Perk Up with Yinpobian’s Monday Night Latte Art Class

A tiny Gulou cafe is hoping to not only serve up satisfying cups of joe, but also be a feast for your eyes. Aspiring baristas can attend Yinpobian’s weekly Monday evening coffee classes and learn how to man an espresso machine, brew beans, and — best of all — scrawl cute designs in their’s coffee’s foam. 
 

Those adorably delicious looking outlines, called latte art (拉花, la hua) by seasoned coffee connoisseurs, are made by pouring steamed milk into the caffeinated beverage. That creamy white milk floats at the top, and skilled coffee makers can use narrow spouts, and a steady hand, to carefully “draw” various designs atop the warm and soothing dark brown liquid. Feng Xueming, the barista at Yinpobian, teaches students at the Monday night classes how to not only create standard latte art flowers — which can be seen at any number of cafes — but also heart shapes, smiley faces and even more elaborate designs like plump grinning cats, wide-eyed monsters, leafy trees and more. 
 

“Creating latte art is all about love,” Feng tells the Beijinger, adding that he thoroughly enjoys helping the class’ students indulge their passion for design and their cravings for coffee. He goes on to say that: “It’s a great way for Chinese people to learn about Western food, drink and customs.

Yinpobian owner Yang Ying agrees that there’s no better way for foreigners and Chinese to befriend each other than over a cup of coffee. She adds that the coffee class’ Chinese attendees are part of a new era. “Young Chinese people’s standards of living have changed so much in recent years, and that’s opening our minds to so many new possibilities. It’s making a lot of us want to try new things, new flavors, new activities. So coffee culture is one of the things that is becoming so popular for Chinese people as a result.”
 

Coco Zou, a frequent Yinpobian customer and friend of Yang’s, who learned how to make coffee from Feng, agrees before adding: “Tea may be the most traditional, famous drink in China. But we drink it all the time, like water, so it’s not so special. Coffee is more special for me, I’m always too tired to work without drinking it.”

Aside from that perky buzz that Zou savors from every caffeinated sip, she also takes great satisfaction from the coffee culture that Yang and Feng tout at their bistro’s classes. Zhou adds: “It’s a really good way for foreigners and Chinese to meet and make friends. Coffee can be like a bridge connect the West and the East.”

Yinpobian’s weekly coffee class is held every Monday from 6.30-9.30pm. The cost is RMB 99. For more information, click here.