Whole latte love

For some of us, coffee is as essential as a good breakfast. For many of us, coffee is breakfast.

It may be the reason America gets out of bed in the morning, but coffee can also be a canvas.

For baristas, the “hrssshhh” sound of the espresso machine, a splash of steamed milk, coffee grounds and a mug are the tools used to create little works of art.

Thirty two of these latte artists gathered recently at Coeur d’Alene Coffee Company to test their designs before a panel of judges.

For its second latte art competition since opening in July, the cafe — inside the Innovation Den at 418 W. Lakeside Ave. — welcomed all members of the community to help crown the best latte artist in the Northwest.

Local competitors represented several local coffee businesses: Evans Brothers, Union Roasters, Jitterz, Spokane’s Indaba and more.

A few baristas even traveled from Kalispell and Whitefish, Mont., but even with all the competitors, the live music and cheap local beer made the latte throwdown anything but tense.

“It’s really not about the competition,” said Aleczondra Evans, judge and founder of Spokane’s Mandala Chai. “It’s about having fun, making connections and building community.”

With judges lined up at the coffee bar and a group of fans huddled behind them, contestants used Coeur d’Alene Coffee Company’s equipment to make creations.

The competition was split into one-on-one elimination rounds with each competitor chosen randomly.

Drinks were decided with a roll of dice, each side listing a type of drink — latte, mocha, matcha tea, or hot chocolate — and a familiar latte design, such as a heart, leaf or tulip.

For the last few rounds, the designs and drinks were completely up to the artist.

Using the foam from steamed milk, competitors poured shapes into the drinks to form different designs.

A small amount of coffee or tea was added to the bottom of the cup while the barista poured the milk in a swirling motion. Pouring speed, motion and distance from the cup all were important in judging the latte art.

After over 30 rounds of caffeine-fueled competition, a winner was chosen: Mariah Desirae of Spokane’s Vessel Coffee Roasters.

Her prize was a golden spray painted milk pitcher and a gourmet coffee grinder.

But for the competitors, it was less about the prize, and more about the pride.

“I’ve never won anything in my life,” Desirae said. “It was an absolute pleasure pouring with some of the most humble people I know.”

Although Spokane took home the big prize, second- and third-place honors went to Strada’s Hagan Robb and Evans Brothers’ James Markiewicz.

Coeur d’Alene Coffee Company made sure every local and regional coffee enthusiast — amateur artist and seasoned barista alike — felt included in the event. The cafe even livestreamed the competition on Instagram so coffee lovers at home could be part of the tournament.

“Coffee is a happy thing,” said barista Cameron Moder, or “bro-ista” as his Coeur d’Alene Coffee Company coworkers call him. “This competition creates a tight knit community, but also raises the standard of local coffee.”

Coffee shops weren’t the only local businesses involved. Taco Works food truck sold burritos to jittery customers, and local podcaster Tyler Sea of Community Experiment Podcast had a booth for his merchandise.

According to owner Danelle Peterson, Coeur d’Alene Coffee Company strives to be both a cafe and a community-wide gathering place, supporting all local business.

“We are here for the people of Coeur d’Alene,” she said. “We realize we are in competition with local businesses, but more so, we just want to support them. We are a hub for ideas and connections.”

Most days, Coeur d’Alene Coffee Company is the place for a cup of joe and a conversation. But on one special night a few times a year, it is a place for friendly competition and latte art bragging rights.