All lattes are not created equal. Everyone should know this. To meet the highest quality bar, a good latte has to meet certain criteria.
1. Appearence
The latte must have a creamy texture at the top…but not foamy. The presence of foam at the top indicates that your latte is really a cappuccino in drag. Also, it is important to note that you should see some incorporation of the coffee itself within the creamy goodness. The rich brown color of the coffee should be marbled nicely within the dense cream.
2. Weight
Yes, that’s right. Weight. Weight is important. Pick up the latte that is put in front of you….it should feel lighter than it appears to be. A good latte will have enough air incorporated into the milk that while it takes up a good share of volume, it doesn’t weigh down the coffee. A ‘heavy’ latte means that the milk wasn’t steamed enough. Send it back at any cost!
3. Taste
Of course, taste is important. Your barista should be using a high quality grind of coffee…not too weak, but not too strong. Of course, that is a matter of personal preference. That first sip of the latte is the most important. In that first sip, you should be able to savor that magically magic marriage of milk and coffee, of coffee and milk, accompanied by that silky texture that makes you want more. The first sip of a bad latte (bad latte! bad latte!) will be ultra-milky with little or no presence of coffee flavor at all. Hey, if you want some more milk, make it at home…it’s alot cheaper.
4. Stamina
Your latte should maintain more or less the same appearance throughout the course of your encounter. Half-way through your drink, you should look down into your cup and see that creamy texture atop your coffee. Too often, lattes look fine at first, but once you drink down a bit, it ends up looking simply like a drip coffee with a bit of milk added. Again, you can make this alot better (and cheaper) at home. A good latte will maintain its royal creamy crown down to the last drop.
Best of luck in your search. For it is up to all of us to find our own coffee destiny.