Next time that your favorite barista etches a flower in your foamy mug of latte, savor it for a moment before you take a sip. He or she may actually be practicing for For the Love of Latte Art, an educational event and latte art throwdown that is being hosted this weekend by Cleveland-area coffee companies.

The event, which is being hosted by a new coffee collective called CLE Brews, will include skill-building workshops for professional and amateur baristas who are interested in learning the craft of latte art. It concludes with a "Latte Art Throwdown" in which participants will be judged on their latte art. All proceeds of the event will benefit the Asobagri Co-op Disaster Relief Fund in Huehuetenango, Guatemala, an area that was devastated by intense rainfall last year.

"Our goal is to build unity, share ideas and really push the coffee culture in Cleveland," says Nathan Lilly, a Manager and Trainer with Phoenix Coffee Company. "We've done events like this before, but never on this big of a scale. We'd like to make this an annual event showcasing coffee in Cleveland."

CLE Brews is a collective comprised of Phoenix Coffee Company, Erie Island Coffee Company, Caruso's Coffee and Red Cedar Coffee. The winner of the Latte Art Throwdown will receive a $4,000 espresso machine donated by Nuova Simonelli and entry into Coffee Fest Seattle's Latte Art Competition.

Competition should be fierce: Lilly says the local coffee scene has talented baristas who can sketch swans, clovers, rabbits and even tulips into a steaming cup of latte.

The event takes place this Saturday, May 12th at Cuyahoga Community College's Hospitality Management Center at Public Square in downtown Cleveland.

Source: Nathan Lilly
Writer: Lee Chilcote