Day 26 and an international guest.

This week my friend Ute, whom I haven't seen in about six years, and her friend Sabrina arrived to Coeur d'Alene ready to see the most beautiful town ever and drink some of the neighborhoods best coffee.  Ute and Sabrina stopped by on their way through to British Columbia.  It is a good thing that they stopped, for I needed another topic for the blog, and it was great seeing them and hanging.  The time they wad here was a bunch fun.  I got to show them around the beautiful town of Coeur d'Alene Idaho.  The two ladies also got to enjoy some deliciousness found in town such as Bakery by the Lake, Java on Sherman, and Moontime.  Probably three of my favorite places.  Of course before they departed I made sure to seize the opportunity and provide them coffee beverages and blog their appearance.

Day 25, The blog is back

Good morning.  Wow it has been eight day since a new post has arrived.  So I thought this morning would be a perfect day to post.  Last evening some friends came over, so I made them coffee.  Here is the product of one of the cups.  The other one turned out pretty cool too, but I didn't snap a photo of it.
     For those that haven't heard, I recent took a job at a local coffee shop.  So I will be making a whole lot more coffee, which means a whole lot more practice.  Well thanks for reading.

Day 24 starring Travis Lehman

Pulling the perfect shot.

Tamping the grounds.

 









 Hello readers welcome again to another Latte of the day.  Again it has been several days since the last posting. Interestingly enough it was not entirely my fault this time, blogger had been down since Wednesday, and back up Saturday.  And what a glorious day to be back on too, because I get to introduce one of my all time favorite friends, Travis Lehman.  Faithful blog follower and professional barista.  Travis Lehman, flew all the all from Berlin, Ohio in order to be a guest on the blog.  As a professional latte artist he dabbles in the post modern latte art as can be seen in art of his final design.  Some argue that he is one of the forrunners in post modern latte art!  After many tours through out South America, Italy, and the greater Western Europe, Travis has finally settled down in Ohio in order to get out of the lime light and resume the life of a normal person instead of a star.  He stated during the interview, "that living with the Amish as really given me[Travis] a greater appreciation to the simple things in life.  I find myself spending more time with my family and really just getting back to the root of latte making"
     If you are eve in the area of Berlin Ohio you will find Travis at Java Jo's Coffee, still pouring latte's and having great conversations with the locals.

Enjoying his creation!

Day 23,

I had a conversation with a friend today regarding lattes.  Over the course of the conversation I realized that all the questions he was asking and the ones I was responding too were specific to how to texturize the foam and the creation of the latte art.  Of course that was the whole reason why I started this blog, to practice making latte art.  Thus I need to add some of found experience to the blog to help those in the same predicament that I found myself in.  I have decided that after this Thursday, which is my last day of class, I will write a post or two specifically on milk texturizing.  It might include some interviews with the pros and from other amateurs.  I think it would be cool to also try out some other machines.  Therefore, if you read this and have an espresso machine at your house, or your friend has one let me know so that i can add it to the blog.

Day 22 Another day another latte

Today I made another latte.  Don't get to surprised.  The new mod on the steaming wand tip is working wonders to the ability to create fantastic foam.  The weather has finally cleared enough that it might be time to go do some rocking this afternoon.  Well, thanks for reading have a lovely day and i'll be out climbing if you need to reach me...

Day 21 Happy Mothers Day

TJ's finger is to the left, and Travis's finger is at the top

Happy Mothers to all the mothers out there!!  If you are around I would love to make you a free latte...  Today's latte photo has two of the blogs most faithful readers, TJ Kastning and Travis Potter.  If you haven't notice TJ is ranked number one for the most comments and has become such a fanatic about lattes that he ingested two of them last night!  I'm not sure if they hindered him from sleeping or not.  Travis Potter is also a faithful reader and has been a guest earlier on the blog.  He is often a supplier of new coffee whenever he is in the neighborhood and a great joke teller.  Last night we watched the movie Get Low, which starred Robert Duvall playing a dieing old geezer who wants to have a funeral party.  The ending of the movie really struck me because Robert Duvall's character finally sheds his mask and reveals something about him that caused him to be very vulnerable.  It is amazing watching films like this because it causes others in the film to choose whether or not they are going to forgive or judge that person.  In real life people are often too afraid to shed that mask and reveal who they really are, maybe because they are not sure what reaction they will receive when being truthful and honest.  Overall the film was pretty good but not quite as good as the latte intermission...but really, how could it be?

