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Rumour? "Good Earth won't let its baristas do latte art."

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Discussions > Regional > Canada West > Rumour? "Good...

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furrycanuck
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Posted Mon Feb 12, 2007, 3:51pm Subject: Rumour? "Good Earth won't let its baristas do latte art."

I went to my Good Earth today (this is a Calgary chain) and noticed that they have a little Valentine's Day poster thing with a latte art heart, so I chide them about how they all have to do hearts now, and one of the baristas tells me that their management says "no more latte art," because- get this- customers are complaining about how some baristas can do it some can't, so to guarantee that all drinks look the same, no more art. I was gobsmacked when she told me this. This is like a restaurant telling its best chefs to turn up the suck so that all customers get the same shitty quality. I also cannot imagine a customer complaining about this (this ain't Artigiano where they ENCOURAGE customers to demand art), and this is wrong on so many other levels. I'm going to write GE and see if I haven't misunderstood something, and if I haven't, I sure hope somebody will join me in complaining. Here's my today's attempt :). My stabs at latte art (which has become an obsession, I will admit, of late for me) has introduced a whole new dimension to coffee for me, and I'm just a hobbyist. I can't see being a barista and being handcuffed like this- I would never work there if it came to that. (Click for larger image)

coffeeactivist
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Posted Mon Feb 12, 2007, 4:41pm Subject: Re: Rumour? "Good Earth won't let its baristas do latte art."

Nice, it looks like more improvement since the last picture you showed me. I have no knowledge or any thing to say about Good Earth. I just wanted to say congrats.

Jason http://coffeeactivist.wordpress.com

furrycanuck
Senior Member

Posted Mon Feb 12, 2007, 5:11pm Subject: Re: Rumour? "Good Earth won't let its baristas do latte art."

Getting there, for sure... thanks!!! I think the most talented folk at GE should head en masse to Bumpy's.

joyfulnomad
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Posted Wed Feb 21, 2007, 1:47pm Subject: Re: Rumour? "Good Earth won't let its baristas do latte art."

Um, if that's true, I won't be heading in for the occasional GE either (when I'm at the university). I often go to the sunridge one as some of my friends like meeting there. On those days I'm into tea. I once asked the barrista about latte art since it was on a poster. She said she couldn't do it but wanted to learn (you'd think they would encourage it!). Sounded really eager to learn more. It's too bad they would have that policy.

furrycanuck
Senior Member

Posted Thu Feb 22, 2007, 7:05pm Subject: Re: Rumour? "Good Earth won't let its baristas do latte art."

Joyful- I emailed the pres (Michael Going) and he replied to the effect that they want all staff to first have the basic skills before they attempt art, which I guess makes sense. They aren't telling those who can do art not to do it, at least as he puts it.

Anarchy
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Posted Sat Feb 24, 2007, 1:05am Subject: Re: Rumour? "Good Earth won't let its baristas do latte art."

What a complete waste of time. What is your IQ level when you're amused by a little foam heart in your latte. "Wow honey, look at this crappy little figure that sort of resembles a blob." It's like a 6 year old watching Dora the Explorer, clapping their hands at the simple little moments. I have better things to do than watching someone trying to make a heart on a latte, like actually drinking the latte.

furrycanuck
Senior Member

Posted Sat Feb 24, 2007, 11:23am Subject: Re: Rumour? "Good Earth won't let its baristas do latte art."

hey, Anarchy, there's this website called coffeegeek that you should never, ever visit.

FredFal
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Posted Sat Feb 24, 2007, 1:10pm
Subject: Re: Rumour? "Good Earth won't let its baristas do latte art."

Anarchy Said:

What a complete waste of time. What is your IQ level when you're amused by a little foam heart in your latte. "Wow honey, look at this crappy little figure that sort of resembles a blob."

It's like a 6 year old watching Dora the Explorer, clapping their hands at the simple little moments. I have better things to do than watching someone trying to make a heart on a latte, like actually drinking the latte.

Posted February 24, 2007 link

Ok, if this is a flame, I fell for it.

Anarchy,

Not sure if you "get" what latte art is.

It's more than just the pretty picture on top of the drink. You can't do latte art if the milk isn't properly frothed and textured. The art that the barista adds gives the discerning customer that little "warm feeling" that the drink was properly built. It also doesn't take any more time than not doing art if done properly.

Hope this explains why we talk about these things on this coffee web site.
-Fred

Anarchy
Senior Member

Joined: 24 Feb 2007
Posts: 10
Location: Calgary
Expertise: Pro Barista

Posted Sat Feb 24, 2007, 6:16pm Subject: Re: Rumour? "Good Earth won't let its baristas do latte art."

You know what I do when I want to look at art, I go to an art gallery. Also, this is a phenomenon that will have a short lifespan because it is just a trend. Then it will get boring and nobody will want to admit that they actually fell for it - like leg warmers. Also the fact that I am more concerned about good tasting coffee than a stupid flower, heart or whatever on top of a latte doesn't mean I don't belong here, I just have different reasons for drinking coffee.

furrycanuck
Senior Member

Posted Sat Feb 24, 2007, 6:39pm Subject: Re: Rumour? "Good Earth won't let its baristas do latte art."

Latte art has been practiced in the US since the late 1980s. I don't see it as a "trend," but we'll see. Some trends die (frozen yogurt, anyone?), some become routinized (sushi, anyone?) and some are resurrected (frozen yogurt at Pinkberry, anyone?). I cannot tell you how often I have heard specialty coffee as "a trend," an idea that struck me, always, silly. I'll take an experty done cappo without art over a poor one with art, but as many of us know, a drink with art is often (not always, but often) a superior one. You cannot create latte art without good milk.

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