Buttons, Blogs, and Other B Things

The bad news is that my economic status has forced me to acquire another job, necessitating the abandonment of Tampersand Book Club -- at least for now. As it stands, I won't have a day off for quite awhile, so it doesn't seem prudent to take on even more in my already packed schedule. I am not shelving the idea indefinitely, however, and hope to make that happen sometime in the future, once things in my bank account are happier. I suppose this is what happens when you take six weeks off to drive across the country and back with your fella, but I consider that trek to have been well worth the current struggle.

In cafe news, we have cupcakes! Betty's Buttons have been added to the menu at Ultimo and they are selling like hotcakes. Forgive the bad pun, but seriously, people are loving these little guys.

Our shop has been seriously loving Counter Culture's Aficionado, roasted on the new Probat. Yesterday and today it has felt a little bit like I could do no wrong in terms of delivering a beautiful, delicious shot... and believe me when I say that has not always been the case, nor do I expect it to last. But nonetheless, the general consensus has been infinite pleasure and excitement over the "new" product. I have been trying to focus on refining my skills throughout the process, not just with my pour, and having something that feels easy to work with is such a joy. It seems like these beans want to make delicious espresso; they cooperate, they give. And being so new to this world, I am finding that ever so delightful.

In line with my refinement as a barista, I found this (from James Hoffman's JimSeven blog) to be extremely helpful. I keep these things in mind constantly -- I have a great teacher -- but to hear these guidances in another's words helps them hit home in a new way. One can never learn too much about these things...

My pours are generally improving; I feel good about things, though I am trying to keep perspective and read the words of others who remind me that there is still so far to go. Unlike what you might think, putting myself in my place, so to speak, keeps me energized and interested. Luckily, my boss and co-workers don't have any issue reminding me either. Hah!

One picture for the road:

The Time Has Come for Fancy

Look what I can do!

I am clearly improving, but there is more work to do. Always.

The Tampersand Book Club was a "failure," of sorts. No one showed up except for Aaron (my boss) and my co-worker, Susan. We took a different tact and posted about the book club on Craigslist and asked people to RSVP. Thus far, I've got one response and one person asking to interview me for her blog. Which is kind of hilarious, considering, but I'm willing to chat about just about anything -- especially the intersection of literature and coffee. My two favorite subjects. I really can't wait to get together with a few like minds and discuss "God In a Cup" until we are (even more) sick of it. Of course, since it was two months since I read it, I will have to review, and will likely be sick of it. Such is life. Either way, the prospect of a continuing group which meets and pursues this type of knowledge seems too good to be true... but I hope for it anyway.

Plus, we have an amazing name, no? I am going to have Kevin tackle a logo of sorts; I'll unveil that when we get around to designing such a thing. Next up: buttons, t-shirts, and real flyers. We are going to be FANCY.

Speaking of fancy, our cafe has some beautiful new travel mugs in for the holidays. Get 'em quick, before the staff snatches them up...

The Annual Thankful List

As always, my list of things for which I am thankful, appropriately compiled annually upon the occasion of the Thanksgiving holiday. This year, I'm keeping it down to 50 items because it's 11:30 p.m. and I'm tired -- no less grateful, but tired.

