Being a coffee lover at a very young age, I have become a good judge of how good coffee tastes like. I have learned through experience that not because any good restaurant or establishment serves freshly brewed coffee it automatically tastes good. Yes, I have experienced ordering an expensive cup of coffee that actually tastes bad and watered down. Oftentimes, I felt shortchanged.
When I was recently invited to a Costa Coffee Master Class, I was excited because I know that it will definitely give me more knowledge on how to appreciate coffee even more. It's like being granted a free scholarship to a coffee university.
The by-invite only Costa Coffee Masterclass was conducted by no less than Costa Coffee's official tastemaker himself, Master Gennaro Pelliccia. He ensures that Costa Coffee's only blend, the Mocha Italia, which is created from the perfect combination of Arabica and Robusta beans, is still the same as it was in 1971 - smooth, round, rich with the perfect balance of sweetness and acidity. It is with this special concoction that all Costa Coffee drinks are made from, all of which are espresso based.
Everyday, before leaving the roastery, Chief Taster and Master Roaster Gennaro makes it a point to taste the coffee, carefully preserving the taste that Costa Coffee is known for. His tongue is so highly valued that in 2009 Costa Coffee insured it with Lloyds of London for a whopping GBP 10 million!
Come and take a peek inside our Costa Coffee Masterclass!
In each of our designated tables, we had our very own Coffee Masterclass Kit. At this point, I am super excited. This is official! I couldn't help but take a peek even before the class has started.
Inside the Masterclass kit, was a Costa Coffee apron (which to my excitement, I didn't realize that I had worn it already before taking this photo. Haha!), a Costa Coffee nameplate (officially, we were all baristas for a day), a round, deep spoon, a notepad and a pencil to take some valuable coffee notes.
At the Masterclass, Gennaro talked about:
- The different coffee beans that are grown around the world and what makes each of them different.
- How to pick good coffee from bad coffee - Take raw coffee beans, check their moisture content, look for visible defects, do a sifting test to make sure the size of the beans are even.
- Tasting the product – the most crucial stage of the process. We each brewed our own coffee samples and sniffed and swilled each cup, repeating the process (At the roaster, Genarro does this up to seven times for each blend to make sure they are consistent).
Genarro also invited us to create our own Costa Coffee drinks, choosing from Espresso, Cappuccino and Flat White using Costa Coffee's retro looking but modern coffee machines.
I am grateful to have experienced what it was like to be a coffee master for a day. But most of all, it was truly a wonderful experience watching the Master himself in action.
After the Costa Coffee Masterclass, I dare say, that this refined and sophisticated tongue of mine expects nothing but a good cup of coffee.
Costa Coffee branches can be found in Eastwood City, Robinsons Place Manila and One World Place, BGC. For updates on Costa Coffee, follow them on Instagram @CostaCoffeePH, Twitter @CostaCoffeePH and on Facebook @CostaCoffeePH.
No comments
Post a Comment