I'm an admitted coffee snob. I dislike American style coffee, and the espresso drinks at Starbucks and Coffee Bean chains leave a lot to be desired. Their grind is all wrong, they don't tamp properly, and they reheat previously steamed milk, perhaps the biggest no-no of all. I'm getting angry just thinking about it. Peet's fares somewhat better, but at rush hour they often fall back into franchise mediocrity. And while the foaming technique at King's Road Cafe is stellar, the coffee itself is as unrefined as a barrel of crude oil. Urth Caffe also has great latte art (yes, there is an entire website devoted to the subject), and an organic product that is somewhat easier on the ulcers than King's Road. But it's such a scene. I mean, how many Olsen twin, Orlando Bloom or Selma Blair sitings can one take?
So in the spirit of dabbling, I have taken it upon myself to become my own barista! According to About.com, a barista is "technically, someone who has been professionally trained in the art of espresso preparation. The term is often used simply to describe someone who excels at espresso making, regardless of their training." In just a couple of months, I was able to attain skills that allow me to out-pull any Starbucks hack. Here's how you can too:
First, buy an espresso machine, preferably one with commercial parts. One that isn't astronomically priced but highly recommended by coffee geeks all over the internet is the Rancilio Silvia semi-automatic. At under $500, this machine will pay for itself quickly since you won't be paying $4 a pop anymore for your daily drink. Getting a grinder is also recommended, to give you the most control and best end product.(Super-automatics, which do all the work for you with the push of a button, are cheating. See footnote.)
Second, buy good beans. Graffeo beans are excellent, and for those who choose not to make an investment in a grinder just yet, Graffeo staffers seem to have vast knowledge of what fineness grind is best for a wide array of equipment, and will tailor your order to your particular machine.
Next, practice a lot. Each type of bean will require a unique level of fineness, variable tamping pressure, and a whole number of other factors that will affect the resulting shot. In the first couple of months there is a lot of trial and error. But even your worst attempts will likely be better than the McCoffee you're used to.
Foaming is another story. While frothing is a breeze, microfoam, as coffee nerds call it, is tough to achieve when you're a beginner, but not impossible. Check out coffeegeek.com's Frothing Guide for assistance with this. In fact, check out that site, and Whole Latte Love (a consumer site but one with lots of good tips) for a variety of instructional articles.
Soon enough, you will be able to call yourself a barista, at least by About.com's standards. You'll be better than 99% of coffee chain employees. However, it may take many years of discipline and training to rise to the level of world champion barista Toels Overdal Poulsen of Denmark.
Footnote: If you have a lot of money and very little time, and just want better coffee than the chains provide, you could spring for a super-automatic like the Gaggia Titanium. But you will not earn the right to call yourself a barista.