1. My sweet fella.
2. His darling, quirky, accepting family.
3. Adorable, ornery Booker.
4. This brain and mind and consciousness that I inhabit and utilize.
5. ESPRESSO. Sweet, delicious espresso.
6. Bridgit, the Honda Fit, even though she is currently bleeding me dry.
7. Optimism.
8. Dear Rob B., for being my best guy friend through thick and thin, and always getting me into the sold out show.
9. Jeannine, both for being awesome and for being my friend who also lives in my neighborhood.
10. Nights when Kevin makes "the special."
11. Stylin' winter boots.
12. The artwork of Frida Kahlo.
13. Lady Gaga.
14. Baking nights, especially with Kevin's friends (who are thankfully becoming my friends).
15. This beautiful, gritty, dirty, diverse city.
16. Tuesday morning at the Cowtown flea market.
17. Books.
18. Skinny jeans. (On me, anyway, some folks shouldn't be sporting them. Haha.)
19. Yellowstone National Park.
20. My beloved internet creeps.
21. Down comforters and pillows.
22. Alton Brown.
23. The smell of autumn.
24. Freddie J. Mercury, my iPod.
25. My talented and knowledgeable bosses.
26. Quirky and passionate co-workers.
27. The friendly neighborhood cafe in which I work.
28. Our positively fantastic "regulars," most of whom are all too happy to indulge our somewhat strange passion for coffee.
29. NPR.
30. My laptop.
31. Late nights and early mornings, a.k.a. a full social calendar.
32. Self-portraits.
33. The Habeeb family.
34. The chance to go on a 7,000-mile roadtrip around my country with the man I love.
35. These hard candies that Kevin brought home from the Chinese grocery.
36. An incredibly generous and caring mother.
37. A father who, albeit later than I would have preferred, tries very hard to understand his daughter, who is very different than himself.
38. My dear brother, who knows me better than just about anyone and still loves me very much.
39. South Philadelphia.
40. Christmas carols, trees, meals, gifts, etc. All the trappings, the things that are symbols for what I love most of all: happy and celebratory time with family and friends.
41. Jim Beam.
42. Grungy, character-filled diners everywhere, and the lovely, strange people who stock them and keep them interesting.
43. Warm, soft knitted items, preferably handmade. Also related: Regretsy.
44. Babies.
45. Home-brewed beer.
46. An endless wealth (a.k.a. rabbit hole) of things to learn about coffee, as well as places to learn such things.
47. The Burning Man festival, as well as the ability to attend such frivolous, but enriching events.
48. Dance parties, private or public.
49. Friends around the world who unfortunately cannot be named in their entirety within this short list, but who are all incredible and dear to me.
50. Electricity, shelter, clean water, and abundant food.

All Over the Dang Place

There are quite a few things I want to cover tonight. Thus, I once again resort to a numbered list. Sorry I'm not flexing any of those writing muscles for you...

1. I am skipping a cupping right now because I drank way, way too many cups of coffee (and bits of cups of coffee) at work this morning. So much as I want to try that microlot of Golondrina... I wouldn't be able to enjoy it. I'm all hopped up and stomach-achey. It is not fun. Sorry, Aaron. Next Friday we will better police my caffeine intake before the cupping.

2. I have a name for both our coffee book club and perhaps my future website. I'd go ahead and shout it to the rooftops now, I am going to selfishly hoard it instead. What if one of you (lovely) internet creeps decided to steal it? I'd have to kill you, and murder is terribly messy. Let's just say that it perfectly combines both my love for the written word and for espresso and leave it at that. You'll find out soon enough, if all goes as planned.

3. Last night was my very first Philadelphia Thursday Night Throwdown (TNT). There seemed like there was a good turnout -- about 25 people, but I have no frame of reference as to whether or not that is "good" since I haven't been before -- and the competition was so interesting to watch. Regardless of how seriously you take such informal competition, it is, first and foremost, a competition. It being my first, I wanted to merely attend and take in the atmosphere. I didn't even know how such things were run, prior to last night. Now I think I mostly get it, and I will plan to do my own pour in December. As for last night's top competitor, it was my very own boss-man, Aaron Ultimo. He went first of 12 and still managed to finish with the highest score. Well done, well done.

I'm very glad I attended: I met some new friends, spoke with some old friends and co-workers, and solidified some meetings that occurred at work (a.k.a. refreshed my memory on names, I'm the worst at that). I also got to check out another Philly Counter Culture shop, Lovers & Madmen. I adore that name and the shop is pretty cute. I dig the cozy couches, windowed walls, and the brown/blue color scheme.

4. As for my own growth towards "coffee professional," well... I'm growing. The motions are becoming a part of my muscle memory, I'm learning what a good shot and the perfect milk feel like, in addition to their looks (with which I was already familiar). I can do great pours -- and I still pour some absolute crap from time to time. As with the past week or so, my primary focus is continuity, reliability, and refinement of skills. Our shop is a great atmosphere for someone who wants to really, really learn and perfect this art. I know I am not the first to flourish under Aaron's tutelage, so I doubt I'll be the last, but I feel pretty grateful for the insight and guidance he offers.

Aaaand some pictures from the TNT:

Aaron, tamping his shot.

Cool as a cucumber.

Judges, doing their thing.

Baby, We Were Born to Run

My boss is playing The Boss at the shop. As if that weren't obvious.

