Barista Training Course - 3 Reasons to Learn to Pour Latte Art

You may be wondering what's the big deal withe caffe latte art and in a business where every second counts, why bother? The fact is that caffe latte art gives adults the same giddy feeling they got when they would receive a balloon as a little child. Yes, it's fleeting but there's something grande about such an expression. A foamy heart or smiley face on top of your specialty coffee may not be a big deal for some, but for most it's simply thrilling!

#1 - Marketing
Latte art has become an important component in marketing a coffee business. Customers REMEMBER your business when you serve them artistic specialty coffee drinks.

#2 - Steamed Milk
In order for your baristas to create latte art they must steam milk correctly. Steaming milk properly is a must in order to create works of latte art. Soon your customers will realize the huge difference between the drinks you serve and that of the large chains. Not only will your specialty coffee drinks look better but they will taste far superior with the wonderful wet foam mixed with a rich shot of espresso unlike the large chains with the dry large-celled foam scooped on.

#3 - Pride
The more "Wows!" you hear from your customers the more pride you will generate in your baristas. In addition, more dollars will flow to your bottom line and tips to the pockets of the baristas.

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How to Spot a Good Barista

The skilled and professional maker of coffee in a speciality coffee house is correctly known as a barista.

The term originates from Italy where it is a coveted title and requires significant apprenticeship. No one can assume the title of barista unless he or she can profess to have dedicated much time and practice to this art. The title barista has been somewhat diminished outside Italy where the term barista seems to apply to any coffee machine operator regardless of their skill - however unskilled - is usually referred to as a barista.

There are a few simple ways to discover if the maker of your coffee is a true barista or not. The first thing is to ask him or her about the coffee they are serving. Where does it come from? What bean is it? How is it roasted? If he or she answers, 'Our suppliers, 'dark roast', 'in a roaster' - or simply 'dunno', I think you can safely determine that he or she is not a true barista.

If, on the other hand, the response to your queries is met with much enthusiasm and detail about the country of origin, type of bean and roasting technique, you will almost certainly be in the presence of a professional barista.

If you don't want to converse or perhaps if the operator doesn't speak much English, you can simply observe how they go about the job of preparing your drink.

A dedicated barista will grind the coffee freshly each time, will ensure the china cups are preheated, will ensure the group handles (the part where the ground coffee is put in, are kept in the machine and not left lying around, will only use fresh milk from the fridge and froth it at the machine, and will tamp (flatten) the coffee in the group handle using a fair amount of pressure (not lightly pressed).

The result of this attention to detail is a lovely cup of coffee, which will be worth every penny.

You wont be surprised to know that the National Barista World Championship is held annually in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, but what you might well be surprised to know is that the current world champion is not from the States nor from Italy, but from Yorkshire.

Author: Fenton Wayne