Master Barista Giorgio Milos

Giorgio Milos MASTER BARISTA I'm passionate about coffee: A Longtime master barista certified as a trainer by the specialty coffee association of europe and the specialty coffee association of america. i am a full professor for illy's Università del caffè and conduct the illy master barista series. I visit cafes and teach coffee for a living - my dream job!

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How to espresso your love this Valentine’s Day

If you ask me, celebrating Valentine’s Day right in the comfort of your own home can be just as nice as a  fancy meal out. Often crafting something that is home made has much more meaning. The effort small or large creates a moment and communicates sincerity from the heart.

We often refer to coffee drinkers as coffee lovers because many of us are truly passionate about the drink, in all the various preparations and origins, it brings us pleasure throughout our day.

Today I hope to inspire you with creatively caffeinated ways to show your love, morning, noon and night.

Milk Frother Hack: If you’re looking to make a latte or cappuccino and are without a milk frother, Cupid has an easy hack: simply put warm whole milk in a shaker water bottle, spring included, and shake until the milk becomes foamy. That’s it! Or use your French Press in the same way as the shaker!

Latte heART: Adorn your Valentine’s Day coffee with a perfect heart using chocolate syrup, cocoa powder, steamed milk or just a toothpick. Choose your betrothed’s favorite way. Here’s how:

Chocolate Syrup Heart Tutorial

Cocoa Powder Heart Tutorial

Steamed Milk Heart Tutorial

Toothpick Heart Tutorial

Valentine’s Day Recipes: Win his, her or your own heart all over again with the Almond Rose Latte: a blissfully indulgent treat that’s a dessert all by itself (recipe below). Keep the night going strong – or get it started in style – with a perfect-for-Tequila-lovers Messicano, or For Amaretto fans Amore.

Almond Rose Latte:

What you’ll need:

Single espresso (25 cc)

I’ve been loving illy’s new Costa Rica for its sweet notes of honey vanilla and citrus with hints of caramel and dried fruit

4 oz (120 cc) cold while milk

 ½ pump rose syrup, ½ pump almond syrup

Preparation

Put 6 oz cold whole milk into a steaming pitcher and set aside

Add 1 pump (1/4 oz) rose syrup and 1 pump (1/4 oz) almond syrup o the bottom of serving glass

Prepare a double espresso (50 cc) directly into a 3 oz pitcher

Steam and froth milk

Swirl the milk and froth in the pitcher to eliminate big bubbles and keep it mixed

Pour espresso into glass and stir or swirl to mix in the syrup

Holding the pitcher approximately 3-4” above the glass, pour the frothed milk over the espresso until the glass is full

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A Global Event: Celebrating Coffee with EIICA

As the year comes to a close, one of my favorite annual moments for coffee recently occurred, shining a much-needed, positive light on 2020.

The meeting of 27 coffee growers from nine countries, an A-list international fashion model and Giada de Laurentiis for the 2020 Ernesto Illy International Coffee Award (EIICA), this year’s annual celebration of growers whose sustainably nurtured harvests are of the world’s highest quality, as judged by illy’s own experts and an independent panel of judges. (Giada was among those judges, and the model, Arizona Muse, a dedicated sustainability activist who served as the event’s emcee).

EIICA festivities are typically held in New York City in October, starting with a celebration for the international community of coffee growers at the United Nations, topped off with a gala at a landmark NYC venue. The three top growers from each of nine countries travel to the event courtesy of illy, one of which, by evening’s end, is named “Best of the Best” by the expert panel. A separate “Coffee Lover’s Choice” honor is bestowed upon the beans voted as tops by illy fans who got an early taste at illy Caffè shops in key cities.      

This year being a year like no other, EIICA went virtual for 2020, and because of it, was truly global in nature. Hundreds of coffee-interested journalists, culinary experts, coffee industry leaders and others from around the world tuned in live on December 3. Along with, of course, the 27 growers themselves. The ceremony was produced jointly in Milan and Trieste - illy’s hometown - with illy family members, our global CEO and others appearing to share the stage with Arizona.

