There is no plain Jane..

…a coffee shop journal…

There is something about that first brew of the day…..the shop fills with that sweet aroma that each and every customer craves that are coffee shop lovers at heart……even those that do not drink coffee are exhilarated by the aroma of fresh brewed coffee…for me my morning is not complete until I have had my perfect latte.

First step ~ the grind ~the grind texture is a very important aspect of shot quality:

Second step ~the perfect dose~

Third Step~ the tamp ~

Fourth Step ~time the shot – The perfect shot has a fine golden crema atop a rich dark brew that tastes sweet and smooth.

So now we have the perfect shot …but alas …..the final step for the perfect latte

Fifth Step~the milk~ shiny, creamy, sweet milk …

Final Step~ the shots are poured into the cup and then the creamy yummy milk ..a design begins to appear on the top …. a perfect heart ……it says good morning JoAnn …..what a wonderful life you have…..and where else would you want to be right now?…..ahhhhh the life of the barista~~~

Much of what I do in my life has similar steps…all steps leading to what ~~some may call perfectionism —or maybe it’s just a desire to do better~~ I simply call it doing the very best I can! I want each and ever customer to have an incredible experience…..with every sense!

I spent a lot of time talking about the perfect latte but oddly enough .. I could write another page or two on how coffee grows and is roasted as well.

Did you know that there is only about 1 lb of beans per coffee plant? Small independent farmers own most coffee plantations and their entire family work them. The coffee cherries are picked by hand, washed, each cherry has 2 beans in it ( yes just 2) they are then separated from the skin of the cherry, dried , washed again, graded…..it takes weeks for the full process ..you get the picture and this is just to have a green bean which is then exported to US for roasting

and then I could write another 2 or 3 pages on roasting the coffee ~ the equipment involved ,the roasting time, the temperature, of course they need good beans to begin with….. but the coffee bean is not my expertise I leave that to our expert coffee roasters –but believe me when I say this……..

We call ourselves a specialty coffee shop and we are grateful for every person from the growers to the roasters…and finally to our trained baristas. The next time you come in our shop and look at our very artistic coffee board menu filled with lattes, cappuccinos, frappes, and too many flavors to name …and you say…

“I think I’ll just have a plain cup of coffee”

…I hope by my writing this and you taking the time to read it …. that you will know …..there is no such thing as a plain cup of coffee… even the daily brewed drip coffee itself has had numerous hands involved and they all  take pride in their part ….

I believe there really is nothing ‘plain’ in this world …… hopefully people are all doing the very best they can… in every aspect of every thing they do……whether you bag groceries, make a product, provide a service, own a corporation, are a housewife or househusband, ditch digger, ballet dancer or circus clown there are always other  people who have made what each and every one of you do, hopefully just a little bit better and maybe even a bit more creative……..here’s to that first brew of the day…….

about the author…JoAnn

I am an accomplished artist, designer and gardener with an admitted compulsion for natural intuitive healing and a spiritual connection with the earth. I am a lifelong serial entrepreneur, a creator of extraordinary ideas, and soon to be published author …..let the dreaming begin….