By Susan Krashinsky
Let’s face it: “barista” is not the most manly-sounding job title in the world.
To be polite, you might even try made-up conjugations for the man steaming your milk. Baristo? Barist?
“It’s barista,” says Anthony Bertrand, flashing a mellow customer-service smile. “It’s the same for both.”
Bertrand should know, given his class schedule.
Like many Centretown coffee slingers, he has put himself through school making Starbucks grandes and ventis, and now in his final semester, he is taking Italian.
It doesn’t take a scholar to translate “barista” as someone who is serious about coffee. At Second Cup, Rosanna Sinclair examines the milk bubbles on her latest creation .
“I’m really particular about foam,” she says, explaining it should be dense enough to stick to a spoon when turned upside down.
The growth of café culture means more baristas in Centretown, says Allison Sharpe, a Bridgehead employee. But what is it like behind the counter?
Grumbling about customers is the norm among waiters, but baristas are a surprisingly cheerful bunch. Perhaps it’s just the caffeine talking.
“I love the social aspect,” says Sharpe, pausing to chat with a regular who has just walked in. “It’s a real sense of community. You get to know people, they tell you about their day and as time goes on you get a real sense of their life.”
But as former Starbucks barista Darran Fernandez points out, the caffeine-deprived can get cranky very fast. In rush periods when 250 drinks were ordered in an hour, things don’t always go smoothly.
As for the picky customers who order things like a large half-sweet caramel latte with a shot of decaf, low-fat lactose-free milk and no whip cream? They might bug the people behind them in line, but not their baristas.
“It’s never annoying,” says Sharpe, noting that the fun of the job is playing with drinks. Bertrand agrees.
“We are the worst!” he says. “Baristas know all the different variations, so we’re more particular than anybody.”
Sinclair says most baristas have created a signature drink. What went into her masterpiece?
“Chocolate, caramel, banana syrup, an espresso shot, and steamed soy milk.”
Translation: magnifico.