A barista is the title given to a person making espresso beverages. I found that out the first day I was trained at the coffee house I’ve worked at for the past five years. There’s a lot more that goes in to making and drinking coffee than you may think…
Espresso
A shot of espresso brewed properly should take between 18-20 seconds when pulled from the espresso machine. Any shorter or longer makes a huge difference in the taste of the drink.
Add milk :
Whether you prefer soymilk or two percent steamed in your espresso beverage, make sure your barista steams the milk to at least 140 degrees. Nothing is worse than a cup of coffee that’s cold before you’re finished!
Brewed Coffee
Freshly ground coffee has a shelf life for approximately a week. It is best to keep your coffee in a cool, dry place: not the refrigerator or freezer! Coffee absorbs all the smells of your refrigerator or freezer within 10 minutes …who wants to drink last week’s leftovers in a cup of coffee?
For the sweet tooth
To jazz up any latte most coffee places offer flavors. Most common are vanilla, hazelnut and caramel. Don’t be afraid to try something different like crème brule, irish cream, snickerdoodle or coconut.
--A Mocha is made like a latte only with the extra ingredient of chocolate.
--A Zebra is a mocha with white and dark chocolate.
--Think of your favorite candy bar, many baristas can make you a drink based off your candy bar of choice:
--Snickers Mocha: Espresso, Chocolate & Carmel
--Peppermint Patty Mocha: Espresso, Chocolate & Peppermint, with whipped cream and crushed candy canes on top.
--Cherry Almond Mocha: White or Dark Chocolate, Cherry flavoring, Almond flavoring.
Espresso Drinks
-A Latte is two-thirds steamed milk with a cap of foam.
-A Breve is made the same way as a latte only using half and half instead of steamed milk
-A Cappuccino is two-thirds foam and one-third steamed milk.
-An Espresso Con Panna is traditionally two shots of espresso with a dollop of whipped cream on top.
-A Red Eye is regular coffee with 2 shots of espresso added to the drink.
A holiday treat
Egg Nog Latte: Use Egg Nog instead of milk with espresso and top with whipped cream and nutmeg.
Ordering tips
:-If you’d prefer skim milk in your drink order a “Skinny latte or mocha.”
-Tell the barista up front if you do or do not prefer whipped cream on your drink, some coffee venues include whip cream on every drink whether you ask for it or not.
-It’s always polite to tip your barista.