I never enjoyed drinking coffee before. That is before I started making café lattés and ice blended coffee's as work. But now that's a thing of the past. My work that is. I miss preparing drinks, my colleagues, the free drinks, the cute boys, the irritating "sosyalites", the patron guest, annoying "istambays", and so much more.
I would have to say my first job really did made a mark on me. Its was a very different experience. Being a barista may not be the grandest and glamorous job out there. But its sure is fun. And I had fun working being a barista.
In my experience, there are some people who doesn't know a thing about what they are ordering or what will they order. So let me share to you my knowledge of café culture here in our country as I give you KAPE101: café menu generics.
A barista should and always serve a perfect cup of coffee. May it be a short café latté, or a grande ice-blended mocha. After all coffee making is a form of art. Besides you aren't paying a cheap prize for an addictive caffeine rush. As I've said there are some guests who doesn't know a thing about the drink they have just ordered. There are some who complains about their cappuccino being all foamy. Some complains of the mocha being sweet.
Dont look like a fool and know what's what in the coffee world. Know what you paid for. Because the only time to go complaining is when you get a foamy latté and a bitter mocha. Here's the generic line-up of a café.
Every café serves Brewed Coffee. Not unlike those instant 3in1 mix that you can buy at any grocery and "sari-sari" store. These ones are freshly brewed with newly grind coffee beans, that gives distinct flavor and aroma the best coffee beans could offer. Beans can range from bittersweet Colombian, to nutty-spicy Guatemalan, and more. Café's serve different brewed coffees everyday depending on the beans used.
The Espresso is a chemically complex drink that captures the essences of the coffee beans. Its a shot of intense, rich black coffee (about 1.25 oz, standards vary from different café) that is made and served at once. Meaning you drink it immediately upon being made. That's how the Italians do it. Its also the essence of the café latté, cappuccino, breve, mocha, americano, and ice blended coffees.
A double shot of espresso is called Doppio or Double Espresso.
Espresso topped with a tablespoon of whipped cream is called Espresso con Panna.
Espresso topped with a heaping of milk foam is called Espresso Macchiato.
Café Latté is made with a shot of espresso and steamed velvety rich milk. After all café latté which literally translate into Italian as coffee and milk. So unless you're in Italy and you ordered a latté, you'll get a mug of pure milk. But of course where not in Italy. Its available in hot or over ice. Also available with flavored syrup ranging from caramel, hazelnut, to raspberry and more.
A Cappuccino is a shot of espresso with less steamed milk and lots of milk foam. So don't freak out the next time you stir your cappuccino and find out that almost half of it is milk foam. Because its supposed to be that way. It can be dry or wet. A dry cappuccino has thick milk foam while the wet cappuccino has soft milk foam. It's stronger than latté since it has less milk. It's only available hot in café's.
The Breve is also made with espresso shot and 1/2 and 1/2 milk (which is half milk and half cream). It's creamier that latté due to the use of 1/2 and 1/2. Available hot or over ice.
A Mocha is chocolate milk with espresso shot. It can be dark or white chocolate. Available hot and over ice. It's the version of the hot chocolate with caffeine of course.
Americano is an espresso shot over water. The difference between americano from brewed coffee is the cremà. Available in hot or iced.
Americanno; Espresso con Pan; Espresso Macchiato
When it comes to Ice-blended Coffee's, each café has a distinct trademark that they offer. For Starbucks Coffee they have the Frappuccino, Seattle's Best Coffee has the Javakula, The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf has the Ice Blended, Gloria Jeans has Chiller ans so on.
Each café serves their own version of ice-blended coffee drink. But they have a common ground of line-up. Mocha, Mint Chocolate, Choco Chip, Coffee Jelly ice-blended drinks can be found in any café.
Café's also serve non-coffee drinks. Some has milkshakes, fruit shakes, juices, sodas, wide variety of green and black tea, milk tea, iced tea, and ice-blended tea.
Now what would drinks be if not partnered with some delicious pastry or cake. From cookies to croissant to cheesecake, you' ll surely find a great snack in their line up of food item. Some café even serve full breakfast meal, all day long.
Drink up and enjoy you're expensive treat. ;)
