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ILIJA NAUMOVSKI is an artist. His artistry though was
not honed while applying layers of paints on canvas but while
preparing coffee concoctions on the counter of an espresso bar.
Forty-three-year-old Naumovski is the grand chief barista of
Segafredo Zanetti Espresso shop in Japan and the controller of the
renowned coffee brand’s barista training worldwide.
A native of Maribor, Slovenia,
and a double degree holder in Gastronomy and Tourism, Naumovski
conducted a seminar entitled “Coffee Break” recently at the
Zegafredo Zanetti outlet in Greenbelt. Naumovski’s fun and
informative talk tackled various points in coffee history but
focused heavily on the uniqueness of authentic Italian espresso.
Naumovski shared native Italians
describe espresso as a dark liquid topped with foam poured into a
50-milliliter-heavy ceramic cup. It is an original Italian product
concocted after the invention of the first espresso Machine in
Milano, Italy, in 1902. Espresso is prepared by letting air pressure
push water through layers of ground coffee, thus, its brew is very
concentrated. Naumovski related that it took some time before the
espresso machine was perfected. He added that it’s extremely hard
to control the temperature and air pressure of early models
resulting in a bad brew and even the explosion of the machine in
certain instances. The Italian company La San Marco perfected the
design of the espresso machine in 1920 and has remained the source
of the best machines in the market up to this day.
The press invitees learned that
the process of making authentic Italian espresso is a very delicate
procedure. A number of factors affect the final brew: water quality,
manner of storage of coffee beans, the quality of the espresso
machine and the skill of the barista. Describing the appearance of a
perfect cup of espresso he said, “ The foam must be fine and
lingering displaying the color of hazel nuts and fine button
holes.” Naumovski reiterated that a good espresso must have an
intensive aroma and its taste must be rich and flavorful, with a
perfect balance of acidity and bitterness. Maintaining the ideal
temperature is also crucial in delivering a perfect cup he added.
Espresso in Italy is not usually
served very hot because it is customary to drink it fast on the
counter. To prevent the espresso from cooling down quickly, cups in
Italian coffee bars are kept at 45-degree centigrade compartments.
Naumovski is credited with the
high level of skills required of Zegafredo Zanetti’s baristas.
There are already three Zegafredo Zanetti espresso bars in the
Philippines, a full-service espresso boutique is located in
Greenbelt 2, a kiosk on the second floor of the Podium in Ortigas
Center and the newest branch stands near the corner of Wilson Street
and Ortigas Avenue. Though often attracting the upscale crowd, the
Zegafredo Zanetti management in the Philippines said the prices of
their products are comparable with those of their other competitors.
--Perry Gil S. Mallari
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