My boss has also informed me that I am ready to take the espresso test whenever I would like. So when I feel that I am ready, I will let him know, and then I will make one of everything on the menu in some kind of quick succession (in order to demonstrate both quality as well as ability to multi-task and make with the quickness). I'm thinking I need a few more days to practice macchiatos, if nothing else. They are the most difficult for me. But cappuccinos? Them babies are looking pretty good. Still things I want to refine, of course, but I am pleased with my progress thus far. Would you like to see? Of course, you would.

Yesterday.

And today.

That's all the coffee-news that's fit to blog. Have a great day.

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Coffee is the best thing to douse the sunrise with. -Drew Sirtors

A Few Small Things

1. I am doing this and doing this well. Yesterday work went so happily that Aaron high-fived me at the end of it -- and while he's not what I'd call stingy with the praise, he does favor perfection. Which is good, I think, it encourages me (and the rest of his employees) to keep improving. But I was still extremely pleased with the way that everything went. We had a few of our Philly "coffee cognoscenti" come in and I made them three cappuccinos -- all of which were beautiful pours in their own right, as well as technically correct. Glee! Glee in a cup!

2. This is a very cute way to learn a few facts on coffee. I kind of want to print it out and distribute it at the shop; we'll see about that. Thanks to Peregrine for posting it on Twitter and introducing it to me.

3. I did some online shopping for coffee-related items that I might request on Christmas lists. I already have some nuts and bolts home-brewing items in mind that I'll be buying from our shop when they arrive, but I had a hell of a time finding anything that was both compelling to a hipster such as myself and still "coffee-correct." Where does all the cool merch come from? There has to be some, right? I'm talking t-shirts with portafilters, tampers, etc. Coffee-related art. When I was in Salt Lake, one of the shops there had a great image (that I assume they created) with Alice in Wonderland holding a portafilter -- where are the tees featuring things like that? The hybrid of literary and coffee cultures? Does this exist, or will I be forced to screenprint my own? (I kind of hope the latter.) But even if I do make my own, tips on where to look for pre-existing items would be appreciated.

4. I made a huge list of books from Amazon searches last night. There are quite a few movies, novels, and non-fiction works that would be appropriate for the book club festivities. Not sure how we'd show a movie... but maybe I'll wait on that one. It could be arranged at someone's home, perhaps? I guess it depends who shows up and whether I want them at my home!

5. Work tonight. I am hoping that Aaron lets me pour all night. I'll try to take some pictures, since yesterday I just poured, celebrated, and served. No time for photography, but I'd like to continue to mark my progress.

6. I live next door to a small, local coffee roaster who roasts beans for his shop. I love listening to the whirsssh of beans being thrown in, though I have to admit that my mental image is of a crazy Rube Goldberg-like contraption; I've not yet viewed a roaster with my own two eyes. But I kind of like what I have pictured (think that old Milton Bradley "Mousetrap" game), so I choose to ignore visions of reality that appear on various online sites.

THAT IS ALL, THANK YOU.

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No one can understand the truth until he drinks of coffee's frothy goodness. -Sheik Abd-al-Kadir

Half-Shut Eyes

So here's what I've come to, folks:

Basically, I'm there. My foam is micro, my milk is hot enough, my pours are coming along perfectly. I can do this. And I am only going to get better. My consistency isn't 100%, but I will get there. Confidence is a beautiful thing. (Hopefully my boss is half as confident in me as I am.)

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Coffee, which makes the politician wise, And see through all things with his half-shut eyes. - Alexander Pope

Every Sweet With Sour Is Tempered Still

Triumphs:
-- pouring a pretty decent mocha into a to-go cup (no pictures, we were busy);
-- working the espresso essentially alone and making drinks for customers;
-- getting good reviews on taste of said drinks.

Failures:
-- pulling multiple shots for one drink because of general crap;
-- no really great pours today whatsoever;
-- some stupid, but fixable, mistakes.

One more triumph: I was able to fix my mistakes when I made them.

And to his great credit, Aaron just let me plug along and get it done, while offering small bits of advice that helped me to do so. I know it must be frustrating for him to watch me struggle and finish with a product that wouldn't be as beautiful nor as fast as if he'd done it himself, but I'm making strides, and hopefully we'll be more comparable in speed and beauty with time. It's frustrating, but I am not the sort to get frazzled. I laugh at myself, clear whatever I did incorrectly, and do it again with greater attention to what was previously flubbed. So, all in all, not a fantastic day, but a learning day.

I also handed out a few resumes after work, which is strangely good for this job. Once I have more on my plate, I honestly think I'll be better at the shop. I've always been the kind of kid who functioned best when she had less time to waste. This way, the financials will be more solid, and I'll have to manage my time better -- both good things.

