JtAoC + MS = 4Eva

Yesterday, I continued training with one of our newer Joe-ites, the delightful Miss Britta. She's been with us for roughly two months, putting in her hours at the Alessi shop, and has been forging ahead with her drink training.



Normally, we wait a little longer to throw baristi on the bar, depending on their prior experience. Britta hasn't worked very much in coffee, which is what makes her progress so impressive! Her espresso is consistently beautiful, and she really "gets it" when she's pulling me test shots, etc. While it will still be a little while before she is passing lattes and cappuccinos across the counter, she made her firstish rosettaish thing, and I'm a very proud mama bird.



Congratulations, Britta! You are one tough cookie. Keep practicing!

Um, so, then today? I guess there is going to be a segment on The Martha Stewart Show about coffee professionals, and so a crew "stopped by" the shop to catch us in action. By "stopped by," I mean Amanda & I were hooked up with mics and put under big, gently unflattering lights and asked really great questions about which we could get geeked out.



We've had a few film crews come through Joe since Waverly opened three years ago, but I know I've never been as excited (or heck, excited at all) about it as I was today. It's no secret, folks -- I sure do love Martha.



When first the producers met with us to discuss their research, they were looking at a piece about latte art and its merits, but today, we were asked a ton of questions about what it's like to be a career barista, how we view coffee as a culinary art, and about the lengths to which we go to educate people about coffee culture and quality. It is so rewarding and exciting to be able to talk about coffee as a career-based industry for baristas, as a passion on par with wine and fine food.

Stay tuned for details regarding Amanda, Jonathan & my possible eight seconds or so of fame!