Barista Training Classes – 5 Things To Look For

The term “barista” hails from the Italian language and refers in that language to a bartender who serves both coffee and alcoholic drinks. However, in North America, the term overwhelmingly refers to those who are adept at operating a commercial espresso machine and hand crafting specialty coffee beverages.
In fact, most coffee house baristas do much more than just make a superior shot of espresso. They now possess a wide-ranging set of skills, including how to make hand-crafted coffee using a French Press, Chemex or Hario V60 dripper, how to care for the espresso equipment, and how do latte art.
Given the dramatic rise in popularity of independent and chain coffee shops and coffee houses in the United States over the past two decades, there is an increasing number of employment opportunities for people to work as baristas.

People are attracted to working in the specialty Coffee industry for a number of reasons. Mastery of the ability to serve excellent coffee and espresso drinks takes time and training, so there is understandably a sense of pride that accompanies becoming an accomplished barista. Also, many people enjoy working in and around coffee houses, given the unique ambience and general feel that many of them possess.
If you are considering becoming a professional barista – or if you just want to learn how to make an amazing shot of espresso – you will benefit from getting the proper training in advance.
Here are 5 things to look for in barista training classes:

1. Focuses on a range of required techniques:

Anybody who has ever observed a barista in action may be tempted to underestimate the various feats being performed before their very eyes. A good barista can make it all look so simple. However, there is much to know in order to master the skills of a professional.
Make sure that the barista training class you are considering exposes you to the following skill sets: Espresso history, science and theory, grinder and espresso machine basics, grinder adjustment, proper espresso distribution and dosing, tamping technique, shot timing and extraction, proper milk steaming and texturing, pouring technique, classic drink preparation (espresso, cappuccino, latte, macchiato, Americano, and mocha), latte art, equipment cleaning, and customer service. You should also check to make sure the barista training classes you are considering also cover some of the other coffee brewing methods such as: hand pour-over drip coffee from a Chemex or a Hario V60, a French press, and a vacuum filtration siphon pot.

2. Exposes you to different types of machines and equipment:

As can be imagined, there is a wide range of different types of espresso machines and equipment on the market. A good barista training course will thoroughly explain components and specifications. It will also review how to select the appropriate equipment for different applications. And, it also covers machine cleaning and maintenance techniques.

3. Reviews management-level considerations:

The course should expose you to a general knowledge of coffee shop operations, coffee shop efficiency, coffee sourcing, finding good suppliers, and preserving coffee freshness and quality through proper storage.

4. Small class sizes:

 
Particularly important is to look for a coffee school that offers small class sizes. Ask about their ratio of instructors to students.
 

5. Tailored to different student needs and learning styles:

Finally, ask about their teaching philosophy. The coffee school you choose for your training class should be one that places an emphasis on each student’s unique learning style. You need patient instructors who understand that each student has varying levels of background knowledge about the coffee business – and each one takes in information differently. You should avoid schools offering one-size-fits-all teaching styles for your training experience.

Consider these 5 things to look for in your next barista training class.

To find more from Tom Vincent or to learn more about coffee education, barista training, and coffee company consulting – check out Texas Coffee School or follow Texas Coffee School on Facebook and Twitter (@TXCoffeeSchool).


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tom_Vincent

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Coffee & Caffeine – The Elixirs of Strife

How much coffee can one nation drink? Why not have a cup or ten? Have you noticed that you are on edge, quick to bark or bite and have trouble sleeping? Me, too. It’s all about our coffee consumption, also known as caffeine overdosing. Gotta have that buzz. It’s an addiction, no two ways about it.


Caffeine is one of the most powerful stimulant drugs around, as if you didn’t know. Thank God it’s legal. But, we are caffeinating ourselves at a very self-destructive rate on a daily basis. We could not work without it. We could not “relax” without it. The more you drink, the more you want, the more you need. We all know that the best jolt comes after the first cup. After that, the effects are quite diminished. It just gets to be absurd having to drink, drink, drink one more cup. But, we do.

I love nothing more than getting up early (because I can’t sleep worth a darn, and never have) and firing up the computer right along with a nice strong pot of mud made from gourmet beans that I grind myself. It smells so good and tastes so good, for a while anyway. Then, the tension mounts. I am jumpy. My hands have tiny caffeine tremors, my gut is burning, and then I get hungry. Yes, Coffee really does increase your appetite, especially when you’ve been sitting at a computer letting words pour off your finders for hours. It’s an endless cycle.

I absolutely know my life would be much better if I could give it up. But, being the man of many vices that I am, I realize it’s gonna be one steep uphill climb and a half. I’ve done it before. And, it really pays off. You actually end up having much more energy naturally than drinking cup after cup can ever give you. The caffeine buzz is fleeting while the natural one is not.

