"Mary Cup of Joe"

“A cup of coffee - real coffee - home-brewed, home ground, home made, that comes to you dark as a hazel-eye, but changes to a golden bronze as you temper it with cream that never cheated, but was real cream from its birth, thick, tenderly yellow, perfectly sweet, neither lumpy nor frothing on the Java. ~ Henry Ward Beecher


Mary Cup of Joe is the name Jason gave our coffee-taco-computer-fix-it bar if we ever open up one. If someone asked me if  you could only have three things if you were stranded on a deserted island what would they be? My answer would be coffee, a pot, and a cup to drink my brewed coffee.
Growing up coffee was like drinking water in our house. If I don’t have at least 8 ounces of it a day, I have terrible headaches. My taste buds have run the gamut of really bad coffee and really good coffee. Of course everyone has their own taste. But mine are strong, a little cream, some sugar. I can always drink it black; I can’t drink it if it’s too milky. I can’t do a flavored coffee too often since they taste like perfume to me. Most especially the fruit flavored ones. But a nice robust Kenya blend or French roast will do me with maybe a hint of vanilla, nut, or chicory.
Coffee is my thought today since I had the pleasure to have some training in our own Barnes and Noble Starbucks café last night, with the extremely beautiful and knowledgeable Manager Meagan Reid. For the past almost three years; Meagan and I have talked food and coffee. She is totally jealous of me going to culinary classes. I am totally jealous of her scientific mind. But one thing we have in common is coffee.
B&N once in a while has these great training sessions for the employee’s and this round was getting to know your store or customers. Meagan offered training on getting to know the café. I refused to work in the café, when I was first hired; since I am with food so often in class and at home, and wanted to keep the secret of making my favorite brew with the employees who work at the café. I always liked that little bit of mystery; and then I thought well that’s just stupid. If I love coffee so much and the specialty drinks Starbucks has to offer, then I should learn more about the working of the café.
Meagan gave us the grand tour, we talked temperature, dump sinks, how many pumps, whole bean and ground, tea, frapps, latte, espresso, tall, grande, venti, health department, refrigeration, dish-washing liquids, timers and etc. etc. etc. This was only part I and I can’t wait for part II.
Meagan then let us make our own special drink. I chose a Latte. What is a Latte you ask; it is espresso, steamed milk, and foam, not sweetened in any way unless you ask for syrup or sugar in it. I steamed, I pumped and I expressed espresso. Was a little tricky on the foam part, but a little practice and TADAAAA! LATTE! Ok, so I put a little Toffee Nut in for the practice in a pumping action.

Since working at the bookstore I get to read a lot. What is even better is I get to learn about any subject I want as well. It comes in handy when we have to make suggestions to the customers when asked or our staff picks section. My first suggestion for the subject of coffee is 

“How Starbucks Saved My Life” by Michael Gill. It is a memoir which chronicles Michael Gill’s journey from a high-level advertising executive to a barista at Starbucks.

“Pour your Heart Into It” by Howard Schultz is how Starbucks built a company one cup at a time.

"The Coffee Companion” by Jon Thorn is for coffee lovers who will find a spectacular guide to help them continue their coffee consumption, with only the best coffees of the world. It is an illustrated guide describing and rating more than 150 coffees from around the world, including tips on roasting, grinding, and blending beans to create the perfect brew. 


“Uncommon Grounds: The History of Coffee and How it Transformed Our World” by Mark Pendergrast A book about the widespread business and the social history of coffee.


Maybe next time you visit me at the bookstore, you'll find me behind the counter in the cafe. But I will warn you now, I may not be the best barista, but I will certainly try to make a decent cup of coffee for you.