The Art of the Barista: A Brief Guide for the Gourmet Chef

As a chef (whether professional or not ) you have mastered your favorite foods the art of cooking . It is you who is selected to cook on nights when company comes , and as you can see your guests say that they are well pleased with the food . Just when you thought the night would go without a hitch , something happens .

They watch as each crouches to the bitter taste of cappuccino with dinner.

Since you followed the instructions that were included with your semi-automatic espresso machine, you have it to be the perfect drink to match the meal. Now one finds wonder if this machine is not broken. In this case, it is most likely not your espresso machine. More than likely, it was the way you brewed it .

As a chef you take the time to master your art. Now , it seems , may be the time to learn the art of the barista as well .

The art of the Barista
Before we talk about the skills you need , let us first talk about what a barista. A barista is a person who is trained in the art of making espresso. It may seem like a small thing , but actually there are those who are trained professionals in business, and who take the profession very seriously. These experts often work not only on the field , but also in barista competitions and have formal training in the production of espresso (and related drinks).

Just as your kitchen can be considered an art form , so is the art of the barista.

Getting Started with the Basics
Brewing that perfect cup of espresso is more than just following the instructions, that came with your commercial espresso coffee machine. It’s about knowing what espresso is, and understanding what it takes to make it the right way. The barista accounts for every aspect of the process from bean selection to pouring.

If we break down the steps it takes to brew the perfect cup , the process could be divided into four main phases . Makes a mistake in one of these stages may in espresso that is too bitter or too light and thus less spicy is either the result .

Bean Selection: The first thing that the barista taken into account , the bean is located . Beans should be fresh (fresh roasted if possible) and a dark roast preferred. Most professionals are preferred beans that have been grown in a certain area or floor , but for our purposes freshness is the most important here .

Grind : Next in the process we need to consider the loops. At this point a professional would in the moisture factor , and would make a slightly coarser grind on a humid day . For the beginner, the most important element is consistency. You want it done a pretty fine grind with a high quality coffee mill.

Tamp : In the third step, we fill our filter basket with the finely ground coffee. You should fill it to the point where the coffee only increases over the edge. Then you want to stomp the reasons . A company also pressure of about 6 kg is about right . If you plug it too much not in a position to be too little, and the espresso will be too easy. Water A good guide if you stuffed right or not, is the amount of cream left on the espresso. If there are no ( or very little ) , you do not stomp with enough pressure.

Brewing : Although most machines are automated today, even if you decided to home exhausted espresso machines , which were very easy to buy, there are factors that need attention with brewing . The proper brewing temperature is 92-96 degrees Celsius , and the ideal pressure 135psi . Withdrawing time should be 25 to 30 seconds. Much longer and be your espresso too bitter . Any shorter and it will not be strong enough.

You now have a basic idea of what is the art of the barista. Of course, this article provides only an overview of the art. In truth, practice makes perfect , but if you do not want to take your knowledge further , there are many sites dedicated to teaching. To consider next steps would be learning recipes for the perfect latte or cappuccino.