Unlike other barista-formulated plant milks, Myracle Kitchen Mylk combines oats, fava beans, and coconut cream to achieve a consistency that even gets WBC Champ James Hoffmann’s seal of approval.
BY SARAH ALLEN
BARISTA MAGAZINE
Baristas everywhere have seemingly endless options for the plant-based beverage alternatives that are more in demand than ever to use in their cafés. But there’s something that sets newcomer Myracle Kitchen Mylk apart—make that two things. 1) It was developed with the assistance of YouTube star, WBC champion, and Square Mile Coffee Roasters’ co-owner James Hoffmann; and 2) James and the team at Myracle Kitchen took a particularly interesting approach to the creamy beverage that steams up great for espresso-based drinks: They created it with not just one plant—oat or coconut or almond or soy—but rather determined that a blend of three types of produce made for the most creamy, steamable, and delicious plant-based bevvie around. It should also be noted that Myracle Kitchen Mylk is made from organic materials, and has no thickeners, stabilizers, or gums.
Though this might be the first you’re hearing of Myracle Kitchen Mylk—it’s been in the works for a while: James and the team in fact went through 146 different iterations of the stuff before they found the perfect balance with no overbearing notes so that coffee could sing in tandem with the neutrality of a plant-based drink baristas are looking for.
It’s also a product baristas can feel good about using: Myracle Kitchen is a certified B-Corp, fully carbon neutral, and intensely focused on sustainability, which is part of the reason they donate 1% of all revenue to environmental causes.
Now that the team has come up with their ideal recipe for the Barista Mylk—which general manager Graeme Puffett calls “a myracle for Baristas; its key ingredients (arE) perfectly balanced, making it work just like dairy milk”—Graeme, James, and the team want to get it out in front of baristas so they can try it for themselves. They’ve put together a super unique competition and are bringing in some big gun latte art powerhouses to judge it: seasoned and decorated latte art competition winner, as well as a Coffee Fest Latte Art Championship judge, Ujae Lee; Lance Hedrick of Onyx Coffee Lab and host of his own latte art YouTube channel; and ChiSum Ngai, co-owner of Coffee Project New York (and former Barista Magazine cover star!).
How the Competition Works
(Note: Judging criteria listed below):
1—Interested baristas DM @myracle_kitchen with their address to receive a case of Myracle Mylk to play with.
2—Follow @myracle_kitchen, tag your favorite coffee shop, and nominate one fellow barista in the comment section of the Myracle Mylk Throwdown post.
3—Post a video submission of your latte art to your IG feed, tag @myracle_kitchen, and send via DM to @myracle_kitchen.
4—Deadline for submissions is February 24.
5—Sum and Lance determine the best two pours, and those baristas will be notified by February 26. Finalists must accept by February 28. These two finalists will receive airfare and hotel March 6–8 in New York City; a one-year supply of Myracle Mylk (one case per month); and 10 cases for their café. Finalists will compete in New York at Coffee Fest on March 7 at Myracle Mylk’s booth, #2127, to determine the winner. The winner will receive $1,000; second-place will receive $500.
6—All participants must:
—Be free to travel to New York March 6–8
—Have proof of vaccination to enter Javits Center for Coffee Fest New York
—Understand that by submitting you are agreeing that @myracle_kitchen can reuse the footage in the future
—Residents of the continental U.S.
“I am incredibly excited about the format of this event!” says Lance. “Out of the 50 or so latte art throwdowns I’ve been a part of, only one offered the winner a trip. I believe this virtual event culminating in a trip to New York for the finals is an incredible way to afford accessibility in such uncertain and cautious times. I’m stoked to meet the two who make it to the end in New York!”
Having won numerous latte art throwdowns, Lance understands what it takes to create impeccable designs—and he fully endorses Myracle Mylk for the properties it possesses that make for superb latte art execution. “Miracle Mylk steams almost identically to typical whole milk. So stretching time, aggression, etc., are all equal for that perfect foam with which you can pour a multitude of designs,” says Lance. “Plus, it glides in the espresso beautifully. As for pairing with espresso, I like that it does not overpower the coffee, but complements it.”
When asked what he’ll be looking for as he judges the latte art submissions, Lance says, “Execution as the primary criterion with creativity/difficulty as a distant second. So don’t over-complicate your design, but also don’t expect stacks on stacks to win. I want that perfect marriage of creativity/gutsiness and execution if you’re wanting that flight to the Big Apple!”
Adds Graeme, “Myracle Kitchen Mylk has been in the making for years—now it’s time to get it into the hands of baristas everywhere. We could do social media adverts, posters, or even spend all our budget on a TV commercial. But we believe that Myracle Mylk can do the talking for itself. Tasting is ‘believing’. And that’s what we do at Myracle Kitchen—we believe.”
JUDGING CRITERIA FOR MYRACLE KITCHEN MYLK SOCIAL MEDIA VIRTUAL COMPETITION
• Drinks must show Myracle Mylk being poured into the pitcher
• Art must be executed using a steaming pitcher, no tracing or etching
• You must pour into espresso—no latte art pigments or other contrast enhancers
• Symmetry or balance: how full the design is in the cup, as well as symmetrical where applicable
• Clarity: Sharp lines, avoiding fuzzing edges
• Contrast: Strong contrast in color between mylk and espresso
• Difficulty: Consideration will be given for difficulty level and creativity