And, then there’s the weight thing. The exhilaration gives way to tension then immense hunger. All the exercise in the world can’t combat that, though I keep trying to offset this unending cycle. What would it feel like to be naturally buzzed? From my past experiences, it’s quite nice. But then, you smell one too many whiffs of great-smelling java and you’re toast. And, the rush from that first cup after abstinence is almost too much to describe. Man, it is so awesome. But, it’s not only very self-destructive, it’s a lie, dang it.

I really am into making some big dietary changes to my life. I’m sick of huffing and puffing during racquetball, skiing, biking and walking up stairs. I need to lose 40 pounds…at least. I look forward to it. But, it won’t be easy. It’s a risk-reward kind of thing. Maybe if I can just get through the withdrawal process, weaning myself little by little, and then start reaping the rewards, I’ll be on my way to a new habit-forming lifestyle of healthy choices without that demon coffee plaguing me and begging to rejoin my life.

Tobacco, you’re next!

Grant Brad Gerver is an entrepreneur and creative consultant for Filibi, an online classified and coupon advertising site and free home business paying 70% commissions to its members. He’s also a YouTube blues singer-songwriter and guitar player (gbgerver) who performs with The Buzzard Brothers. Additionally, Grant writes political humor, thousands of bumper stickers, and humorous movie reviews. He has also worked with various companies as a product-naming specialist. He’s a retired elementary school teacher and published children’s author who works in the health care field.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Grant_Gerver

Does Coffee Have Antioxidants?

Coffee is chock-full of healthy antioxidants. It has been said to be an American’s largest source of antioxidants; with bananas coming in at a distant second. Our favorite morning beverage is naturally rich with polyphenols, powerful molecules that prevent the damage caused to our bodies by those infamous “free radicals.”
In scientific yet simple terms, free radicals are unstable molecules that are by-products of our metabolism and produced when our cells grow and die. These unstable molecules want nothing more to become stable again so they bond with other healthy molecules resulting in cell damage, disease, and aging.
Diseases and conditions attributed to free radical damage include:

• Heart Disease
• Parkinson’s Disease
• Type 2 Diabetes
• Colon Cancer
• Increased Incidence of Gallstones

Antioxidants stabilize the free radicals preventing them from doing damage to our healthy tissue. Our bodies produce their own natural antioxidants to combat the free radicals but we can get extra from consuming plant-based foods, including coffee.
In addition to the prevention of the disease as we mentioned, antioxidants also:

• Invigorate the Immune System
• Inhibit Overall Aging of Cells and the Body
• Boost Immune System
• Improve Blood Flow
• Improve Eye Sight
• Slow Down Bone Loss

Not only is coffee natural high in these beneficial antioxidants but it has been found that the roasting processing creates its own healthful compounds. Coffee is purported to have more antioxidants than green tree. If you’d rather avoid caffeine, go for a decaffeinated brew for the same benefits. Other foods in which you will find antioxidant nutrients are fruits and vegetables, nuts, seed oils, whole grains, lentils, and beans.
Elizabeth Dennis writes for a variety of home and garden topics. If you are looking for replacement pots for your favorite coffee maker, jump over to our website now. Find some fantastic deals on Braun replacement pots.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Elizabeth_Dennis

Coffee and 10 Health Facts

Coffee, like red wine, is a drink with both health benefits and dangers. Because coffee contains caffeine, which is a stimulant, it can increase the heart rate, boost adrenaline and up your cortisone levels. With this increased stimulation comes both pros and cons.


To learn more about the health impact of coffee, keep reading for 10 critical health facts about coffee.

1. Reduced Risk of Developing Alzheimer’s Disease

A recent study published in the European Journal of Neurology shows that people who drank about 2 cups of coffee per day were less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease when compared to people who only drank a cup a day or less.

2. Better Cognitive Performance

There may be another reason why students guzzle coffee during late-night study sessions – those who drink coffee regularly often perform better on short term memory recall, verbal memory and logical reasoning tests.

3. Increased Constipation

While Coffee is a stimulant and can therefore stimulate the bowels, it is also a diuretic, meaning it can dehydrate the body and contribute to constipation. However, alternative medical practitioners often prescribe coffee enemas to clear out the colon. 

4. Antioxidants

Coffee contains a number of antioxidants, particularly methylpyridinium which is formed during the roasting process.

5. Increased Anxiety or Sleep Problems

People suffering from anxiety or insomnia should not drink large amounts of coffee or caffeine products, especially after noon. Because it’s a stimulant, it can keep you up and give you coffee jitters if drunk in excess.

6. Reduced Risk for Parkinson’s Disease

A recent study showed that heavy coffee drinkers, those drinking more than 3 cups a day, were less likely to develop Parkinson’s Disease when compared to non coffee drinkers or light drinkers.

