I love coffee. I start nearly each morning with a cup or two of coffee. I'm a pseudo coffee snob, but only pseudo at best. I have a few friends who've worked at baristas and always thought it was fun to hear them talk about their experiences. I also love to hear them order coffee with a level of confidence and assertiveness for their very specialized, perfectly ordered coffees. I feel like I'm at amateur hour next to them.
In honor of my love of coffee, I am taking a moment to recommend a book I read this past year. It's a great read for those who love coffee and the culture, friendliness and customization that a great barista brings.
Book: How Starbucks Saved My Life
Author: Michael Gates Gill
My rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Brief synopsis:
There is no denying that Michael Gill's Starbucks application was atypical. For 25 years, this 63-year-old Yale alumnus had been a creative director at the prestigious J. Walter Thompson advertising agency. The privileged son of New Yorker writer Brendan Gill had grown up amid cultural elites, rubbing elbows with James Thurber, Ezra Pound, and Ernest Hemingway, among others. But now Gill's marriage, his six-figure job, and his own business were gone, and he was seeking a job at the local coffee shop. His account of his apprenticeship in cappuccino making and race relations are instructive and ultimately ennobling.
Give this one a try. It's fun. It's quick. It's uplifting. Michael Gates Gill learned a great lesson in humility through taking a position at Starbucks. We all could stand to learn something from him.
What's your drink of choice?
Mine is a latte, whole milk, no extra flavors-- I don't need that extra sugar and sweetness, no way! (When I'm trying to be good, I order skim latte, but the whole milk is deliciously richer.)
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