Instant Form Of Flavored Coffee example essay topic

The Art of Coffee When I began my job as a Barista at Mainline Coffee I knew next to nothing about this art. I enjoyed hanging out at coffee shops with friends, and appreciated the energy boost drinking a cup could give me; however, the sum of my knowledge appeared to be only that I knew how to brew coffee at home. I didn't know the differences between espresso and drip brew coffee, or the differences between a cappuccino and a latte. I was ignorant of how much more went into the process of creating good quality coffee. During my first few months there I strove to learn as much about this trade as possible.

Similar to any other job that I have worked at, I felt that it was my duty as a paid employee to become as fully qualified for the position as possible. An emphatic enthusiast about coffee, my manager Josh took me under his wing and began to impart his vast sum of knowledge to me. Every day I worked with him he would teach me more and more about roasting techniques, different origins of coffee and their complex tastes, the best way to foam milk, and the correct names for specialty drinks. He worked on developing my palate for coffee by requiring me to taste each new origin we ordered and then, using coffee vernacular, describing it to the best of my ability. We would also have competitions between ourselves as to who could create the best micro-foam when frothing milk. As my knowledge of this art increased, I was excited by the potential that I was finding in coffee.

I was able to experience excellent coffee and espresso, and it opened my eyes up to the fact that there was much more to coffee than the "traditional" Maxwell House, Folgers, or instant coffee could ever offer. Once roasted, coffee beans begin to oxidize, and they rapidly turn stale and bitter. Packing and refrigeration is able to slow down this process, however, it can never be prevented. Maxwell House, Folgers, and similar brands come already ground, and who knows how long they have been sitting on the shelf in the grocery store. The flavors brought out of these coffees can't compare to the rich, smooth, and full-bodied flavors of coffee that is recently roasted and ground immediately before brewing.

I had discovered something that was good, and I wanted to share my new wealth of information with other coffee drinkers like myself. While at work I would try to educate my customers to the best of my ability. While I was making their drinks I would talk to them about the coffee that we had brewed, what underlying flavors could be detected in it, and where the origin was from. I might explain to them how our frothed milk, which we labeled micro-foam, compared to the milk the majority of coffee shops around here created.

The indifference to what I would share with them, however, was absolutely amazing. While I was sharing this information, I would have customers who would blatantly ignore me, turning to the person in the passenger seat of their car and start talking to him or her, or they would pick up their cell phone and start talking to a friend. Others would explain to me that the details and subtleties were beyond them and really it didn't matter how to create it as long as the final product that I gave to them tasted good. The majority didn't care to know any more than how much money it was going to cost them. Discussing the difference between a potentially good cup of coffee, and the coffee most shops around here produce, the typical response I receive is a comment, at times muttered under the breath, and at times stated jokingly or with a hint of scorn, that I am a coffee connoisseur, or more derogative ly, a coffee snob.

To so many in western Michigan, coffee is just another drink, helpful in producing that extra jolt of energy that may be needed to get one through a long day of work. To most, my world, the world of coffee, with all of its terms and mechanics, is a foreign concept to them, and they don't care to learn. One of the most frustrating experiences that I tend to have every day deals with the names of specialty coffee drinks. I have a number of customers through every day who order a 16 ounce cappuccino with a flavor in it. If they are a new customer I explain to them that what they are ordering is really a latte. A traditional Italian cappuccino is served in a 12 ounce proportion.

It is equal parts espresso, steamed milk, and thick frothed milk. Not many people here know this, however, given the numerous coffee shops that misrepresent this drink along with the abundant gas stations who sell "cappuccinos", which are really just an instant form of flavored coffee. After repeated visits, however, if I still hear the phrase "I'll have a 16 ounce cappuccino with... ". I cringe. This apathy amazes me for something we tend to consume nearly every day.

To me, coffee is more than just a quick caffeine fix. I don't drink it primarily for the caffeine alkaloids, but for the delicate flavors that it as to offer. It is a treat to drink, if prepared properly. I have a greater understanding of what goes into the whole process and how little discrepancies can provide a wide array of flavors.

For example, we brew our half batches of drip brew coffee at around 2.5 ounces, depending on the origin of the roast. I have gotten to the point during this past year that I am able to tell a remarkable difference between a batch brewed at 2.5 ounces and one brewed at 2.6. That is a difference of around twenty-five coffee beans. Twenty-five coffee beans are able to distinguish a good cup of coffee from one that is too strong or too weak. If coffee is brewed to its maximum potential underlying tones emerge, depending on the origin of the roast.

Origins such as Costa Rican or Guatemalan typically have a strong fruity flavor or a slightly chocolate taste. Coffee from Colombia is more mellow, smooth, sweet, and aromatic while Kenyan coffee is found to be more tangy with a lingering taste on one's palate. It also has an uncommon elegant green fruit taste to it. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee tends to be very mild, tart, and chocolaty. I have been able to hone my skills down to the point where I can find the maximum brew strength for each origin and identify these underlying flavors. Western Michigan seems to be behind in the education of the coffee trade from much of the United States and the rest of the world in general.

This can be partially explained by the fact that the United States was one of the slower countries to come to appreciate fine coffee due to the disadvantage of quickly being bombarded with the practicality of instant varieties. Things have changed, however, since the arrival of Starbucks in the 1970's. They first opened in Seattle's Pike Place public market creating a taste for espresso, cappuccino, and good coffee in general. We are swiftly making up for lost time, unfortunately though, this trade has yet to catch on in areas further away from the west coast where Starbucks originated.

In Seattle and the surrounding areas however, the coffee business is booming. Everywhere you look there are coffee shops run by owners who care about the quality of the cup. On the rare occasion that I have customer comes through Mainline Coffee who knows a bit about the coffee trade, or desires to know more about the differences in drinks, it excites me. This rare opportunity allows me to discuss some of the tricks of the trade, possibly pick up a piece of knowledge here and there, and spread a bit of my own knowledge. Soon after this educated customer leaves, however, I find myself back into western Michigan's reality of apathy and indifference to the idiosyncrasies of the trade. Coffee itself can be considered a sort of language.

There are so many terms that are associated with it that unless you are familiar with coffee, listening to experts discuss the subject with leave you confused and feeling like they might be speaking a foreign language. Its preparation requires a familiarity with complex instruments and techniques, along with the subtle differences in quantities, consistencies, temperatures, and pressure. Each technique used correctly produces delicious coffee with unique characteristics. Creating good coffee has become part of my lifestyle.

I have found that words such as, cupping, frothing milk, and latte art have worked their way into my everyday vocabulary as I attempt to educated more and more people here in Michigan in hopes that one day more will develop this love for a drink that is part of so many of their daily diets. Someday, maybe a world that is a reality for me will become a reality for many more.