A Nice Cuppa

Coffee culture is hot; it’s sophisticated and it’s everywhere. There are those among us who can rattle off the meaning of Espresso Con Panna, Macchiatos and Breve’s with nary a blink of an eye, just like some people can tell you what Malbec and Torrontes are. (they are the red and white wine varietals of Argentina)

But even those folks who relentlessly clutch their oversized Starbucks cups tight in hand like a badge of honor aren’t always hip on the trend of coffee speak as a recent Krups survey has shown. An online survey by the coffee experts, and sponsors of the upcoming USA Barista Championships (held in Long Beach California, May 5-7 of this year), showed that their poll of approximately 2,000 Americans on the simple question “What is a Barista?” garnered some interesting results. Out of the five possible answers provided, only 1/3 of the people did indeed know that the person who serves them their coffee and espresso with a cheerful smile each morning is called a barista.

The results to the question were as follows:

11% reported it was a lawyer from England
7% thought it was someone who prepares alcoholic beverages
6% said it was a fashionable garment
1% reported that it was a person who loves burritos
41% said they did not know

As for the Championships, it’s a caffeine related frenzy as each contestant races through a maze of judges and photographers maintaining perfect composure while they prepare and serve four coffee drinks, including a signature concoction, in a 15 minute time frame. Judges will focus on station cleanliness, taste, beverage presentation, technical skills and total impression. The winner will receive a trophy, $1,000 cash and an all-expense paid trip from his or her hometown to the World Barista Championship in Tokyo, Japan.

As a former barista myself, I participated in a local barista challenge that pitted 8 top barista’s against each other, with the judges being a carefully selected panel of astute coffee consumers. We had 10 minutes to properly grind espresso, brew a double shot, make a cappucino and a mocha and a signature drink. As each drink was done, it was whisked off to the judges while we feverishly prepared another. It was crazy but a whole lot of fun. My signature drink was an Almond Roca Mocha- espresso, chocolate, almond and caramel. It placed second in the signature drink category. I placed third overall.

For more information on the Specialty Coffee Association, or the upcoming Barista Championships, please visit their website at http://www.scaa.org.

Logo courtesy of SCAA