when you wake each other up
coughing like you might not make the afternoon
you keep the curtains closed
and carry off a conversation
but you both know that it's still far too soon
to say
you'll be OK
la la la la la
-"Smokers in Love" by The Lucksmiths
it's seven thirty nine AM and i am dead. this is the third morning in a row that i've had to get up at five forty five and before this, i had not woken up before eight forty five since the beginning of summer when i worked at the bakery.
i miss being the bus barista...the bus opens at some wonderful hour like eleven or eleven thirty during the winter.
so this morning i am not my springy happy self. i'm not even sure where i left my "self" but i'm drinking plenty of caffeine so that i can perhaps find her. i just indulged in a bagel and cream cheese for breakfast and now i'm watching the sun come up and the early morning traffic drive by. i think the sun is feeling a little sluggish today, too. it feels like she's taking longer than usual.
well, it's christmas eve. i wish i was one of the few and the proud to have today off. but the bean is open for the people who have to work and shop today. i've had a whopping TWO customers so far and i think the rest of the day is going to prove to be about as busy.
okay now i've had three.
i am grateful for everyone who comes in here and simply wants brewed coffee. i had a fight with the espresso machine this morning and we still haven't made up. he bit me and i haven't forgiven him.
today when i go home i'm making a tiramisu for christmas dessert. nom. coffee desserts are my favorites.
TOMORROW i will be posting a short story of mine. it is christmas afterall, and this is a story very dear to kim and i.
so happy christmas everybody. enjoy your elves.
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the musings of a barista in the city of ashes, the paris of the south.
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latest coffee creation
- english toffee, french vanilla and white chocolate make fore a really creamy and delicious latte. kimi and i came up with this for paul when he came in last week. he named it "the hundred years war."
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coffee enthusiasts.
coffee dictionary.
so, if you're like the way i used to be, you don't ask your barista questions. you might not know the difference betweeen a latte and a cappucino. that's fine! i'll try to help clarify here. leave a comment if you don't know what something means, and i'll post the answer here.
americano: tastes very much like brewed coffee, but it is fresher. it is freshly pulled espresso and hot water.
breve: (pronounced BRE-vay...e as in EStimate) this is a creamier, more fattening (and consequently more delicious) version of the latte. it is made with half and half instead of milk.
cappucino: composed of the same elements as a latte EXCEPT this drink has 1/4 liquid and 3/4 foam. (this is all approximately and will vary based on barista and coffee shop.) the capp is much stronger than a latte.
crema: the beautiful layer on top of an espresso shot. it is the creamiest, sweetest part and if the shot you are pulled is lacking it, you should ask for another shot to be pulled. crema-less espresso is bad news.
dry: a certain way of taking your cappucino. there is more FOAM in a dry cappucino. so if you want your cappucino foamy, order it dry!
espresso: (frequently mispronounced as EXpresso) a concentrated coffee drink usually pulled in one to one and a half ounce volumes. this is what goes into your lattes, cappucinos, breves, and americanos.
frappucino: this drink does not exist in a real coffee world. it is a by-product of starbucks.
latte: a coffee drink made up of steamed milk and espresso. it can also be flavored. a latte has about 3/4 liquid and 1/4 foam.
macchiato: (mah-key-YA-toe) a double shot of espresso with some foam or whipped cream on top. IT IS NOT THAT BASTARDIZATION THAT STARBUCKS SERVES. a delicious twist on a macchiato has caramel in it, though. ask your barista for a macchiato with a shot of caramel, whipped cream, and nutmeg sprinkled on top. yummm.
pointless: a sugar-free, fat-free, decaf latte.
skinny: a latte or cappucino with skim milk.
the barista game: a series of questions your barista will ask you when YOU ask THEM what YOU want. questions may include: do you like coffee? hot or cold? chocolate? the barista game makes baristas very happy. creativity keeps them on their toes.
americano: tastes very much like brewed coffee, but it is fresher. it is freshly pulled espresso and hot water.
breve: (pronounced BRE-vay...e as in EStimate) this is a creamier, more fattening (and consequently more delicious) version of the latte. it is made with half and half instead of milk.
cappucino: composed of the same elements as a latte EXCEPT this drink has 1/4 liquid and 3/4 foam. (this is all approximately and will vary based on barista and coffee shop.) the capp is much stronger than a latte.
crema: the beautiful layer on top of an espresso shot. it is the creamiest, sweetest part and if the shot you are pulled is lacking it, you should ask for another shot to be pulled. crema-less espresso is bad news.
dry: a certain way of taking your cappucino. there is more FOAM in a dry cappucino. so if you want your cappucino foamy, order it dry!
espresso: (frequently mispronounced as EXpresso) a concentrated coffee drink usually pulled in one to one and a half ounce volumes. this is what goes into your lattes, cappucinos, breves, and americanos.
frappucino: this drink does not exist in a real coffee world. it is a by-product of starbucks.
latte: a coffee drink made up of steamed milk and espresso. it can also be flavored. a latte has about 3/4 liquid and 1/4 foam.
macchiato: (mah-key-YA-toe) a double shot of espresso with some foam or whipped cream on top. IT IS NOT THAT BASTARDIZATION THAT STARBUCKS SERVES. a delicious twist on a macchiato has caramel in it, though. ask your barista for a macchiato with a shot of caramel, whipped cream, and nutmeg sprinkled on top. yummm.
pointless: a sugar-free, fat-free, decaf latte.
skinny: a latte or cappucino with skim milk.
the barista game: a series of questions your barista will ask you when YOU ask THEM what YOU want. questions may include: do you like coffee? hot or cold? chocolate? the barista game makes baristas very happy. creativity keeps them on their toes.
wet: the opposite of dry. the way you take your cappucino if you want more milk than a regular cappucino and less milk than a latte.
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