Mary Poppins latte art by Jibbi Little

Jibbi Little shares a supercalifragilisticexpialidocious take on one of her favourite literary characters.

It’s been a long and sometimes crazy year, full of twists and turns many of us didn’t expect.

Jibbi Little
Jibbi Little of Jibbijug is the 2019 ASCA Pauls Professional Australian Latte Art Champion.

Some people used their time to learn new skills, whether that be baking sourdough, picking up an instrument, or anything in between. Hopefully if you’ve been following this column, you’ve been refining your latte art abilities to the point where you can handle this World Latte Art Championship worthy pattern.

It feels like a lifetime ago when I presented this design on stage in Berlin in 2019, made all the more surreal by the World Latte Art Championship being cancelled this year.

Mary Poppins was my favourite book growing up, which made it an obvious source of inspiration when I chose ‘childhood stories’ as a theme for the competition. The story of a magical nanny teaches us about the power of imagination.

You may notice some similarities to my Little Red Riding Hood design from the October 2019 edition, and in many ways, that simpler pattern evolved – you could even say grew up – into this more complex design.

You’ll need a steady hand and good understanding of how one movement will impact another when drawing this latte art. There are several rosettas placed in this design that are brought to life by the simple lines that connect them. Remember to use the photos as well as descriptions to get a good idea of how each step should look.

Little flourishes like the feather in the cap can be difficult to perfect, but that’s what separates the best designs from the rest.

Mary Poppins famously said “in every job that must be done, there is an element of fun”, and that’s exactly how I feel about this design. Enjoy.

This article appears in the December 2020 edition of BeanScene Magazine. Subscribe HERE.

Jibbi Little’s Mary Poppins

Step 1

Build your base with the handle at nine o’clock. Pour a 10-leaf rosetta from the centre of the cup to the bottom and pull through.

Step 2

Pour an 11-leaf rosetta along top of the first, creating a T-shape.

Step 3

Pour a shorter six-leaf rosetta along the left side of the top rosetta.

Step 4

Pour a small four-leaf rosetta from the end of the last rosetta to the edge of the cup and pull back through.

Step 5

From the tip of your second rosetta closest to the handle, pour a curved line with a little spiral at the end.

Step 6

Pour a line between your second and third rosettas, with a thin line curving down on the right and curving up on the left to form the hat.

Step 7

From the other end of the second rosetta, pour a slightly curved line, followed by two small bumps forming the nose and mouth, another smaller bump for the chin, and connecting it back to the first rosetta. 

Step 8

Drop a small amount of foam in the middle of the face for the eye.

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