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The Profession of Barista – More Than Just Making Coffee

It is no longer just the coffee-to-go or a simple filter coffee. We combine a cup of coffee with aromatic coffee enjoyment and different coffee variations. But who actually conjures up the stylish little milk froth images on the surface of our coffee? It is the barista who conjures up a true work of art from a simple cup of coffee and turns coffee drinking into an experience for us. The term barista comes from the Italian and means nothing else than bartender. Roughly speaking, the profession of barista describes the activity of professionally preparing coffee in an espresso bar or a café. Much more important, however, is the passion and lifeblood of a barista, with whom every coffee creation becomes a work of art.

With know-how and passion to become a true barista artist

A barista is a true artist in his field. Passion and a fine taste make him a specialist in preparing various coffee specialties. A good barista can do them all: a strong and aromatic espresso, a frothy cappuccino or an excellent latte macchiato.

To prepare the perfect coffee, a barista needs a certain amount of theoretical knowledge and practical skills:

Theoretical knowledge for the barista profession
physical understanding
Knowledge about different types of coffee
Knowledge of coffee roasts and grinds

Practical knowledge for the barista profession
special care in the preparation
Brew coffee for the best aroma result
Operation and maintenance of an espresso machine and coffee grinder
frothing milk
Communication skills in dealing with customers
Professional customer advice
latte art
Is there training to become a barista?
There is no classic recognized training to become a barista. However, you can take part in courses and seminars with a final certificate in order to learn how to be a barista. The term barista is not protected, so in principle anyone can call themselves a barista.

Working as a barista – organization & passion

In addition to the passion for latte art and the magic of phenomenal works of art on the milk froth of the coffee, there is much more that characterizes a good barista. In addition to the technical understanding of the professional maintenance of the coffee machines, a good barista must be communicative when dealing with his guests.

Friendliness, empathy and helpfulness characterize the character traits of a barista. The barista job can be quite stressful, so baristas should be very organized. Most baristas develop their own system over time. Among other things, it can be helpful to consider which are the most popular coffee specialties.

Win coffee competitions as a barista

Trained baristas have the opportunity to compete against other coffee specialists to demonstrate their passion for coffee. In Germany, for example, there is the “German Barista Championship” once a year, in which all participants show their skills in the disciplines of cappuccino, espresso and their own creations.

Are you an absolute coffee lover and would like to drink a delicious, freshly prepared cappuccino or latte macchiato in your office that tastes like it was freshly made by a barista?

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Food

More than red wine – coffee culture in France

The French particularly appreciate their milk coffee with a delicious and leisurely breakfast. The obligatory breakfast croissant is often dunked in the steaming café au lait. The French milk coffee is traditionally served in a bol, a handleless bowl.

Important when preparing a real café au lait is the simultaneous pouring of coffee and hot milk into the bol. Otherwise it is not a café au lait! In France, if a regular coffee is to be ordered, a grand caé or a café double should be requested. Otherwise you will be served an espresso.

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Food

Ginseng Coffee: Is It Healthier Than Regular Coffee?

Ginseng coffee is considered a healthy and strengthening alternative to conventional coffee. Here you can find out exactly what the hot drink is all about and how it affects your health.

Ginseng coffee is now also a popular drink in Europe. Ginseng originally comes from Asia and grows mainly in the mountains and forests of China, North Korea and Siberia. For ginseng coffee, manufacturers mix the extracts of the plant with instant coffee powder or ground coffee beans and any other ingredients such as sugar and flavorings.

The hot drink is said to have a positive effect on the mind and body in various ways: Among other things, it is said to have a mood-lifting, relaxing and blood pressure-lowering effect.

How healthy is ginseng coffee?

The effects of the ginseng plant have not yet been sufficiently scientifically proven. However, some studies indicate that ginseng promotes concentration and energy (especially in chronic fatigue), has anti-inflammatory and antiviral effects and can thus prevent flu and colds. Ginseng could also lower blood pressure and prevent diabetes. In order to achieve the corresponding effects, you must take sufficient ginseng regularly.

However, make sure not to drink more than four cups of ginseng coffee per day. Otherwise, unwanted side effects such as headaches, digestive or sleep problems can occur. Pregnant women, breastfeeding women, children and people suffering from diabetes should generally avoid ginseng. If you take medication regularly, find out beforehand whether it interacts with ingredients in ginseng.

