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.

Some potentially harmful effects of coffee are recognized, particularly for people who should take few or no stimulants. Beyond this however, scientific studies of the effects of caffeine have in general failed to prove negative effects, although some have produced contradictory conclusions. An individual study may produce interesting results which may suggest fruitful directions for further research, but usually it is only when several independent studies confirm one another, and any contradictory results can be accounted for, that one can have reasonable confidence in the safety of a drug — particularly an “optional” one like coffee.

Although caffeine does not fall into the class of “addictive” drugs, it may be habit-forming. Some people may experience headache, fatigue, irritability and nervousness when their daily intake of caffeine is quickly and substantially altered.

Moderate caffeine consumption during pregnancy is generally considered safe. A study has not found any effect on low birth-weight or incidence of premature births. However, although it has been suggested that caffeine may stimulate milk production, cautious mothers may prefer to avoid such beverages during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.

Furthermore, a large study has not shown any connection of coffee or tea consumption with breast-cancer incidence. Osteoporosis is another condition which particularly affects women. Previous studies have suggested caffeine consumption as a risk-factor, but a recent analysis concludes that such an effect is probably not significant except in conditions of calcium-deficiency, which can be easily corrected.