I’ve been taking some time to reevaluate my career, my aspirations and life; prodding every action with sensitive questions—does that complete me? In my quest, I cannot ignore that life is still developing around me, hence, my decision to jump into a buzzing industry that continues to brew at an alarming rate; coffee. It was seven years ago when I was first introduced to the gourmet coffee business through the alluring addition of mocha sauce and chocolate chips rolled into what’s called a ‘Starbucks Java Chip Frappachino’. Four years ago, my acquired taste for espresso dived into lattes. Long hours, round-the-clock stress and social gatherings catapulted this sweet treat into a lighthearted addiction. Today, it seems there’s no stopping the legal, addictive stimulant. This cycle I began at the age of 23, our children are getting a head start on at 11.

It started out with one, but today, I am the proud owner of four coffee/espresso machines that clutter my countertop. Can you believe that with Starbucks-certified machines, their packaged coffee and espresso and branded syrups, I still can’t make my lattes like the baristas?! To tell you the truth, it bothers me when I can’t master a fetish! With determination, I decided this time of soul searching wouldn’t be just about finding answers to life, but the key to great coffee, a great conversation piece and what’s become a great cultural icon. Plus, I know there’s more behind this once European delicacy and I’m a woman of interest in many subjects. I love research, especially hands-on digging! With two weeks on the job, I’ve learned that coffee isn’t just about the blend written on the bag- medium, bold, extra bold- but about the geographic region, and specifically, what hillside the beans were sprout from. After mandatory hundreds of cups of coffee and days of taste testing, I can give you a pretty accurate description of coffee comparisons based on global soils and even pair it with a pastry compliment a coffee’s acidity. One specific blend of bean Starbucks sells is stored for a year fermenting; every day the beans are stirred by hand while in storage. Chalk it up to the equivalent of a fine wine if you will. The bean itself is blacker than black and the taste is very bitter, highly acidic, our boldest of bolds and coffee connoisseurs ask for it by name. I’m now learning about the types of drips, a French press versus a drip; basically those with beans immersed in hot water and those with hot water trickling through the grounds.

On the making of specialty drinks, oh mama, is this the technique and order of mixing ingredients important, like baking a cake really. Shots die after ten seconds and if you watch the shot after its pulled you can literally see what’s known as the body, separate from what’s known as the heart, and lastly the crème’ pulls away. So if I don’t have that pulled espresso in my cup and mixed in a handful of seconds, the drink is ruined. Couple this with the revolving coffee menu that trips up every drink with a new method of mixing to suit its customers. For instance, lattes get espresso first, milk last, but make it fast! Mochas get espresso first, but take your time because the shot has to melt the sauce before the milk is added. And macciatos are upside down-milk first, espresso last; super important to get this order right, I’ve tasted it when the order is wrong, ew! Americanos get no milk, chai teas get no coffee and every drink has a customized staple- whip, sprinkles, drizzle, foam or lack thereof. And that’s just the hot bar; we have an array of cold drinks that have their own rules. Mix any of this up and there will surely be a ‘regular’ down your throat. Even after menu items are retired, regulars still order these drinks, which requires newbe baristas, like myself, to dig through the coffee industry’s 20-year history for the preferred concoction. And that’s my brewed awakening.