It always puts a smile on our faces when we order a coffee and the barista doodles on the top of our drink – perhaps a heart or maybe a flower – in what is now widely known as 'latte art'.
One particular barista – namely Michael Breach based in New York – had his moment of glory when he famously created Victoria Beckham's face in latte foam and she tweeted it to her millions of followers.
Now, Elle magazine has been delighted to have the talent bring Natalie Portman – featured on the cover of the publication's November issue – to life on the surface of their coffee.
Mrs Portman and Mrs Beckham are not, however, the only celebrities to receive this treatment by the coffee aficionado, who claims that John Lennon has actually been his favourite celebrity to produce.
"[John Lennon was] the first one I did. I used to start with faces with a lot of shadows and light on, and there is a certain picture of him with a really heavy contrast. It was one of the first faces I got down really well," he said, adding that he hopes he can get 'Leonardo Di Cappuccino' to sit for him one day.
When asked by the magazine how he got into latte art, the expert explained that it was in a bid to add a bit of excitement to the mundane and to make his co-workers laugh.
Nevertheless, it has not come without its difficulties. "The medium itself is very temperamental," he said, when talking about the challenges of creating the exceptionally unique images.
Traditionally, the medium to which he is referring consists of two colloids – the crema (a mixture of coffee oil and water) and the foam, made from air and milk. Given the instability of both of these substances, this is why latte art is – regrettably some may say – so transient. The way the two combine is what creates the interesting brown and white hues which enable baristas to bring to life such beautiful creations.
