Italian firm La Pavoni added a steam wand and brought it to market in 1906. Decades later, in 1980s Seattle, barista David Schomer poured a heart shape in milk foam and developed the technique behind Espresso Vivace.

Steamed milk was already common in Italy by the late nineteenth century, but poured patterns came much later. Schomer studied Italian espresso style, then refined pouring and trained other baristas. What began as a decorative heart on a milk drink grew into a judged professional skill, and today it is close to standard in cafes that serve milk-based espresso. Even a casual coffee enthusiast now notices it.

Ordering a milk coffee at a café, the exquisite heart or leaf latte art on the surface often catches the eye. Where exactly did this skill known as "Latte Art" come from? This article traces the historical development of latte art: from the steam-pressure espresso machine born in Milan, Italy in the early twentieth century, to American barista David Schomer in Seattle accidentally creating a heart-shaped pattern, to today's latte art that has swept the globe. The article also explores how latte art evolved from pure visual decoration into a professional skill balancing mouthfeel and pouring techniques, and analyzes how baristas under the specialty coffee wave continuously refine latte art. Whether you are a coffee enthusiast or a professional, you can learn the story and professional depth behind latte art.

When cafés make milk-based espresso drinks, latte art has almost become standard. Simple patterns like hearts and leaves, and more complex ones can even show animals or cartoon characters.

In some coffee competitions, latte art is a professional skill that baristas must master, with all kinds of exquisite patterns produced effortlessly. So, who originally created this dazzling technique?

Did latte art originate in Italy or the United States?

To make latte art, a pressurized espresso machine and a steam wand are indispensable. In the early twentieth century, Luigi Bezzera, a manufacturer in Milan, Italy, invented the first semi-automatic steam-pressure coffee machine to extract coffee more efficiently, and applied for a patent in 1901. Later, the Italian company La Pavoni acquired Bezzera's patent, added a steam wand to the coffee machine, and brought it to market in 1906.

Although the practice of steaming milk already existed in Italy at the end of the 19th century, latte art appeared decades later, and the public's recognition of latte art is thanks to Americans. In the 1980s, David Schomer ran a small coffee stand in Seattle, USA. One day, while making an espresso milk drink, he happened to form a "heart shape" with the last of the white milk foam on the surface.

Later, David studied in depth the style and production techniques of Italian espresso at that time, opened Espresso Vivace, and delved into this "pattern-pouring" technique, improving and training more baristas in the ability to create high-quality latte art. In the late 1980s, this kind of coffee decorated with patterns began to spread in the United States and quickly spread around the world.

Latte art is also called "Latte Art"

Latte is a transliteration of the Italian "Caffè Latte," and "Latte" refers to milk. Steamed hot milk is incorporated into espresso while pouring out "artistic" patterns, hence the name Latte Art.

Early latte art consisted only of simple patterns like hearts and leaves. With the development of specialty coffee, baristas around the world have placed increasing importance on this skill. They began designing more exquisite visual effects, and there is also a carving technique that uses milk foam and auxiliary materials to create bolder graphics.

At first, baristas focused more on the presentation of patterns, but through industry development and high consumer demand, latte art is not only refined visually, but also continuously improved in the creamy mouthfeel of the milk and the methods and techniques of integrating with espresso, thereby enhancing the overall taste of the coffee and achieving the so-called realm of complete color, aroma, and flavor. David pointed out that a high-quality espresso and premium milk are both crucial for making exquisite latte art.

The phenomenon of milk coffees like lattes and flat whites becoming popular on social media and in friend circles is largely due to the addition of Latte Art. Who wouldn't like their ordered coffee to have not only a rich taste but also a pleasing, highly attractive latte art?

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The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.