Barista?

Image via WikipediaEmily is really into coffee.  She haunts all the top spots.  Gimme Coffee, Joe's and 9th Street Espresso. I am sure there are others but those 3 come to mind.  For her friends bday, she signed up for the 2 of them to take a class to learn how to be a barista at Joe's.  Last minute, for family reasons, her friend couldn't make it.  I was the back-up. 

Last night, at 7pm, we went up to Grand Central to take a class at Joe, The Art of Coffee.  We had fun.  Learned a little bit about the process and then got to try out our skills.  We made espresso which is the heart and soul of coffee making.  It is definitely an art.  From the grind to the finishing off the beans evenly to patting it down properly to the final drip.  I think the real key is the pressure of patting down the ground beans.  So that is the human touch part. 

No pictures, alas, but Emily might go back for the steamed milk class.