A step closer to being a professional barista...
Has been a while since I planned to do this. It is only a very short course, but at least, I can get a certificate to prove that I do know how to make a standard coffee. That is the main reason why I choose to do this course.
With this cert, at least if I decide in future that I want to work as a barista I can do so easier than being without a cert. Similarly, if I decide that I want to start a cafe business at least I can convince my customers that I am fully qualified and that they can fully entrust their daily caffeine dose with me and have full satisfaction.
But of course, even if I have a cert I still need heaps of practice to hone my skills. This, I am trying to do so every time I have an opportunity at the restaurant. But because our restaurant is not a cafe, and neither do we specialise in coffee, we hardly get customers ordering coffee from us.... That minimises my chances to practice, which is really a shame! If only I can have a coffee machine at home, but they are often-times too expensive!
The first part of the course, which I have just completed is more about the whole coffee making process from theories, to the techniques and skills. Information from fruit picking to roasting, grinding, temping, extracting, milk and free pouring/etching were being taught. I do know 80% of what has been taught since I've learnt many of these before from my barista friends previously. The 20% that I am clueless about is its history - I don't know when coffee was first discovered (3AD); neither do I know when the first espresso machine was invented (1903). Oh, and I also wasn't sure how much more caffeine does an instant coffee has as compared with an espresso too (4 times more!).
The second part of the course, which I will be completing next week, would be about coffee art. Something I am so damn interested in! I want to master my coffee art! My coffee art is not very consistent, and the countless times I try to do a perfect rosetta, it always come out skewed. SIGH! I have not done etching before though, so it would be good to master!
Our teacher, Rita, originally from China, has been living in Melbourne for 25 years. She has been in this industry for 8 years and is the owner of 3 different cafes in Melbourne, and one of them being Home Barista Institute, where she takes in students who are keen to learn more about coffees.
Funny for someone like me who doesn't like cooking or making things of any sort actually like to make coffee. Opening a cafe is something I would like to do, IF ONLY I am only making coffee. Any other complements like muffins/sandwiches/croissants/bagels/etc or any other cafe food I really wouldn't want be making them. Meaning, I would have to employ someone who likes making these food; OR find a business partner who can make the food whilst I concentrate on coffee. LOL
This lesson was held on the last day of March, which is a Saturday. Even though my lesson finished at 5pm (but we went overtime a little and I left the place at around 5.30pm), I can still make it in time for a 6pm start at work. However, I chose not to work, and I didn't even provide a reason for that.
Fortunately my senior does not ask for reasons, neither is she too bothered, because I always told her in advance if I want to take any days off (I always like to give reasonable amount of notice - I hate giving last minute notices, just like I hate people giving me last minute notices too). Currently, I am least bothered by what goes on in the restaurant. The bosses are making ridiculous management decisions that I fail to comprehend. Not just me actually, most other people too. If it was me last year I would have made an effort to make suggestions or follow instructions. I'd have given a lot of care and put myself a lot of pressure to execute my place as a senior. However, now I am in a stage where I simply cannot be bothered with anything anymore. I thought the restaurant is a shit place to be working at, so much so that I am simply ignoring everything and not bothering to go that extra step. I am only there for the extra income. I am eagerly seeking every opportunity to jump out of there and move on. I hope that day comes soon.
So on Saturday I met up with my colleagues from the office and we went for Korean BBQ chicken and beer (again). It was my impulse idea from me on Friday that I was craving for them, and asked if they will be interested to join me, and they all said YES! YAY! So it was an evening at Gami with Mellyza, KC and her husband Alex enjoying really yummy soy garlic chicken, sweet chilli chicken, coleslaw, rice cakes and fried rice cakes. And of course, their GAMI house beer on tap. Afterwards we went to Dessert House for some HK desserts. Perfect Saturday!
I am hoping that I will get more Saturdays off in future. Having a day off entirely to myself is simply.... HEAVEN!
