Saturday, 12 October 2013

SCAE Barista training

Firstly thank you all so much for the kind words regarding the ongoing peculiar situation of living here! 

Well I've had an interesting week thanks to taking 2 days out for barista training with the Northern Academy of Coffee.


It happened here in York at The Attic above Harlequin.


You get a good view down into the works currently going on in Kings Square where there has been a bit of an archeological dig.


Back to coffee and I'll try not to be a coffee bore. 
I was keen to further my knowledge and skill in preparing speciality coffees, maybe for my own coffee shop one day. The obvious next step was barista training proper, with a recognised accreditation through the SCAE (Speciality Coffee Association of Europe). 

There were 4 of us and we worked in The Attic on their equipment.


This is Jon our trainer, a legend in the coffee and tea world!


We did theory, history and plenty of practical hands on coffee making and preparing espresso based drinks and the milk to go with them.
A rare shot of me pulling my espresso shots.



We experimented texturising different milks including goats and soya, to say I'm a soya milk drinker I wasn't that impressed with it in the drinks, however I was pleasantly surprised by the goats milk which was palatable.




Here is someone practising latte art. I think my own technique has improved since having more milk training.



We sat our written test at the end of each day which is a points gathering exercise and I'm pleased to say at the end of day 2 I had enough points and had passed as a certified level 2 barista. 
This is great news for me and I will get a little certificate to hang on my coffee shop wall one day!

Thanks to our excellent trainers Jon, and Gordon from The Attic, lunch was wonderful too (courtesy of Harlequin).

Hope this wasn't too painful for any non coffee drinkers!!

2 comments:

Rustic Vintage Country said...

That sounds a really interesting course to go on, my hubs would love that. Well done for getting the points and passing. It must be an exciting future prospect, the thought of a coffee shop, how lovely. x

Shaheen said...

Congratulations to you on passing :)