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By Perry Gil S. Mallari
THEY are referred to as “coffee
masters” and they wear their black aprons with pride. Within the
circle of Starbucks baristas in the Philippines, the signature black
apron is synonymous with being at the top of the hierarchy,
something equivalent to a black-belt rank in the world of martial
arts.
Recently, the Starbucks coffee
masters conducted a seminar dubbed “From Bean to Cup” and proved
they were truly worthy of their titles. Held at the company’s
training center in Makati, the coffee masters enthralled members of
the media with their skills and knowledge in preparing various
coffee concoctions.
Sources around the world
The popular Starbucks coffee is
indeed a product of a meticulous process from the time the bean is
harvested to the liquid matter that flows to a patron’s cup. The
coffee beans are imported from three major coffee sources: Latin
America, which is known for its mild, consistent flavor, making it
ideal for blending; Africa and Arabia, which carry a distinct citrus
and lively flavor and is highly recommended to be enjoyed over ice;
and Asia Pacific, popular for its intense and heavy-mouth feel.
Raw coffee beans are processed
differently depending on their locale of origin. The dry method is
widely used in Africa and Arabian continents where water is not very
abundant while the wet method is the preferred procedure in Latin
America. In the Asia Pacific realm, the masters use the semiwash
method. Each method of processing has a distinct effect on the final
taste.
After the coffee beans are
harvested and processed, these will undergo a roasting phase. A
common Starbucks maxim says, “It’s not the world’s finest
coffee until we roast it.” At Starbucks, coffee beans pass through
a thoroughly precise roasting process—one that is designed to
bring out the full flavor in coffee.
Harnessing the senses
Starbucks baristas are trained to
distinguish a good brew from a mediocre one. The coffee masters
share that they always follows these simple steps in enjoying
one’s coffee:
(a) Take time to smell the
coffee. This is best done by partially covering the cup with one
hand to lock the aroma in. Then place your nose directly over the
narrow opening where the steam comes out. Then inhale the
rich-tasting aroma.
(b) Slowly sip from the mug. This
way, you’ll get to feel of real coffee flavor.
(c) Try to savor the after-taste,
and fill your senses with the distinct characteristics of a
particular coffee. For instance, coffee from Sumatra has a strong
after-taste that tends to linger in the tongue. There is also such a
thing as blending food intake and coffee—there are cakes and
pastries that enhance the flavor of coffee while there are other
food items that tend to overwhelm the taste of coffee like pungent
fruit-based desserts.
A fool-proof formula
For those who want to be their
own baristas, the coffee masters offer these four fundamental
guides: proportion, grind, water and freshness. The best mix is
combining two tablespoon of ground coffee to every six ounces of
water. The coffee masters also shared that ground coffee is best
stored in an airtight, opaque container at room temperature and not
inside the refrigerator. Keeping coffee inside the very low
temperatures induces the condensation process making the coffee
taste bitter.
A sip of goodwill
Akin to the title of the coffee
masters’ seminar, the Starbucks history is also a “bean to
cup” story. The company started in 1971 as a whole bean supplier
and was only in 1984 when it opened an outlet offering special
coffee beverages. The 6750 building is the first home of Starbucks
in the Philippines.
Thirty-six years after its
inception, Starbucks is leading the coffee race all right but what
is truly remarkable is the manner in which the company gives back to
the efforts of the coffee farmers. Part of the Starbucks advocacy
program is to improve the social, economic and environmental
conditions of the coffee farmers who do the initial groundwork of
planting and harvesting coffee beans. Now, that’s what we call
paying it forward.
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