Oh, and daylight savings end today! We gain 1 hour, and I am 2 hours from Singapore now. Wheeeet! =]
With this cert, at least if I decide in future that I want to work as a barista I can do so easier than being without a cert. Similarly, if I decide that I want to start a cafe business at least I can convince my customers that I am fully qualified and that they can fully entrust their daily caffeine dose with me and have full satisfaction.
But of course, even if I have a cert I still need heaps of practice to hone my skills. This, I am trying to do so every time I have an opportunity at the restaurant. But because our restaurant is not a cafe, and neither do we specialise in coffee, we hardly get customers ordering coffee from us.... That minimises my chances to practice, which is really a shame! If only I can have a coffee machine at home, but they are often-times too expensive!
The first part of the course, which I have just completed is more about the whole coffee making process from theories, to the techniques and skills. Information from fruit picking to roasting, grinding, temping, extracting, milk and free pouring/etching were being taught. I do know 80% of what has been taught since I've learnt many of these before from my barista friends previously. The 20% that I am clueless about is its history - I don't know when coffee was first discovered (3AD); neither do I know when the first espresso machine was invented (1903). Oh, and I also wasn't sure how much more caffeine does an instant coffee has as compared with an espresso too (4 times more!).
The second part of the course, which I will be completing next week, would be about coffee art. Something I am so damn interested in! I want to master my coffee art! My coffee art is not very consistent, and the countless times I try to do a perfect rosetta, it always come out skewed. SIGH! I have not done etching before though, so it would be good to master!
Our teacher, Rita, originally from China, has been living in Melbourne for 25 years. She has been in this industry for 8 years and is the owner of 3 different cafes in Melbourne, and one of them being Home Barista Institute, where she takes in students who are keen to learn more about coffees.
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| My first certificate! |
Funny for someone like me who doesn't like cooking or making things of any sort actually like to make coffee. Opening a cafe is something I would like to do, IF ONLY I am only making coffee. Any other complements like muffins/sandwiches/croissants/bagels/etc or any other cafe food I really wouldn't want be making them. Meaning, I would have to employ someone who likes making these food; OR find a business partner who can make the food whilst I concentrate on coffee. LOL
This lesson was held on the last day of March, which is a Saturday. Even though my lesson finished at 5pm (but we went overtime a little and I left the place at around 5.30pm), I can still make it in time for a 6pm start at work. However, I chose not to work, and I didn't even provide a reason for that.
Fortunately my senior does not ask for reasons, neither is she too bothered, because I always told her in advance if I want to take any days off (I always like to give reasonable amount of notice - I hate giving last minute notices, just like I hate people giving me last minute notices too). Currently, I am least bothered by what goes on in the restaurant. The bosses are making ridiculous management decisions that I fail to comprehend. Not just me actually, most other people too. If it was me last year I would have made an effort to make suggestions or follow instructions. I'd have given a lot of care and put myself a lot of pressure to execute my place as a senior. However, now I am in a stage where I simply cannot be bothered with anything anymore. I thought the restaurant is a shit place to be working at, so much so that I am simply ignoring everything and not bothering to go that extra step. I am only there for the extra income. I am eagerly seeking every opportunity to jump out of there and move on. I hope that day comes soon.
So on Saturday I met up with my colleagues from the office and we went for Korean BBQ chicken and beer (again). It was my impulse idea from me on Friday that I was craving for them, and asked if they will be interested to join me, and they all said YES! YAY! So it was an evening at Gami with Mellyza, KC and her husband Alex enjoying really yummy soy garlic chicken, sweet chilli chicken, coleslaw, rice cakes and fried rice cakes. And of course, their GAMI house beer on tap. Afterwards we went to Dessert House for some HK desserts. Perfect Saturday!
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| I have to post these on here cuz these are just so yummy that I want more soon!!! |
I am hoping that I will get more Saturdays off in future. Having a day off entirely to myself is simply.... HEAVEN!
Oh, and daylight savings end today! We gain 1 hour, and I am 2 hours from Singapore now. Wheeeet! =]
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