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Actually, this seems to be the basic need of the human heart in nearly every great crisis -- a good hot cup of coffee. -Alexander King

Idea: "This American Life" Sundays

I never catch "This American Life" when it's actually on the local NPR station. Never. And when I do, I am never in the car for a full hour. So needless to say, I subscribe to the podcast and usually end up listening to them in bulk when I'm on a solo roadtrip... or never. Sunday nights are slow, especially the last few hours when everyone has work in the morning. But maybe, just maybe, if we had a Sunday night "This American Life" session, a few folks would turn up, buy a coffee, and hang out for an hour while we played the prior week's episode.

Just an idea. Wanted to record it before I forgot.

We're Not Alone

Found this via (har har) PostSecret and absolutely had to share.

Pardon The Interruption

My trip was useful and enjoyable, though difficult. Since my return, however, it seems something has "clicked" regarding both the steaming of milk as well as the artful pouring of said substance. I understand it, even if I cannot immediately complete it as well as I'd like. The mosaic below demonstrates three days of progress, and I think it's pretty markedly better as we go:



This evening I took some time in between baking bread and making chili to create a potential flier for the coffee book club. I'm hoping for the first meeting to be in late November, so I really need to get the word out soon in order for people to have time to read the book. I'm toying with the name "Thirst for Knowledge," because all of the books will be coffee-related in some way, and of course, coffee is a beverage which quenches thirst. (Obvious to you, dear reader.) Perhaps not hip enough, perhaps too cliche, but I'm not having much luck coming up with something clever. The only other idea I had was "Happiness Is: A Coffee Book Club," the inspiration for that being that happiness is a great cup of coffee and equally good book. But that seems obtuse. I'll likely run it by my co-workers and see if they have any clever ideas.

Another co-worker has begun a knitting club that meets tomorrow; I'm loving how involved and community-oriented our shop is becoming, encouraging the hobbies and personal relationships between employee and client. Besides, it's FUN. We are a neighborhood shop, after all, it wouldn't be right if we weren't a part of the neighborhood.

Back to my bloody mary and "Hedwig" soundtrack. More to come soon, I imagine.

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Nancy Astor: If I were your wife, I would put poison in your coffee.
Sir Winston Churchill: And if I were your husband, I would drink it.

More Breakfast In Bed

I am headed down to Charlotte, N.C. tomorrow with my friend Malleigh. The purpose of the trip is to spend time with another wonderful friend who has been going through a trying time (to put it lightly). We're going to cook, do laundry, clean, watch her daughter -- whatever needs done is what we're going to do. I suspect I won't have much time to think about coffee, but just as evidence to my somewhat ridiculous level of obsession, I am trying to figure out a way I can visit Counter Culture in Durham while I'm down in the southland. I suspect that particular joy will have to wait until the next journey; believe it or not, there's more important work to be done this time.

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Ah! How sweet coffee tastes! Lovelier than a thousand kisses, sweeter far than muscatel wine! -"Coffee Cantata", J.S. Bach

Don't Leave It All Unsaid

Another frustrating day for steaming soapy water. I'd say I was acceptable about a third of the time and actually where I want to be only 1-2 times. The shop was slow because of the pouring down rain, so I appreciated the time to practice, I just wish it had been more fruitful.

The only good news is that I spoke with a regular (who also happens to be someone I went to high school with) and he seemed intrigued by both my coffee book club idea as well as the existence of this blog. He asked me a few questions about the Chemex versus pour-over and I gave my opinions on both. I like when I can feel I answered a question accurately and with some degree of expertise, even when it's an opinion. It's nice to have an educated opinion to offer, as opposed to when I'd started at the shop and had to defer to someone else. I'm definitely learning, even if it's not as quickly as I'd prefer. Elizabeth, one of the co-owners of the shop, and I spoke tonight about diligence and practice, and how it's proven that baristas who practice have good results. I have no problem with hard work, so that's good, and I'm crossing my fingers that I also possess enough of the innate skills that make a great barista. I guess only time will tell.

Today's only "real" pour attempt, a cappuccino that tasted terrific and looked only so-so:


Upward and onward, folks. Behind the Marzocco is no place for a whiner.

