The Art of Milk

My personal journey into the world of specialty coffee began with the humble art of filter coffee, with just water and coffee to guide my experience. And like many before me, I once held a narrow, much misguided opinion about the way specialty coffee was to be consumed - black, and purely as that. My recent experiences have however, led me to realise that the many forms of coffee enjoyed throughout the world, each carries an interesting tale of time past, and holds a specific purpose and place in the broad spectrum of coffee consumption.

Today, in our cafes, coffee is often accepted in two main formats: white (with milk); and black (without milk). Milk in coffee was first conceived sometime in 1660, when Johan Nieuhof, a Dutch ambassador in China, inspired by the Manchu practice then of adding milk to their tea, experimented with adding milk in coffee to combat bitterness and acidity of coffee after being. This format of serving coffee then took wind when Jerry Franciszek Kulczyki served it in his cafe Vienna in 1684, and the industry has not been the same since.

In training to be a Barista, one must be competent in both formats of service, for across the world, these are the two widely accepted standards of serving coffee enjoyed by coffee drinkers, and to refuse to learn either on the premise of it not being aligned to one's opinion is a simplistic blind intolerance of anything other than your own beliefs.

The Art of Milk

In light of my newfound understanding of the history and purpose of this format of the beverage, I am inspired to learn this art of milk.

The journey that milk takes to finally end up in our cup, begins with the steaming of the milk, its resultant impact on the sweetness and texture of the milk, following into the pouring of latte art, and how it finally interacts with coffee to give rise to the taste of white coffee.

As a novice to the entire process of milk, I detailed some thoughts about approaching this process that greatly intrigue me, of both the enjoyment, and challenges:

1. Intentional action. The time involved in steaming milk is so short! And in that time frame, one must make so many decisions - finding the right position to stretch, determining the right time to integrate, and adjusting for a perfect spin. There is intentional action, and corresponding reaction, as one steams milk. This requires a clarity of mind and an envisioned outcome that makes the process highly engaging, requiring constant adjustments through the entire time frame.
   

2. Working with your hands and trusting your instinct. In this day and age where we trust the results that come from data more than what we see and feel, steaming milk is a blast to the past, where we have to trust our senses to achieve the final outcome we want. Some questions that I am constantly perceiving: How hot should the milk be? - Sufficiently hot by the touch of your hand, just a little more than comfortable to hold. How much foam is there in the milk? - Swirl, and perceive the texture and volume of the milk. Is it well integrated and smooth? - Observe from the shiny layer of bubbles on top, and the silkiness of the liquid.
   

3. Starting from zero every time A truly skilled craftsman is determined by the ability to reproduce that result over and over again. In the silky texture of steamed milk, and pouring a consistent latte art, each cup is a new challenge, a fresh clean slate for one to pit his abilities once again. One’s confidence is built from repeating this process to the point of habitualisation.
   

4. Our goals are right in front of us. Seeing so many experienced baristas with their equipment and almost-mechanical familiarity with their steam wands and pitchers, one can see what mastery is like. These role-models who dedicate their lives to this craft, serve as a form of inspiration for us to strive towards in our goals.
   

5. Milk adds a new dimension to coffee In black coffee, one manages the dimensions of extraction yields, brew ratios and strength of the coffee (TDS). With milk, the number of factors to consider greatly increase. What ratio of espresso-to-milk makes a balanced cup of coffee, and how does the milk-to-foam ratio change this balance for the same amount of milk? Can the taste of the espresso cut through milk, or will it's flavor be lost in its midst? How do you then adjust to bring out the taste of the espresso?
   

6. Mastery is in the subtleties The ability to steam milk and pour latte art is but the first step in a long journey, for true mastery of milk involves small things that often go unnoticed to the everyday observer - portioning out the right amount of milk for steaming such that none is wasted; or manipulating bigger portions of milk for multiple cups of coffee while being able to maintain consistency and individualisation for each customer’s request. There is nothing flashy in mastery. It is simply an elevated familiarity with one's equipment that allows for greater efficiencies with the exact same quality, every single time.

All things considered, the Art of Milk is truly a craft, something that really requires time, effort, and working with your hands to produce results. Trust in your senses and equipment is paramount, practice is the only way to improve, and experience, the only way to mastery.