Day 20 The Modification

Before

After

Dear readers, the last couple of days have been somewhat of a whirlwind, it being the end of the semester.  Today, I finally got enough motivation to attempt a homemade modification for the LaPavoni espresso machine.  The modification is with the steam wand tip.  Most LaPavoni's have a tri-tipped wand, which can sort of be made out in the picture; other wand tips that I have seen have only one hole.  So in an attempt to create the perfect foam, I thought it was time to try a modification.  I saw this done on my favorite espresso  youtube video.  Please not that the dude is using almost the same machine.  Instead of buying his I decided to create my own.  So I went to Home Depot and bought a $0.60 cap nut and drilled a 1/16 hole in the bottom.  You may think that this seems like a relatively easy project, which it was. However, the difficult part of the project was the motivation behind it.

Silky smooth Microfoam

     After my first steaming test, I immediately regretted my laziness.  The foam that resulted from the single hole tip was incredible!  Unbelievable, it was like I hardly had to do any work to steam the milk.  As a result I had to share the brilliant endeavorer.  The whole while, I had John Mayer in the back ground encouraging me with his Trio band, with members Pino Palladino on the bass, and Steve Jordan on the drums.  The John Mayer Trio makes for some great background coffee music.  I've realized that not many people have heard of John's trio band, so here is a link to Amazon to either listen to it or purchase it.  It is recorded live and sounds quite good.

Day 19 Lattelicious!!

     I was once told that when you start making good lattes you will stop going to coffee shops for the coffee.  Well readers, today I reached that point.  I realized that there are two and a half coffee shops that I would rather get a latte at then make my own.  This realization happened after going out to coffee this morning with my sister and Titus Leger.  Instead of griping I will just say that I will most likely never be going to that shop ever again...maybe.

     Anyways today is a good day, not just because I made a delicious tasting coffee or because it looks awesome, but because I was listening to Does Anyone Really Know What Times It Is?, by Chicago!  Click on the picture to listen or purchase from Amazon.  Also today was the great Pizza Feed for Coeur d'Alene High School.  The first Monday of the month, CDA Bible Church invites the high school over to enjoy some "Jesus Pizza."  That is what the students call it anyways.  That time with the students always turns into a good time.  The following Thursday and Friday we invite them over to discuss the question of the month which was "What do you think God thinks of you?"  Well if you have any input please post away.  Drink more coffee!

Day 18 and the subconscious fear

As I approached the counter this morning a peculiar emotional response was released from my subconscious.  It was a sense of fear, or maybe it was the tiredness of making lattes.  Whatever this emotion was it was obviously emitting from the giant silver espresso machine sitting on my counter.  The La Pavoni sitting there not even looking at me, sent the slightest shiver running through my body.  a question arouse, most likely from the silvery giant asking, "are you capable?" "why have you been avoiding me these last 24 hours?"  At first running to the pleasure and comfort of my book was a  first response to these questions.  However, my actions were different.  After the fleeting thought of giving in and turning away left, I swallowed this fear, or whatever it was, and dove head first into the process of creating another latte.
     Going through each rigorous process of the latte process, I was pleasantly rewarded with one of the best tasting lattes made for the blog.  Despite the not so beautiful art on top, the texture of the milk was as near to perfect as it ever has been, creating somewhat of a picture of something.
    Once again, I want to thank Josh for being the first of many guest appearances on The Latte of the Day.  Due to popular demand and the enormous amount of traffic that came in during that post, the Guest appearance will be arriving every Monday.  So hopefully you will be able to appear as the guest latte artist next time.  

Day 17

Josh pulling the shot

Josh preparing the shot

Josh proud of his mushroom
shaped Latte

Josh steaming the milk

I want to first apologize to my readers for not posting these last two days, they have been action packed and filled with adventure.  April 30th was my birthday, which was awesome, because I spent it with my good friends the Ostlind's and the young Shaw's.  May 1st, I spent the majority of the day downtown Spokane running Bloomsday, which was fabulous.  After running and getting home I pretty much collapsed on my couch and did nothing.
     However during the course of those two days, I still did work on the lattes.  In fact I had my first guest appearance.  The guest is a die-hard blog follower and coffee purist, Josh Ostlind.  If I were to describe Josh in three words it would be - ski fanatic. okay maybe that was only two words.  As the legend goes, Josh was performing a in a recent ski competition, which entailed several kickers and rails.  While he was performing a trick he landed wrong, leaving him unconscious with a mild concussion.  After being rushed to the hospital he awoke from a vivid vision full of overgrown vegetation and speaking sheep.  During the course of his discussion with the sheep he realized that there was only one thing left for him to accomplish in this life, pouring the perfect latte.  It was upon this revelation that he inquired about the art of latte making.  I informed him that i could not show him true perfection, as I am only an amateur, but I could guide him down the path in the direction of perfection, ergo he is the first guest on The Latte of the Day blog.
Comments from tasters
"It is not an A, but it is not an F" - Lisa Ostlind (Josh's Mother)
"that is the best shaped mushroom I have ever seen!" - Janie Helgeson