So, I have been with SUBX a little over one year, I am really interested in making latte art and I know we are not required nor we have the time, But my store is a license store and I should say we do not get that busy. Do any my fellow partners know about latte art?
I know this might be off topic....forgive me :)
latte art
(33 posts) (18 voices)-
Posted 1 year ago #
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Whenever some orders a for here latte, or a personal mug, I pour something nice on their drink. I can make a decent Rosetta, and a great heart. Usually the ones who appreciate ceramic mugs, also appreciate foam. I would never try latte art on papercup lattes. Too many nofoamers.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Did someone teach you or you taught yourself. I tried couple times but did not work out that well. Lmao. I just want to make rosetta and heart!!!
Posted 1 year ago # -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NItrlTwbvAU
A cool video I found. Hope it helps. :)
Posted 1 year ago # -
When I worked for a real coffee shop I actually started to get good with it. I personally don't think that our machines pull good enough shots to do it, you need really good crema. And you also need really good foam, and also the wide mouth on our milk pitchers don't lead to much. It's all about pouring slowly, and having thick, but liquid-ish enough foam to pour it into the shots to where it naturally shapes it. Also, thermometers are great for extra detail.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Can we do it with Subx cup?
Posted 1 year ago # -
Meh, it's really hard. But it's do able. It's just hard because you don't have all the space that an actual ceramic cappuccino cup does. And you don't get the control cause there isn't the curve to nicely tuck the milk in under it while your crema gets some lighter color to it. It's just really challenging with a paper cup. I've only ever bothered to use cappuccino cups for it. That way I don't **** for using a bunch of paper cups.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I had someone teach me that was awesome at it, and I picked it up a little... but at Starbucks, it's really not ideal. It's difficult to make the right kind of foam with our machines, and the quality of the shots isn't the greatest either, like eyeadapt said. The most I can do are small hearts or a little leaf... but nothing spectacular. Also, we only have paper cups... and no one will ever see it... it's just, I kinda do the motions out of habit.
Posted 1 year ago # -
When it's slow, I motion them to watch as I pour the steamed milk into their cup. I usually aim for hearts, spades and cloverleafs.
Posted 1 year ago # -
i'd say, get your own pitcher if you want to invest in it. i'll admit it here, i've purchased my own pitcher and have been considering bringing it in to make latte art for some regulars as a ploy to get more tips. whether corporate will be lenient on it or not is yet to be determined.
Posted 1 year ago # -
My opinion, Latte art is cool and all. But even as an artist I find it challenging, and as a waste of time, because every time I tried to make a decent foam art,it was never recognized, but the second I tried to do something with the caramel, I became "facebook worthy" Literally, one time I drew a bow on the top of a girls drink with the caramel, and the next time she saw me she was like OMG YOU DREW A BOW ON MY CARAMEL I TOTALLY TOOK A PICCO AND PUT IT ON FACEBOOK FO SHO!
I try to draw things, and this is kind of why I dislike cutting the caramel lids because I find that the thinner the hole the easier it is to be creative with it. I try to do perfect swirls and such. But if they get no whips I like to try and do names, bows, stars, smiley faces, flowers, and once I even tried a snail.
Unless it was actually part of the job description, it's not worth it. People aren't going to tip you more unless you like....draw their face in the foam.
What gets people to tip more is:
1. Immediate recognition: HEY RICK! ANOTHER VENTI ICED AMERICANO WITH SUGAR FREE VANILLA AND NON FAT MILK FOR YOU TODAY?!
Besides that, it's all on chance.
There are the customers who will just give you their change cause they don't wanna carry it. The customers who will tip you a dollar because you shared a great conversation with them.Posted 1 year ago # -
i used to make cut-outs of hearts with paper and use it as a stencil to make chocolate powder hearts on my lattes. it definitely kept me busy during slow closes.. and if anyone has a problem i could say "i'm mastering the art of lattes!". :)
Posted 1 year ago # -
@eyeadapt : Sometimes we do not get recognized for a lot of things, which I am kind of used to it. To me, latte art is another skill for me to improve. After all, there is not much to learn from besides that.
Posted 1 year ago # -
@tallisnotlarge: I taught myself. Our pitchers really suck for free pouring art. I have considered bringing in my own pitcher, I just don't want to be scolded for attempting to give legendary customer service.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Best way to practice free pour latte art I've found is by warming a short mug (if you don't keep your mugs on the warming racks), and making a double short whole milk latte.
