If you’re a latte art lover craving some Despicable Me minions in your cup o'joe, you need barista Melannie Aquino in your life. Aquino, hailing from the Elite Audio Coffee Bar in San Francisco, takes foam art to a new level.
“Minions are fun and expressive characters,” Aquino told us. “There are also a handful of drawings I do that bring people back.”
It all started when a friend asked her to draw bears and frogs on hot chocolate (instead of the usual — yawwwwwwwn — rosettas and hearts). In an interview with Medium, Aquino explained that she honed her craft for three years and created a “marriage of the perfect espresso and microfoam.”
“My technique is something that came together organically,” Aquino continued. “I would use each customer as an opportunity to practice. It wasn’t always perfect, but they appreciated the extra effort and it was a great way to connect with them.”
To practice, Aquino Googled sketches of animals, cartoon characters, and random objects for her foam art.
“One of the biggest challenges was being able to work with the foam and finding the perfect consistency of chocolate,” said Aquino. “It took a lot of trial and error, not to mention some pretty crude drawings.”
As fresh and flawless as her minions may be, Aquino isn't halting her creativity; she's also done Rugrats, Cartman, Spongebob, Wall-E, Snoopy, Bob’s Burgers, Harry Potter, Pokemon, and Waldo. If you're not keen on seeing cartoons or teen wizards in your coffee, ask for a new design and maybe she’ll do it!
“If I get stuck, I'll ask friends and sometimes social media for suggestions,” Aquino added. “Once I find a subject I like, I usually roll with it and do a mini series.”
For this artist, how does she like her coffee?
“Normally I drink lattes and cappuccinos . . . when I get a drip, I drink it black.”