How healthy ginseng coffee actually is also depends on the composition of the respective product. For example, some ginseng coffee powders are very high in sugar and artificial flavors. Therefore, before you buy, make sure that sugar is not at the top of the list of ingredients. Vegans should also pay more attention to the ingredients: some products also contain milk protein or milk powder.

Ideally, the product consists only of coffee and ginseng. Then the finished coffee also contains very few calories. A ready-made cup of organic ginseng coffee from ginseng-laden.de provides you with just under 2.5 kilocalories. Nespresso ginseng coffee, on the other hand, contains almost 70 kilocalories per 200 milliliter cup, lots of sugar and some additives.

Ginseng coffee: sustainability and buying tips

Due to its slightly bitter and sweet note, which is vaguely reminiscent of liquorice root, ginseng is said to round off the taste of coffee. If you want to try ginseng coffee for yourself, you can buy it in powder, pod, and capsule form. You can’t usually order it in cafes. When buying, we recommend paying attention to organic quality in order to avoid chemical-synthetic pesticides. If you choose Fairtrade goods, you also guarantee that human and labor rights have been observed during production.

You can order ginseng coffee online. You can sometimes find it in well-stocked grocery stores, as well as health food and organic shops. In powder form, you can simply pour hot water on it and stir well. For pads or capsules you need the appropriate coffee machine. However, since this method also creates a lot of packaging waste, the soluble coffee powder is the more ecological option.

Basically, ginseng (like coffee) is not a climate-friendly product. After all, ginseng and coffee beans have to travel long distances to Germany and therefore release a lot of CO2 emissions.

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Food

Boil Carrots: That’s Why It’s Better Than Eating Them Raw

When you cook carrots, you ensure that your body can better utilize the healthy nutrients. Here you can find out what else you should consider when preparing carrots.

Vitamins and nutrients in carrots – It depends on the cooking

Carrots taste wonderful in a salad or as a snack between meals. But did you know that their valuable ingredients can be utilized even better by your body with the right preparation method?

A study conducted in Sweden in 2012 examined how the availability of the healthy, fat-soluble carotene varies depending on how it is prepared. The conclusion was that both adding fat and cooking the carrots made the valuable ingredients easier for the body to utilize. Above all, however, chopping the vegetables has a positive effect on availability, as reported by ZEIT online.

According to the study, around three percent of the carotene in whole or roughly chopped carrots passes into the gastric juice.
By cooking, the amount can be increased to six percent.
By adding additional oil, the value increased to eight percent.
However, if the carrots were strained or grated before consumption, the value increased many times over: the availability of beta-carotene in boiled and grated carrots increased to a full 27 percent. With additional oil, the value even increased to 45 percent.

Boil the carrots or cook them in a sieve

In order to preserve as many of the healthy ingredients in the carrots as possible during cooking, you should cook them as gently as possible. That’s how it’s done:

Using a vegetable brush and water, scrub the carrots thoroughly to free them from soil.
Cut off the base of the leafy greens and the carrot into small pieces – as you need them for the dish.
Just barely cover the vegetables in the pot with water. The carrots don’t have to be completely immersed in water to cook, as the vitamins are lost in large quantities in the cooking water.
Steam cooking with a sieve insert is even gentler. This allows the carrots to lie in the sieve without coming into contact with the cooking water. Vitamins and nutrients are optimally preserved. Make sure to close the pot and sieve insert with a suitable lid. This will ensure that the steam cooks the carrots properly.
The cooking time in the sieve insert is slightly longer than when cooking in water. Depending on the size of the pieces, carrots require between 10 and 15 minutes. Before the time is up, test your carrots for consistency by puncturing them with a sharp knife. Anything you like is allowed! If you prefer your carrots to be soft, let them cook a little longer. If you like them crispier, shorten the time accordingly.


Season the carrots with as little salt as possible. Salt removes water from the carrots and thus the healthy nutrients.
Tip: Use carrots from organic farming. It has been scientifically proven that organic vegetables and fruit contain more vitamins than conventionally farmed vegetables. Enjoy your meal!

 

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