Respect for the Art of Espresso

Ciao mundo!
(That's Italian for "Hello World!")

So Tuesday morning I woke up early, showered and got ready for my Barista Training session. They gave me a free espresso drink, and took me to the back room to watch a one-hour movie that explains the history and all the vital concepts about coffee beans, espresso, and so on. I learned some valuable knowledge in that outdated video. First, I did not know that you are not supposed to heat a cup of coffee in the microwave. It changes the flavor. Second, a pot of coffee is no longer fresh after 20-30 minutes on a warmer. I always wondered why gas-station coffee tastes, well... burnt.

Coffee isn't just a common beverage that's loaded with caffeine. Coffee beans are the second largest industry in the world, second to petroleum. Coffee is a way of life, a means of income, and as I am learning, an art. I may have to go buy myself an espresso machine so that I can practice. I am a devout coffee consumer and am excited to learn to make my own!

Everyday Joe's, the coffee shop I have started to volunteer at, is a nonprofit coffee shop. It originated as a church in Downtown Fort Collins. The location is absolutely marvelous! It's right across from the court building, and it has high ceilings and brick walls. The members of the church didn't want the building to go to waste the other six days of the week by just sitting there, so the idea for a nonprofit coffee shop emerged. Thus, the existence of Everyday Joe's emerged.

There are two paid employees and the rest is volunteer. All the proceeds go to support the building, coffee shop supplies, the two employees and the rest is donated to local nonprofit and charity organizations. It's such a great idea! You may ask, how do they find volunteers? You'd be surprised, but the barista world is hard to get into. It's free training, so that is partially my incentive to do it. Secondly, its a way to give back to the community. A lot of people want to volunteer, myself included. As a result, the people you encounter working at Everyday Joe's are there because they want to be, not because they are making an income. The bonus? We get to keep tips!

So, even though mornings are hard for me, I am volunteering on Thursday mornings from 7AM until 11AM. If you're in the area, please stop by and say hello! And feel free to leave a hefty tip, as I am BROKE. :)

That's the spill.

Cheers!
DJP