Though @eyeadapt is right. You will get a far better reaction from etching with caramel, mocha or hazelnut drizzle.
Posted 2 months ago # -
No sense in doing latte art. You take your time and make something really cool, then you put a lid on it, and the customer either never sees it, or takes it over to the condiment bar and stirs 19 packets of splenda in. I used to do art, but when someone sees you do it, they expect you to do it on ALL of their drinks, ALL of the time. Then they take a picture and show their friends, then THEY start wanting you to do it with theirs. It's a very time consuming process.
Posted 2 months ago # -
In Canada to go cups don't get lids put on at the handoff. The customer puts it on themselves so you actually do get a reaction from the customer.
I don't mind doing it for customers. It makes work more interesting than doing it the starbucks way.Posted 2 months ago # -
I always do latte art. It's good practice and who cares if they see it or not, it's the though that counts. I once had a customer see it when she was about to put sugar in her breve latte but instead didn't and tipped us 10$ because she appreciated it. It's really up the barista. I think if you can and know how then why not.
Posted 2 months ago # -
I loooove latte art its just so much fun :)
I always take the drink close to the handoff plane so customers can see it before I lid it, if I made a nice heart or even if im just doing a nice cross hatch on a CM. If it catches their eye, sometimes they appreciate it :)
Posted 2 months ago # -
I had two female police officers come in today and ordered SKVL's. Without thinking I poured a little heart on each. One was just a straight heart and the other was swirly (lines like a rosetta but kept in one place to make a heart). Man did they give me a hard time. "Sorry I'm taken guy!". "Looks like he likes you better, yours has three hearts, mine's only one!".
Hard not to take someone seriously when they've got a gun at their hip. lol
Posted 1 month ago # -
@UrnexLatte Thanks for the tips. Whenever I take a ten, I have been making myself a short latte to practice making perfect microfoam to start making latte art. I will try using whole milk and using a double shot.
I have been at the Bux for a month now. The 3 things I want to be able to do are to pull the perfect espresso shot, make a perfect cappuccino, and make latte art (hence perfect microfoam). Could anyone break down our espresso shots in detail - how they compare to an expertly pulled shot. Also, could anyone give me some feedback on using the mastrena wand and our steaming pitchers and how to get the best microfoam out of them. I can get a good, sweet microfoam, but it gets up to temp so quickly that I can't get the entire pitcher to be microfoam.
I would like to become competent enough as a barista to get a job at a nice coffee shop soon.
Posted 1 month ago # -
When you steam the milk it must be flat not obvious foam. It should also have a nice shine and look almost like milk that you just poured and haven't steamed. If I get any bubbles I tsp the pitcher on the counter or just swirl it around. When you pour it you can either rest the pitcher on the edge of the cup or not. It's all about bringing the crema to the top and allowing the milk to contrast it. Hearts are the easiest to learn. There are some good YouTube videos if you look. Everyone does it differently just find what works for you.
Posted 1 month ago # -
Well our espresso is ****, no way around it. Best way to practice I think is on a tall double ristretto latte. Your foam should look akin to wet paint.
Posted 1 month ago # -
Thanks for the help. I realize that I'm not going to learn jack about pulling an espresso shot without going elsewhere. Just trying to know what to look/taste for as I go sampling other places' espresso.
Watching some of those videos made me want to do more than work at starbux. I am just trying to learn the fundamentals as best as I can given the environment and idiots that I deal with every day.
Posted 1 month ago # -
I started learning latte art, except every time I did something like proper decent like, the customer'd not notice and just lid it, and a piece of my soul perished. Getting low on soul and give a fack so I've all but stopped trying too hard. Usually end up with hearts as I freepour.
Posted 1 month ago # -
I started trying to actually make things while pouring the shots on my macchiatos. i feel like its all for not though.
Posted 1 month ago # -
I've been able to do a bunch. Mostly with whole milk. 2% and NF suck. Don't even get me started on Lactose Free. Clumpy ****.
Posted 1 month ago # -
How do you do those? My pours always blend with the crema.
Posted 1 month ago # -
You have to pour it so the milk stays under the crema, and pushes it to the top. You have to get a feel for it.
Posted 1 month ago # -
How do you do that?
Posted 1 month ago #
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