If you've ever wondered how on earth the baristas pour the most beautiful foam leaf on top of your latte, just remember that it’s not as simple as it looks. If you've tried recreating coffee art at home, you have probably given up by this point, or, if you were a little luckier, come up with some of what we call "accidental coffee art" in this article.

But in order to work that Insta-perfect coffee art you’d wanna share on social media, it's gonna take a lot more than an accident. It turns out, a skilled coffee builder will primarily address the technique for steaming milk.

"What’s so special about steaming milk?" you may ask. Well, bear with me.

Fill your pitcher with milk to the bottom of the spout and turn on the wand. Submerging it and raising it to the point of hearing hisses is something you may practice at home. Raise it too far or too little, and you will have to try again.You can only turn off the wand once the milk is about 140°F–180°F.

Some baristas have ears so skilled that they can tell when the foam is ready by the sound of the rising pitch. Now, give it a firm tap on the counter.

This should be the cherry on top of your milk-steaming procedure, and only after that, and if you’ve done everything right, you can get ready for pouring. The main aspects of the pouring technique are speed and height above the bowl.

At this point, I will leave you with this introductory video showing how to make latte art in slow motion. The most important thing, after all, is taste. So whether you have a nice elegant leaf on top of your foam or drink it all flat and basic, it’s all about exciting those taste buds and enjoying the moment.