Expresso Love: Your Online Guide to Coffee

The barista is — in the final analysis — a public servant of sorts. Especially in the US. He or she exists to ensure that your first cup of espresso or cappuccino or any variation in between will not be your last. But if you thought that the training that goes into making a decent espresso or café-latte was demanding, consider the dynamics involved in dealing with a hundred or so customers every day.

So it’s high time the barista gets a tip of the hat. A pat on the back. A little more recognition than he or she is used to receiving. Because believe me, they deserve it.

The role of a barista is still somewhat new in the United States and North America. More often than not the barista is a part-time gig for someone going to school. It may even be a hobby. But you can’t deny that apart from the obvious skill it takes to pull a decent espresso, it takes a lot of gusto — pardon the expression — to deal with the demands of the java-guzzling public.

Speaking of which, the “public”, that is – the majority of individuals who saunter up to the bar to order an espresso are probably doing so more because it’s the trendy thing to do. Does the average Joe understand the subtleties of a good roasted blend? Know what it takes to tap the coffee just right? Do they even know or care where the term “barista” came from? Probably not. To the passionate barista this can be a frustrating thing.

In addition to their coffee-making duties, most baristas have other duties as well – most of them unglamorous like wiping down the bar, sweeping the floor, washing cups and dishes and picking up all those annoying toothpicks customers leave lying around.

In the United States, the barista profession should be a dynamic and well-respected. And come to think of it — well-compensated as well. And there’s no doubt that one day it will be.