Cuppa Joe Latte Art during TC Art Walk

During Friday night's TC Art Walk, a friend and I stopped by the Cuppa Joe Warehouse Lounge for a quick liquid warm-up and an appetizer.

We washed down our terrific plate of veggies, olives, pita, hummus, baba ganoush (eggplant spread) and Tsatziki (cucumber yogurt sauce) with a mocha and Light of Day Heartwarming Cinnamon tisane ("tea" made with an herbal infusion of rooibos, apple, orange, clove and cinnamon).

The appetizer was large enough for a light dinner for two. (I've been "stuck" on their Nicoise salad and an Asian noodle dish -- but didn't have room, thanks to the awesome oatmeal-and-chocolate-chip cookies baked earlier by my UNF neighbor, Paula.)

Presentation! The crema etching of a flower, floating atop the mocha, was superbly rendered. I was thrilled to visit while Barista Jeff Brown was practicing his "drawing" technique, because a complimentary latte with a free-form leaf soon followed. Yum! (Our friendly waitress, Amy, asked that I be sure and tell you that Jeff Brown, the barista artist, is not Geoff Brown, the photographer.)

My friend's cinnamon tisane was served in a striking-looking teapot. The steaming liquid was as colorful and flavorful as a red hot candy -- without the herbal heat but with a satisfying sweetness.

Too bad I have to make another trip to the Warehouse District tomorrow... Next time I visit, I'm promised a hot beverage of chocolate & pepper, with yet another artistic flourish.

For those interested in learning more about latte art, visit the espresso forums at coffeegeek.

To see some examples of latte art, visit the flickr site and view the photo Latte Art Graveyard.

Filed under Eye Candy