Get to Worka!

One of my favorite things about the coffee industry is that all of the "Rockstars" are available by email or telephone still. Peter Giuliano still picks up the phone and talks to people. I don't even think Peter has a security guard. Duane Sorenson stops in for shots and Nick Cho podcasts about our Clovers. One of the best visits happened this week; a wonderful visit and dinner with The Petersons from Hacienda La Esmeralda. Bow down! If you were trying to contact your favorite musicians, you would probably have a lot more trouble getting them to pick up the phone, getting their security guard to pick up the phone...hell I don't think you could even get an email back from the security guard's security guard. I love you coffee. Don't you worry Vince Piccollo, I think you are a Rockstar too.

p.s. I am enjoying a Chemex of Yergacheffe Worka from Novo Roasters. Yummy.

Valuable Lesson

During the last few days at the cafe we have been making so many changes. We are trying a grinder timer on our Robur espresso grinder where after dialing in for the day, it was recommended that the barista make adjustments on the time to regulate flow rate as opposed to grind. This is a little backwards from what I have learned in the past. I have also been trying to get comfortable with using a bottomless portafilter. There are so many reasons to switch from spouted but of course the main one should be that the shots taste better. That should be the goal with any changes one makes to his/her espresso routine. Well by the end of my shift today I was over-caffeinated from tasting so many shots and frustrated that I could not get an amazing shot with all of these new improvements. I realized the importance of only changing ONE variable at a time. I couldn't focus on mastering one thing at a time and instead ended up chasing espresso shots up and down the block. Note to self: Slow it down there Turbo.

Coffee Blog!

Well I have gone and done it. I have taken the next step to coffee geekdome and started a coffee blog. Welcome to Jitterville! I work as a Barista and as the Executive Coffee Inventory & Freshness Inspection Specialism Administrator at Cafe Grumpy in NYC. I started this in order to strengthen the network of coffee gurus, baristas, Grumpsters, growers, green buyers, roasters, cafe owners, cuppers, enthusiasts, experts, wannabe experts, drinkers, and my mom so she thinks I am doing something important in NYC. Viva Jitterville!
(BTW I am at the moment, enjoying a wonderful French press of Guatemala Finca Nueva Armenia...Deeeelish!)