Although not as widespread as in other countries, Latte Art is undoubtedly growing in Italy as well. For years the classic cappuccino was the only one served in the Italian coffee shop, but in the last ten years it is no longer so rare to see a decorated cappuccino served.
Many baristas love Latter Art because it highlights their skilss, on the other hand, customers also seem to appreciate the aesthetic side of a decorated cappuccino. At the same time, the baristas themselves are aware that it is necessary to prepare a cappuccino with a certain amount of cream, a feature much appreciated by the Italian customer. In fact, a silky and well-developed cream has a fundamental sensorial impact: on a tactile level, in fact, it gives a high body.
Therefore, not all patterns of international Latte Art are suitable for the Italian cappuccino. Some could not be made with the crema that is needed to gratify the Italian customer, which is quite dense. Using a more liquid cream would risk preparing a drink closer to flat white than to Italian cappuccino.
In addition to this technical aspect, it must be borne in mind that the pace of the bar in Italy is very hectic at certain times of the day and excessively complex decorations would take too long. For all these reasons, the patterns most used by Italian baristas are the basic ones: heart, tulip and rosetta.
If you have any questions about coffee in Italy, leave them in the comments and we will be happy to answer them!