Espresso Coffee Professional Techniques has been called the Baristas Bible and for good reason.
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36 of 37 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
This book is the "bible" for espresso techniques. The author has extensively researched his material and communicates clearly and concisely. Coffee professionals, baristas and those who love the art of coffee will find this book a resource they will return to over and over again. It will also serve as a tremendous training tool for those just starting out in the industry. The author also goes further than simply improving espresso techniques but also includes the importance of perfect milk frothing and steaming which directly influences the total espresso experience. Palates will not be the same after this book!
24 of 24 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
David Schomer is the owner/chief roaster at Vivace! in Seattle. His methods (particularly concerning the proper temperature for brewing) are the subject of much discussion, even derision, in the coffee community, because it is hard to get consistent results using his methods. That may be true, but his approach allows you to achieve near perfection about a third of the time, and decent results the rest of the time, while other methods will produce more consistent results, without ever equaling the best he can achieve.
If you want to get artistic about your espresso, learn some of the many variables involved, and commence your search for the perfect cup, this is the book for you. Schomer has studied espresso making for decades, with a degree of attention to detail that borders on the fanatical, and his key conclusions are described here in detail.
My only complaint is that Schomer doesn't even minimally discuss his techniques for producing rosettes on top of his lattes. I've taken the pilgrimage to Vivace! a few times, and watched how it's done, but after several years of trying a couple of times a day, I'm still not able to get results as good as the people at Vivace! can.
I did, however, manage to coerce a few nearly-perfect cups out of my Gaggia Paros before it died, and I have this book to thank for the experience.
26 of 30 people found the following review helpful
By Quinbould
Format:Paperback
I'm sorry about the four stars David, because this is an essential book and indeed it gives the reader most of what he needs to make a truly excellent cup of espresso. Buy it folks. My problem is that this is a very short book and could have been a lot shorter. There is considerably more redundancy than is necessary to get the points across. Otherwise, it's well written and illustrated, providing the insider information you need. However, in the espresso blending section David spends almost two pages avoiding telling you what coffees make good espresso blends. Sure it's subjective, but I guess I felt I was paying for his opinion (which he gives copiously on other espresso issues.) He alludes vaguely to Brazilian and low acid (Brazil has very a wide range of possibilities, only a few of which I think make good coffee of any sort) and that's about it. I'd hoped for more. But there can be no doubt that David knows espresso in every detail. He's spent a lot of time and effort collecting the unique and necessary information he imparts. Plus, he and I agree that the best espresso is made in northern Italy and that most US espresso is charcoal water. So, this is a very expensive book for it's length, but it's definitely worth the price if you want to really understand espresso.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Espresso Coffee: Professional Techniques
Excellent book. A tutorial that is very clear and easy to understand. The author knows his subject very well and explains the processes in a step by step fashion. Read more
Published 11 months ago by D. R. Mackintosh
5.0 out of 5 stars
THE Barista's Bible
What a fantastic book for the experienced and aspiring baristi. At the coffee shop that I work at all the staff are required to read this book and for good reasons too. Read more
Published on December 1, 2007 by Hannah Olbrich
5.0 out of 5 stars
Most Practical Espresso book in the Market
I worked for a coffee shop that had about fifteen books on espresso - most of the information given in the book was either flat-out wrong or recipes. Read more
Published on September 11, 2005 by Eric N
4.0 out of 5 stars
taste don't read
If you have tasted the coffee at Vivacci, you know this guy is serious. It's the best I've had anywhere in the known world. Read more
Published on January 4, 2003 by Leigh Stevens
5.0 out of 5 stars
a very excellent and detail book
This is a must-see book. The author explain the technique and factors in detail and easy way which make you quickly get all the information you need to make a deceant cup of... Read more
Published on April 6, 1999 by kennychiu@ms1.url.com.tw
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