This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Pjacklam (talk | contribs) at 07:18, 2 November 2005 (Corrected wikilink (Latte Art -> Latte art)). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Revision as of 07:18, 2 November 2005 by Pjacklam (talk | contribs) (Corrected wikilink (Latte Art -> Latte art))(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)The term barista (the Italian word for "bartender" - masculine or feminine; plural: baristi (masculine) or bariste (feminine)) has been used in English to denote a maker of espresso based beverages. It's journey into English has been accompanied by a slight shift in meaning. A Barista, when using the term in English, denotes one who has acquired some level of expertise in the preparation of espresso based coffee drinks eg cafe latte, cappuccino, cafe mocha and machiatto.
The vast majority of people standing behind a coffee machine have had little training in all but the most rudimentary aspects of espresso preparation. The correlation between machine cleanliness and functionality, coffee freshness, it's resistance to water pressure and the effect of heat require a very thorough understanding to produce a great espresso. Unfortunately for most cafe customers they very rarely experience the product of this knowledge. See Latte art for, what some would say is the end result of a Barista who has perfected espresso preparation and is looking to distinguish themselves from the ordinary.