So less than a month from the International Coffee Day event it was time to head off to a Barista Masterclass at Costa Coffee in Balzan. With my camera of course, and J. You could say that J did all the work this time together with another ten or so coffee enthusiasts. I went along and took loads of pictures which is what I love best. I promised solemnly though that next time I’ll leave my camera behind and follow some instructions myself.
I won’t bore you with the technical details, because as I said in my other post, it’s better to obtain knowledge from the experts. However what I will say here is that Jen and Wayne were their usual delightful selves (that is guaranteed every time, trust me on this) and the equally delightful Stephanie was also there and served as ‘official’ taster and judge in the final friendly competition. The donation of €5 goes to the Costa Foundation. The hour and a half event was relaxed, educational and great fun, and everyone there gave off such a postive vibe.
Jen and Wayne showed everyone how to make an espresso, kind of a first step towards a cappuccino, a latte and finally a flat white. The grind of the roasted coffee beans is checked every two hours to ensure consistency. There’s an art to making every one of them, and mastering a flat white takes a good barista three to four months.
It takes loads of practice, so when you order your next coffee, and there’s a person behind the counter who looks like a new kid-on-the-block (and you’ll know…you just will) please be kind. That hour and a bit will give you just a taste of their training.
You can find more information on the Costa Foundation both on the Costa Coffee Malta website and more details can also be found on the official Costa Foundation site.
Thank you to Costa Coffee Malta, especially to Stephanie, Wayne and Jen for permission to take photos during the session.
Disclaimer: Costa Coffee Malta did not pay me in any way, shape or form for this blog post. The espresso was made specifically during the session and made for the session participants. The coffees ordered outside the session itself were paid by yours truly.
Although this post was written with up-to-date information, the contents of the masterclass may and can be changed by Costa Coffee Malta. I make no assurances of any kind (expressed or implied) about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability of any information, products, services or related graphics contained within this post. Nor am I giving any legal, medical and/or professional advice.
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Chorizo & Thyme 
That’s very true, leave the bit at the bottom!
I’d love to know if they do a similar thing in the UK. Sounds great! The coffee here in Corfu is really nice and rather strong. I like that sometimes.
Ah Greek coffee is delicious but yes, pretty strong. I couldn’t get used to the thick sediment at first and it was so strange not to drink the whole cup. But I had it often anyway, as long as we had loads of water with it. Enjoy it!
I wish I had a barista… living in my kitchen.