The New Zealand Art of Coffeemaking: Cafe Coffee-Making Class

Coffee over here in Kiwi-land is very different than coffee in the States.  Here are a few of the key differences:

• They DO NOT have drip coffee.  You can't buy it in a cafe.  No one owns a coffeepot or percolator.  The closest you'll get to our drip coffee is to make coffee in a French Press (known here as plunger coffee).  Todd has become a French Press master.
• Every single coffee drink is an espresso drink.
• Most standard drinks come with a double espresso shot.  If you just want a single shot, you have to ask for it.
• While they do call the espresso shot 'espresso,' a barista or any coffee lover is more likely to refer to it as 'the extraction.'
• The most popular coffee drinks are ones we don't have in America - the Flat White, a Short Black, and a Long Black.
• There are multiple cafes on every street.  They are more plentiful than Starbucks back home.  
• There's only one Starbucks in town, and while we refuse get drinks from there on principle (due to the plethora of cafes), we did go in to check out the menu.  They serve a Kiwi-based menu including Flat Whites, Short Blacks, and Long Blacks.

I've said it a million times - my back-up plan in case I can't find a job has been to work at Starbucks.  They give health benefits to part-timers, and I'm a morning person, so I could get up early.  Through OUSA's Clubs & Societies Centre, I signed up for a Cafe Coffee-Making class to start learning my back-up craft.  It was three, two hour classes, and the objectives included to 

1. stretch and texturise milk in an appropriate manner for each coffee
2. understand quality indicators of good milk stretching and texturing
3. understanding good indicators of good coffee extraction.'

Unless all former Starbucks employees who read this tell me what they do is different, I may need a new back-up plan.  First, stretching the milk (aka heating it up and making it nice and bubbly and thick) is really freakin' hard.  I burned the milk, burned myself, overflowed the jug, and every other wrong thing you can do.  I had a bit of an easier time making the extractions (thanks to the machine doing most of the work), but getting the milk perfect can clearly take a  really long time to master.  Those cool designs that most cafes make on the top of your drink only work if your milk is perfect.  Grrr.  In addition to all of this, certain drinks get served in certain sized cups, and there are rules about presentation like which way the spoon handle points, which drinks get marshmallows, etc.

For your reading and perhaps own coffee-making enjoyment, the recipes, cup requirements, and presentation details are below.  Enjoy!

Short Black: double extraction, demitasse cup, no garnish

Long Black: double extraction & hot water, tulip cup, no garnish
     Put the hot water in first, so that when the double extraction is added, there is a finger's gap of space between the creamer (the top of the extraction) and the rim of the cup.

Americano: double extraction & hot water, standard cup
     Put the hot water in first and more than a Long Black because the cup is bigger and then the double extraction is added.  Apparently, this is called an Americano because it more closely simulates filtered or drip coffee.

Flat White: double extraction with stretched milk, tulip or standard cup, no garnish
     Put in the extraction first and then fill with stretched milk right up to the top, so it's even with the rim.

Latte (described as 'a milkier Flat White'): double extraction with stretched milk, standard or large cup or glass, no garnish
     Put in the extraction first and then fill with stretched milk right up to the top, so it's even with the rim.  It will be milkier due to the bigger cup.

Cappuccino: double extraction, stretched milk, foam (split evenly between all three), standard cup, chocolate or cinnamon garnish
     Put in the extraction first, then stretched milk, and then the foam which should be in a dome which will be above the rim.

Moccacino: a cappuccino with chocolate power or syrup, standard cup, chocolate and marshmallow garnish
     Put in the chocolate powder or syrup first, then the extraction, mix, and then add the stretched milk and the foam.

Hot Chocolate: chocolate powder or syrup with stretched milk, large cup or glass, chocolate powder or syrup and marshmallows or chocolate fish garnish
     If you're making it with chocolate powder, put the powder in the cup and mix it with a bit of hot chocolate.  Then add the stretched milk.  If you're making it with chocolate syrup, put the syrup in the cup and then add the stretched milk.

Presentation Rules

• For any drink with chocolate, the garnish includes marshmallows.
• A napkin always goes under a drink served in a glass (makes them easier to move around a cafe with, less chance of slippage).
• Glasses get a parfait spoon.
• Cups get a teaspoon.
• When serving drinks to a customer, the handle always faces the customer's right.
• The spoon should be behind the cup or glass.
• Sugar packets and marshmallows/chocolate fish go on the bottom left.
• Each establishment may have their own variation on these industry standards.

 Phew....I need a new back-up plan.