Espresso vs. Coffee

I like coffee more than I like espresso.

I have have tried a lot of things. I have tried lattes, straight espresso shots, macchiatos, americanos, mochas, favored lattes, espresso con panna, iced coffee and so on down the lineup. And yet, when customers ask what I drink, I honestly inform them that I drink coffee.

I like the taste of coffee. I drink it very fresh, from a 6oz cup, without any additions. My favorite are medium - dark roasts with round, complex flavors. I haven't experimented with enough origins to know which ones I like best, but give me a few years.

Some of the issue is probably that it is so much easier to get a good cup of coffee than a good shot. There is less equipment, and it is cheaper and easier to use. Pulling a good shot takes a lot of skill and practice. Pulling a shot that can stand along, without milk or sugar, seems to be very difficult. I haven't had very many that I truly enjoy drinking.

I want to be good at my job, and I pay attention to my shots. Most of my customers think they are very good. I consistently pull shots with thick nut colored crema that holds up to the "sugar test." And yet, something is missing.

Of course maybe I just don't like espresso and I could drink a "godshot" and still walk away with my cup of coffee clutched protectively in both hands. Maybe I'm just not "barista enough" to handle the essence of the coffee bean.

On the other hand, I totally macgyverd my milk pitcher today. I disassembled a handy pen and used the spring to replace the lost spring in our pitcher that controls the open/close mechanism. It was very satisfying. Maybe I'll make a good barista some day after all.

Fun caffeine fact: The German housewife Melitta Bentz invented the paper filter method of brewing coffee in 1908.