7. Increased Cholesterol

The health risk of increased cholesterol only applies to coffee brewed with a French press. Coffee made with a regular paper filter tends to trap the brew’s natural oils, therefore not causing as high of a cholesterol risk.

8. Reduced Risk for Gout

Thanks to its diuretic and stimulant properties, regular coffee consumption has been shown to reduce the incidence of gout in men.

9. Stained Teeth

Coffee will stain your teeth. While this isn’t a health risk, it can adversely affect your teeth and their natural enamel. No doubt your dentist will routinely remind you of this drawback.

10. Pain Killer

If you read the ingredients for many over-the-counter painkiller medications, you’ll see they contain caffeine. This is because coffee and caffeine increase the effectiveness of these medications despite the need to be cautious of excess.

For additional informative details on coffee and enticing flavors that explode your taste buds, please visit [http://www.coffeetryst.com] a popular site with insights on coffee options, such as flavored decaf coffee [http://www.coffeetryst.com/flavored-decaf-coffee.shtml], gourmet coffee gift baskets, and many more!


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Wesley_Johnson

What is Green Mountain Coffee

Author: Matthew J. Goudge

People love coffee.  That's a fact and on some cases, some people can't really be on their best when they haven't had coffee to start off their day.

There are many different types of coffees around and each one has its own distinct flavor.  There are many ways to brew coffee beans and different people love different sorts of coffee.  There are coffees with strong flavor and there are those with mild flavor to them.  You'll be able to choose between iced and hot coffee and you'll also be able to choose between roasted or flavored beans.

One particular brand is the Green Mountain Coffee.  It's not exactly a very old brand since it only came out on 1981 due to the demand.  Although Green Mountain has other things aside from their coffee, their coffee has a very special part to it.

How Things came to be

As mentioned before, the brand of coffee has been circulating around the world for but a few decades only.  It all started in a small café located in a small area of Vermont known as Waitsfield.  A lot of the residents in the area found the flavor of the coffee fresh and exquisite and the coffee rose in popularity until it came to be as of today.

Why People Love Green Mountain Coffee

With its competitors brewing coffee for more than a century now, it really has to be a very special coffee in order to compete with them.  Green Mountain Coffee is able to pose as a competition to these long time existing coffee brands mainly because of its unique flavor.  Once you get a taste of the coffee, you'll think that the coffee is a mixture of different other coffees and you'll catch a very complex taste to it.  Others may call it mundane, while others call it delightful.  You'll also be able to choose between several flavors and you'll be able to have a cup depending on what your day is.

Iced Green Mountain Coffee

This particular type of Green Mountain Coffee is very popular during times of heat.  Some people even like drinking this variation even if summer is still far off the calendar.  This version of the Green Mountain Coffee is similar to the original blend, although you'll find it a bit stronger since you'll be adding ice to the mix.  This is basically the same kcup coffee but you'll be able to enjoy it in a glass filled with ice – perfect during the summertime.

Even though Green Mountain Coffee is a new kid on the block in the world of coffee blends, it has proven to be a very indispensable coffee to a lot of people.  With its mix of different types of flavors, you'll be able to enjoy a cup of this coffee with any day.  Also, the cold variety of the coffee is worth trying out even if you're not into cold coffee.  Also, you'll be able to prepare a cup of coffee within seconds or minutes since they're all prepared in packets.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/coffee-articles/what-is-green-mountain-coffee-4516223.html

About the Author

Chef Matthew, the owner of ProChef360 Blog, is an expert in culinary arts. 
He is after all an outstanding chef, having had worked in some of the finest resorts, hotels and restaurants in the world.

His interest, however, in social media was awakened when he started his own websites. 
Over the years, he took it upon himself to learn everything he can about social media.

He endeavored to discover the secrets behind generating huge traffic and leads for his websites.

He studied the secrets behind generating sales by piggy-backing on high-traffic social media sites.

Over time, he has developed 77 techniques on how to generate huge amount of traffic through the use of social media.

What is Green Mountain Coffee

Author: Matthew J. Goudge

People love coffee. That's a fact and on some cases, some people can't really be on their best when they haven't had coffee to start off their day.

There are many different types of coffees around and each one has its own distinct flavor. There are many ways to brew coffee beans and different people love different sorts of coffee. There are coffees with strong flavor and there are those with mild flavor to them. You'll be able to choose between iced and hot coffee and you'll also be able to choose between roasted or flavored beans.

One particular brand is the Green Mountain Coffee. It's not exactly a very old brand since it only came out on 1981 due to the demand. Although Green Mountain has other things aside from their coffee, their coffee has a very special part to it.

How Things came to be

As mentioned before, the brand of coffee has been circulating around the world for but a few decades only. It all started in a small café located in a small area of Vermont known as Waitsfield. A lot of the residents in the area found the flavor of the coffee fresh and exquisite and the coffee rose in popularity until it came to be as of today.

