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.
 Google News Updated : Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:51:42 GMT Genetic Cause of Statin-Related Muscle Pain Found - Washington Post
Washington Post - By Ed Edelson WEDNESDAY, July 23 (HealthDay News) -- British researchers have discovered a genetic variant that causes some people who take cholesterol-lowering statins to have the muscle weakness called myopathy. 7 Reasons Not to Dismiss Statin-Caused Pain Discovery may boost statin safety Publ.Date : Wed, 23 Jul 2008 21:59:27 GMT Angels' bats loom large in victory over Indians - Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times - Normally tepid offense produces season highs in runs and hits (19). Jeff Mathis, Howie Kendrick and Casey Kotchman combine for 13 hits, Francisco Rodriguez gets 42nd save and team ups West lead to 10 By Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer The ... Mathis drives in six; Angels hold off Tribe in wild slugfest Angels pound Laffey, slam Mastny, in ripping Indians, 14-11 Publ.Date : Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:05:36 GMT Google unfurls less laughable Wikipedia - Register
Register - By Cade Metz in San Francisco → More by this author Back in December, the search engine cum world power announced an anyone-can-edit online encyclopedia it insists on calling Knol, and this morning, with a post to The Official Google Blog, ... Google Launches Knol, The Monetizable Wikipedia Google opens Knol website, a wiki with bylines Publ.Date : Wed, 23 Jul 2008 23:46:16 GMT US House Approves Fannie-Freddie Bill by 272-152 (Update1) - Bloomberg
Bloomberg - By Brian Faler July 23 (Bloomberg) -- The US House of Representatives approved legislation designed to shore up confidence in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and stem the record surge in mortgage foreclosures, sending the bill to the Senate. Video: House OKs Rescue for Homeowners, Freddie, Fannie US mortgages: Bush relents on veto threat to Fannie and Freddie ... Publ.Date : Wed, 23 Jul 2008 23:37:49 GMT "Dark Knight" beats total of previous Batman film - Reuters
Reuters - By Dean Goodman LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - After just six days of release in North America, the new Batman sequel "The Dark Knight" has grossed more domestically than its predecessor did in its entire run, distributor Warner Bros. Video: 'Dark Knight' Sets Weekend Box Office Record 'Dark Knight' may be summer's highest-grossing film Publ.Date : Wed, 23 Jul 2008 23:19:56 GMT Microsoft refunding gamers, Games for Windows Live goes free - Ars Technica
Ars Technica - By Frank Caron | Published: July 23, 2008 - 07:06PM CT PC gaming wasn't a huge factor at this year's E3, but it seems that Microsoft was merely biding its time before making its big moves to try and perk up the waning PC gaming market. Microsoft Drops Player Fees On Games For Windows Live Unangst: GFW Live Has Full Game Download Plans 'On The Roadmap' Publ.Date : Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:17:11 GMT "Bad Girls" mind-set, Pierson and Parker a volatile mix - WNBA - ESPN ESPN - By Mechelle Voepel What does it take to light up a tinderbox? Just a spark. Or in the case of the Detroit-Los Angeles scuffle with 4.6 seconds left of a WNBA game Tuesday, it was a Spark. WNBA reviewing fight between Detroit, LA players Don't make Mahorn the bad boy in WNBA scuffle Publ.Date : Wed, 23 Jul 2008 23:15:40 GMT Increase Traffic |
PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts,
Websites, and more... Arabian coffee is the quintessential coffee of the world. Arabia... Read More Juan Valdez is a fictitious character who was created in... Read More Who doesn't love solving a good mystery? Is the Loch... Read More About 850 A.D it is said that a lone shepherd... Read More Most places that serve cappuccinos in the United States have... Read More Gourmet coffee consumers rarely consider the cost of their daily... Read More At Starbucks they obviously need coffee. To insure that they... Read More For years, the idea of roasting your own coffee beans... Read More A large percentage of the population loves to drink both... Read More There is good coffee and absolutely abysmal coffee. Both may... Read More The beverage called coffee is the result of mixing dry... Read More Do you remember your first experience with coffee? I'm sorry... Read More For coffee lovers, there are few things more appealing than... Read More Gourmet coffee lovers have been seeing a few new terms... Read More An autopsy released this week has found caffeine to be... Read More The coffee plant has two main species. There is the... Read More With English Tea being a very familiar term, English coffee... Read More Coffee was first introduced to the Islands by Chief Boki,... Read More Coffee tastes great by itself, but for an extra special... Read More It's unbelievable, but when you start your search for a... Read More In Kenya coffee production dates back several hundred years. Coffee... Read More Have you had the pleasure of tasting Starbucks new less... Read More Most dentist, particular those who specialize in cosmetic dentistry love... Read More Adultery, deceit and politics, all the makings of a modern-day... Read More Coffee roasting from light to very dark, is an art... Read More
Adsense
websites
History of Arabian Coffee
Who is Juan Valdez?
