Whether it’s a cappuccino, a latte, an espresso, or simply black coffee, coffee has become a way of life for most people. The ever-growing market appeal of the specialty coffee business has promoted this tangible shift in the coffee culture of America. With more people becoming interested in preparing a good cup of coffee in the comfort of their homes, coffee education is becoming a relatively mainstream experience to partake in.
Imagine you are going on a road-trip. It’s 4am and you need to fuel up your car (and yourself) before you leave. You pull in to the gas station since you know no coffee shops are open this early. You decide to go in and grab a coffee. You walk-in, fill a cup from the carafe of coffee waiting for you, and begin your journey to the condiment counter because you know this cup is going to need a liberal helping of cream.
The change in seasons is an always a good time to reflect on the past, present and future. The fall always prompts me to think about my career in coffee and how I got here. As with everything in life it was coincidence, mixed with luck and good choices that have blessed me with a seventeen year career in coffee.
Being a women in the specialty coffee industry is like being a women in any industry.
Every single day, millions of people indulge in a cup of the sweet nectar of life we call coffee. If you partake in this daily ritual, recent studies suggest your cup of coffee stands proudly among the 330 millions cups of coffee that are daily consumed in the US alone. That’s a lot of coffee! With such staggering statistics, it’s easy to see why many individuals want to open a coffee shop. In today’s business environment however,
Envisioning a coffee school conjures images of eager eyed baristas clutching clip boards and cupping spoons. However there is another coffee school much nearer at hand. Being a great barista means opening the doors of coffee school every day. There is only one instructor: the barista. The student might also be the barista, or it might be the guest on the other side of the counter. Either way, let the learning commence!
The self-taught barista syllabus is driven by curiosity and creativity.