Why People Love Green Mountain Coffee

With its competitors brewing coffee for more than a century now, it really has to be a very special coffee in order to compete with them. Green Mountain Coffee is able to pose as a competition to these long time existing coffee brands mainly because of its unique flavor. Once you get a taste of the coffee, you'll think that the coffee is a mixture of different other coffees and you'll catch a very complex taste to it. Others may call it mundane, while others call it delightful. You'll also be able to choose between several flavors and you'll be able to have a cup depending on what your day is.

Iced Green Mountain Coffee

This particular type of Green Mountain Coffee is very popular during times of heat. Some people even like drinking this variation even if summer is still far off the calendar. This version of the Green Mountain Coffee is similar to the original blend, although you'll find it a bit stronger since you'll be adding ice to the mix. This is basically the same kcup coffee but you'll be able to enjoy it in a glass filled with ice – perfect during the summertime.

Even though Green Mountain Coffee is a new kid on the block in the world of coffee blends, it has proven to be a very indispensable coffee to a lot of people. With its mix of different types of flavors, you'll be able to enjoy a cup of this coffee with any day. Also, the cold variety of the coffee is worth trying out even if you're not into cold coffee. Also, you'll be able to prepare a cup of coffee within seconds or minutes since they're all prepared in packets.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/coffee-articles/what-is-green-mountain-coffee-4516223.html

About the Author

Chef Matthew, the owner of ProChef360 Blog, is an expert in culinary arts.
He is after all an outstanding chef, having had worked in some of the finest resorts, hotels and restaurants in the world.

His interest, however, in social media was awakened when he started his own websites.
Over the years, he took it upon himself to learn everything he can about social media.

He endeavored to discover the secrets behind generating huge traffic and leads for his websites.

He studied the secrets behind generating sales by piggy-backing on high-traffic social media sites.

Over time, he has developed 77 techniques on how to generate huge amount of traffic through the use of social media.

Why Choose Decaf Coffee?

Author: Matthew J. Goudge

Decaf coffee refers to any type of coffee with its caffeine removed or most of it through decaffeination processes. Up to 97% of the coffee's caffeine content can be removed from the processes so you really can expect to get much less stimulation when drinking decaf coffee. Of course, with the reduced caffeine content in the coffee, the coffee will have reduced bitterness as well. A lot of you wonder why a lot of people are switching from the regularly prepared coffee beans to decaf coffee.

There are a lot of people who don't like the idea of switching to decaf coffee because they find its strength somewhat lacking. Sure the coffee may lack the bitterness of the regular ones; however it's not at all that bad considering there are even people who are looking for milder tasting coffee.

More Cups of Coffee

Another particular reason to drink decaf coffee is when you're about to retire for the night. If you are one of those people who definitely loves coffee to a great extent but finds it a discouraging beverage during the evening, you'll be glad that you can simply drink decaf coffee instead. With the caffeine content reduced to an almost abysmal amount, you won't be having any trouble sleeping during the night time. Also, since the caffeine content is reduced, you'll be able to drink more of it than you normally could. You'll be able to enjoy more cups of coffee on a daily basis and you wouldn't have to worry about health concerns as well.

Decaf Coffee – The Healthier Coffee

Probably the main reason why a lot of people are finding their ways to decaf coffee is because of various medical reasons. Perhaps they've been advised by their doctors to make the healthy switch, or perhaps they've experienced a little too much caffeine which results to various conditions such as insomnia, heart palpitations, and caffeine intoxication. There are people who are discouraged from taking high amounts of caffeine per day and for them, decaf coffee is the perfect type of coffee. This is a good way for anyone who loves coffee to enjoy a cup without getting their health at risk.

Switching to Decaf

If ever you're planning on switching to decaf coffee but can't seem to be satisfied with the lack of bitterness, you could do so by starting out slow. You could introduce decaf coffee to your daily routine bit by bit by mixing it with regular coffee. You'll eventually be able to increase the ratio of decaf coffee and original coffee and you'll eventually replace all the existing regular coffee with decaf. This is the perfect way to switch to the healthier decaf coffee if ever you're having a hard time doing so. You'll be able to switch to decaf coffee without noticing the change in flavor that much.

Indeed a cup of coffee is a very important part of the day for a lot of people. However, if you're looking forward to consuming the healthier coffee to avoid any potential health risks you'll have no problem with the flavor if you remember to take it slowly.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/coffee-articles/why-choose-decaf-coffee-4468000.html

About the Author

Chef Matthew, the owner of ProChef360 Blog, is an expert in culinary arts.
He is after all an outstanding chef, having had worked in some of the finest resorts, hotels and restaurants in the world.