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The powers of a man's mind are directly proportioned to the quantity of coffee he drinks. - Sir James Mackintosh

Only the Beginning

By way of introduction: obviously, I am a beginning barista and this is a beginning blog. I hope for both my skills as a barista as well as this blog to grow simultaneously. While I have an idea of how to do the former (as well as a great teacher), the latter seems a lot like jumping off what could be a pretty steep cliff. Because this is how I do things, I've decided to throw myself out there, come what may, and perhaps I'll grown into this gracefully.

I know this rabbit hole of coffee goes a long way down, and I guess this is my way of acknowledging the beginning of my descent. Hopefully we all enjoy the journey.

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Alice: Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?
The Cat: That depends a good deal on where you want to get to.
Alice: I don't much care where.
The Cat: Then it doesn't much matter which way you go.
Alice: ...so long as I get somewhere.
The Cat: Oh, you're sure to do that, if only you walk long enough.

A Little Jetty Fight

Not my best work today with the steaming of milk. I got it right twice, but got it wrong so many other times. Meanwhile, I've discovered that two cappuccinos in one shift gives me a heck of a bellyache. I just can't bear to waste the good stuff, but consuming them myself is obviously not the answer. Perhaps it's worth the upset stomach? Aaron is encouraging, which is nice, but as you'll see below, I'm no expert yet.

My first attempts:




In other news, I continue to spew out statistics and information that I had no idea I'd retained from my coffee-related reading, and I'm hungry for more. I'm going to get going on that Coffee Book Club (clever name has yet to be determined), so any recommendations would be greatly appreciated, especially for fiction which intertwines coffee and plotline in an unexpected way. We can't read non-fiction after non-fiction, and I suspect the entertaining, well-written fiction featuring coffee or cafes will be more difficult to find.

Going to go nurse my upset stomach now; I'm skipping the cupping, sad to miss La Golondrina.

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If this is coffee, then please-bring me some tea. But if this is tea, please bring me some coffee. - Abraham Lincoln

Give Me Two Weeks

Today I did milk training. This has been weeks in coming, so I am understandably excited. I am decently good, somewhat naturally, at steaming milk to the proper micro-foam levels. Yes, steaming milk is that serious. You'd never think so, but you'd know the difference if you tasted it. Trust me, you would. Big bubbles, bad. Small bubbles, good. But I did that and I did it well, and soon I'll be pouring rosettes like nobody's business.

It's odd to me how gratifying I find this process: grinding to the correct size in accordance with weather, age of the coffee, and 100 other variables that one must instinctually recognize; dosing the portafilter just so; cleaning the group, loading the portafilter, recognizing when the espresso you've exposed to water and pressure has given its best and it's time to stop the shot. Pulling a shot. It's beautiful, it's poetic, it's scientific -- and the best baristas make it look effortless, like taking a breath. Nevermind steaming milk while you time that perfect shot and pouring the aforementioned warm (not hot!) milk overtop golden-rust crema to create a pleasing design.

Give me two weeks. I'll give you pictures.

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I have measured out my life with coffee spoons. -T.S. Eliot

Deep Sea Diver

Today my only plan was to go get a cup of the most famous coffee in the world, which we have in stock for a limited time, but since my sinuses are all messed up I don't want to waste a cup on my sick palate. My boss said he would save 25 grams for me to pour a cup if he starts getting low; he is so good to me. I'm reading "God In a Cup" right now, which is a book about Esmeralda (the coffee's name) and the specialty coffee industry in general. I want to finish before i taste her (yes, she's a girl, so they say), so I guess the timing is alright. Still: disappointed in my body. Working to get better so I can drink that special cup!

I guess that's the top of coffee nerdery: trying to get better so that I can taste coffee better.

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If you want to improve your understanding, drink coffee; it is the intelligent beverage. - Sydney Smith

Buried Deep Inside Your Soul

Work today was fantastic. We were busy and Travis, one of Aaron's friends from D.C., was doing a guest barista spot. Travis is a great guy and he has white eyelashes in one part of his left eye -- I am a sucker for beautiful physical quirks like that. Plus, he's good at what he does. The cappuccino he made me runs neck and neck with the ones Aaron serves. I am so satisfied with my occupation these days. I never dread going in to work (even in the early mornings) and I am always happy while I'm there. My co-workers are all such dears, the constant gaining of knowledge is motivating, and our customers are good, kind people. What more could I possibly ask for?

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Coffee, according to the women of Denmark, is to the body what the Word of the Lord is to the soul. - Isak Dinesen