Coffee Information

Portrait of a Barista


The barista is the Italian word for the skilled person who prepares coffee (ultimately espresso) in a coffee house.

What would you want your barista to be like?

This is not a trick question. The more I think of it, the more I believe it, that the world of coffee making must be laying on the shoulders of a barista.

I believe that because the coffee I am beeing served in a coffee house, I expect it to be good. On the other hand, the manager of the bar expects me to be pleased with the service and come again. If the coffee is not good, I will not do that.

Now who is responsible for this small gearing to work? You probably have guessed it, the barista.

Are you wondering what a barista is and how can you recognise him or her?

1. Well, he or she does not have a specific age or appearance. Nor nationality. In Italy, the country that gave the name of the job, a barista is most likely a man around the age of 40. In America, there are more chances that you find a young lady. But not necessarily.

2. One sure thing is they're susceptible to be found behind the bar-counter, always ready to prepare several varieties of coffee 'expressly for you' - by the way, did you know this was the initial definition of the espresso coffee?

3. A skilled barista, the one you would like to have prepare your cup, has several years of experience.

4. A good barista carries out to near-perfection four operations: dosing, tamping, pulling and steaming.

5. A good barista knows that no. 4 is not enough and sometimes helpless. For example, tamping depends on the finesse of the grind. The finer the grind, the less important the tamping.

6. A really good barista pays atention both to the quality of the coffee and the presentation.

7. The skilled barista is capable of performing more operations at the same time.

8. The barista you like interacts with his or her customers.

9. A good barista can manage to make a pretty good cup with less sophisticated appliances. Meanless to say, the opposite is not true.

10. A good barista can make a flourishing business out of your modest old cofee-shop. Again, the opposite in not true.

About The Author

Iulia Pascanu writes for www.madcoffeemaker.com where you can find more information about The Mad Coffee Maker

Please feel free to use this article in your Newsletter or on your website. If you use this article, please include the resource box and send a brief message to let me know where it appeared. Mailto: iuliap@gmail.com.


MORE RESOURCES:
Google

Want coffee -- with benefits? Here's what you'll get
Los Angeles Times, CA - 6 hours ago
We?re a nation of spoiled coffee drinkers. Whereas our forebears boiled old grounds over camp stoves and our parents percolated Folgers, we?re driving five ...


Coffee farmers protest at Ruto?s appointment
Standard, Kenya - 3 hours ago
By Elizabeth Mwai and Joseph Murimi About 200 coffee farmers have petitioned Prime Minister Raila Odinga to revoke the appointment of Coffee Board members. ...


Victory for vendor in coffee war
Scotsman, United Kingdom - 11 hours ago
A STREET trader who sparked a coffee war on Lauriston Place with a replica police box hut can continue trading ? providing he removes his kiosk overnight. ...


Coffee farmers worry as price plummets
Jakarta Post, Indonesia - 17 hours ago
Lampung coffee farmers and exporters claim the US financial crisis has contributed to the fall in the price of the commodity. The price of robusta coffee ...


Farmer Brothers' Coffee Bean Intl. Opens New Facility in Portland
MarketWatch - Oct 10, 2008
announced that Coffee Bean Intl. (CBI), a wholly owned subsidiary, has opened its new 125000-foot coffee roasting and office facility in Portland, Ore. ...


Your cup of coffee may be predicting the election
Newsday, NY - Oct 10, 2008
His mother, Randi Stewart, 51, added, "I was just asking him, 'If there were only McCain cups, would you still buy coffee?' I wouldn't. ...


Ironman competition selects Kona as official coffee
Honolulu Advertiser, HI - 18 hours ago
By KARIN STANTON For AP KAILUA-KONA, Hawai'i ? The Ironman World Championship has made 100 percent Kona coffee an official brew, hoping to make up for an ...


Saxbys Coffee Worldwide acquires Bucks County Coffee
Drinks Business Review - 20 hours ago
By Staff Writer According to Saxbys Coffee, the purchase will bring the number of Saxbys Coffee shops to 65 by the end of 2008. ...


7-Eleven lets coffee-lovers vote with their cups
MiamiHerald.com, FL - 14 hours ago
BY JENNIFER MOONEY PIEDRA When it comes to that perfect cup of joe, coffee drinkers have lots of choices: decaf or high-test, cream or black. ...


Xtri Chats with Ironman Organic Coffee Founder, Chris McCrary
Xtri.com - Oct 10, 2008
In addition, he co-founded Ironman Organic Coffee - fitting, since so many athletes count on caffeine throughout training and race day morning! ...

Coffee - Google News

home | site map
© 2006