On Drinking a Superb Cappuchino
Jul. 10th, 2013 03:21 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
danieldwilliamI have spent the late morning and early afternoon reading. I have done so with a rare coffee. I don’t usually drink coffee, particularly caffinated coffee shop coffee but today I felt in need of a small pick me up. So I had not one, but two large cappuchinos.
In the process of ordering the second cappuchino I fell in to conversation with the barista about the making of a cappuchino. She has just won a place in the national finals of the barista of the year competition. So I had the opportunity to talk to one of the nation’s best makers of coffee about her work and what she’s doing to improve her work. She’s working on some feedback from the regional final judges that her cappuchino froth is too thick. Personally I like a thick layer of froth on a cappuchino. If you don’t like the froth why not order a latte? I also see cappuchino froth thickness as a matter of indivudal conscience. A matter over which reasonable people can reasonably differ. A matter of taste. Apparently I am wrong and there is an ideal thickness of froth on a cappuchino. 1 centimeter for those needing to know.
Getting the thickness right appears to be a bit of a technical challenge. You can’t see under the froth to see how thick it is and you have to get both the volume of the coffee and the volume of the froth right each and every time.
The barista is taking the opportunity with every cappuchino she makes to think about how she can get the froth spot on the necessary standard. I got the impression that she's a bit stumped about how to get the thickness right consistently. I couldn't help. I don’t think I take a moment with every spreadsheet I produce to think about how I could improve it. I probably should.
I think I’ve just drunk a work of artistic craftsmanship of national quality.
Pretty good.
In the process of ordering the second cappuchino I fell in to conversation with the barista about the making of a cappuchino. She has just won a place in the national finals of the barista of the year competition. So I had the opportunity to talk to one of the nation’s best makers of coffee about her work and what she’s doing to improve her work. She’s working on some feedback from the regional final judges that her cappuchino froth is too thick. Personally I like a thick layer of froth on a cappuchino. If you don’t like the froth why not order a latte? I also see cappuchino froth thickness as a matter of indivudal conscience. A matter over which reasonable people can reasonably differ. A matter of taste. Apparently I am wrong and there is an ideal thickness of froth on a cappuchino. 1 centimeter for those needing to know.
Getting the thickness right appears to be a bit of a technical challenge. You can’t see under the froth to see how thick it is and you have to get both the volume of the coffee and the volume of the froth right each and every time.
The barista is taking the opportunity with every cappuchino she makes to think about how she can get the froth spot on the necessary standard. I got the impression that she's a bit stumped about how to get the thickness right consistently. I couldn't help. I don’t think I take a moment with every spreadsheet I produce to think about how I could improve it. I probably should.
I think I’ve just drunk a work of artistic craftsmanship of national quality.
Pretty good.
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no subject
Date: 2013-07-11 01:25 pm (UTC)The coffee itself was insipid.
Part of me - the part that really likes the foam - thinks I must go back and give them another chnace. Another part of me - the part that likes my coffee to taste of, well, COFFEE - thinks no, they've had their chance, and they blew it.
Where was your dream of a barista?
no subject
Date: 2013-07-11 01:28 pm (UTC)If ever you fancy popping in I’ll happily buy you a coffee.
no subject
Date: 2013-07-11 01:32 pm (UTC)Part of me thinks – I should say something. It’s not a big bit of feedback, not complicated , but would make a difference to their business if they did something about it.
But I generally just chalk it up to experience and just don’t go back.