The Great Bean Mystery - Find the World?s Best Coffee
Coffee ?Nectar of the gods
Creating the Perfect Foam
Gourmet Coffee Habit Costing Consumers as Much as $1,500 Yearly
Coffee is a commodity
Roast Your Own Coffee - Secrets Revealed
History of the Coffee and Espresso Machine
How to Make a Great Tasting Cup of Coffee - Its Not Rocket Science
Extracting the Coffee Flavor
Brewing the Perfect Cup of Coffee
Mr. Coffee Versus Bunn-o-Matic - The Coffee Maker Battle Heats Up
What is Sustainable Coffee and How Does it Affect My Wake Cup?
Woman Dies from Caffeine Overdose and Expert Calls for Action in New Book and FDA Petition
Coffee, A Brief Overview
English Coffee
What Makes Hawaiian Coffee So Special?
Gourmet Flavored Coffee
More Tips on Getting the Best Coffee Maker
Kenya Coffee History
Starbucks Product Review
A Little Secret Your Dentist Doesnt Want You To Know
Brazilian Coffee
Coffee Roasting: Learning the Fundamental Art of Making Coffee Can be Fun
Affordable and Reliable Web Hosting Starting at $4.49/Month
Coffee and Asthma?
Here are some facts about the relationship between coffee and... Read More
Specialty Gourmet Coffee
Specialty gourmet coffee is a very hot commodity in today's... Read More
Your Kitchen Wants to be Sexy - Top 5 Snazzy, Sexy Coffee Makers that are Sensational
When it comes to coffee makers there are thousands to... Read More
Home Coffee Roasting
Home Coffee Roasting ? Makes all the differenceAs I sit... Read More
The Coffee Culture in the USA
It wasn't until I moved to the US that I... Read More
Make the Switch! Coffee to Tea
Having a hard time giving up your 4 cups of... Read More
Factors to Consider When Choosing an Espresso Machine
Buying an espresso machine is an important decision ? choose... Read More
Coffee Cupping For The Fun Of It
Coffee cupping is a method to compare the different characteristics... Read More
Gano Coffee - Can Coffee Be Good For You?
Coffee, in all sorts, could be a "pick me up... Read More
Try the Tradition of Turkish Coffee and Taste the Difference
The Europeans got their first taste of Turkish Coffee, and... Read More
Coffee - How to Buy, Store, and Grind it for the Perfect Cup
In the early days of the coffee craze, before the... Read More
Arabica Coffee
As you may have guessed, Arabica coffee gets its name... Read More
Those Elusive Coffee Beans!
With the spread of various coffee beans into our lives,... Read More
Coffee For Your Health
Many of us rely on coffee to get us going... Read More
How to Make a Great Tasting Cup of Coffee - Its Not Rocket Science
There is good coffee and absolutely abysmal coffee. Both may... Read More
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Coffee Consumption
Coffee is heavily studied, but study results contradict one another.... Read More
Coffee, A Brief Overview
The coffee plant has two main species. There is the... Read More
History of Instant Coffee
Mention instant coffee to any connoisseur and you are sure... Read More
Starbucks Coffee Company
Starbucks Coffee Company was founded in 1971 by three businessmen... Read More
Coffee from Guatemala
In Guatemala coffee grows in the heart of what was... Read More
There is More to Motivation Than Meets the Coffee
The stress of unemployment can really take a toll on... Read More
Iced Coffee Recipes for Enjoying Chilled Espresso, Thai Iced Coffee And Many More Variations
There are many refreshing iced coffee recipes available, and we... Read More
Coffee Is A Historic Beverage, And It Makes For A Great Gift
Ahhhhh, coffee... a fantastic dark beverage that wakes us up... Read More
Coffee Grinders Jumpstart Your Java
All the experts agree. People who want the best flavor... Read More
3 Simple Tips For Making Perfect Coffee
Want to brew the perfect cup of coffee?Here are 3... Read More
Coffee |