When all was said and done, quite incredibly, one grower took home both awards: Cooperativa Cocabel from Honduras. The co-op has been an illy supplier since 2017 and consists of 84 members, who are chiefly small-scale growers able to achieve incredible quality. I can tell you that their harvest was exceptional, having tasted the evidence in my cup. Their beans, along with those of first-place winners from the other eight countries, will contribute to next year’s illy blend.

Arizona, our emcee, fulfilled her role with not just stage presence, but also a sense of shared values and mission. Her knowledge and appreciation of illy’s pioneering role in sustainability and ethics was hard to miss, highlighting the role that direct coffee trade and guaranteed profits play in creating a virtuous circle, where growers can be prosperous for achieving great quality coffee, which in turn is enjoyed by coffee lovers, who see the value and are willing to pay as well for this amazing quality experience in their cup.

Who knew a virtual event could be so amazing? With each EIICA, my appreciation for coffee growers remains with me, as I hope it does for coffee lovers all over the world.

If you have time this holiday season, check out the archived video of the event here at www.EIICA2020.com

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Inspiration for the coffee lovers: a sneak peek into the future barista apron

Inspiration often comes from unexpected places. For me, it recently came to me in the form of an apron design. OK, maybe better than classifying it as an ‘apron,’ let’s call it the classic barista uniform, as envisioned by the finalists in this year’s International Talent Support (ITS) Fashion@Work Award. My company, illy, is the project’s sponsor of this competition and a worthy endeavor, which challenges fashion students, the emerging future visionaries to remake the barista’s essential uniform, while balancing the essence of how form and function jointly contribute to the sensorial experience of enjoying coffee.

The evaluation process is led by my Italy-based colleague Carlo Bach, illy’s longtime Global Creative Director, who names ten finalists from among numerous entrants who are challenged to creatively reinterpret the everyday, classic barista apron as a creative, sustainable design object, which was emphasized by this year’s theme “Here We Belong.” This year’s finalist event (virtual for the first time) took place on October 23, where Estonia’s Johannna Parv and Scotland’s Rosie Baird of Scotland were named co-winners. Early on in the competition, I was rooting for the NYC based student Tara Al-Wali, who attended Parsons The New School for Design – she was among all the talented designers that participated.  

Parv applied a modern, minimalist approach that incorporated a coffee picker’s harness that added versatility and usefulness even outside of work. Baird, on the other hand, referenced her country’s traditional kilt to create a luxurious tapestry-themed apron meant to represent coffee production. I can’t decide which one I like more – and would gladly wear either!

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Famed Chefs and A Master Barista Go Virtual The NYCWFF & New pumpkin espressoda recipe

In this year filled with uncertainty, was I ever happy to see that for the NYC Wine & Food Festival (NYCWFF)…the show just had to go on. For me, it simply isn’t Fall in New York without this joyous occasion that celebrates everything that makes food magical – not least, how it brings us all together unlike anything else, in spirit if not physical proximity.  

The fact that NYCWFF went virtual this year didn’t keep it from hosting more than 80 events featuring a full slate of the nation’s best-known chefs. I had the opportunity to join legendary culinary talents and friends Scott Conant, Rocco DiSpirito, Jacques Torres and Giada de Laurentiis in their “In the Kitchen” series. Each shared step-by-step recipe instructions via live video with festival foodies creating the same dish in real time along with them, right from the comfort of their own home. Ah, la tecnologia! My job (and joy) was to enhance their creations by sharing perfectly paired seasonal coffee treats and beverages. illy even provided a special The Art of Coffee at Home code for anyone attending so they could receive special pricing while purchasing illy products from our e-Shop website. I recommend checking it out these holidays season as we bundled several products to inspire your coffee at home experience.

NYCWFF’s going virtual did have a silver lining. For the first time food and wine lovers from around the world had the chance to join in. The opportunity to reach a broader audience – maybe even some all the way back home in Italy – was so exciting.

I shared recipes for favorites like the Harvest Affogato, illy Cold Brew Float and an entirely new Pumpkin Spice Espressoda. If you weren’t able to able to join me during the Festival, here is the surprisingly simple recipe for that last one, entirely doable in any kitchen.

Simply mix the ingredients listed here and ecco, a pumpkin espressoda fit for baristas…and all their loyal fans…far and wide!

Pumpkin Espressoda  

-        1oz pumpkin syrup

-        6oz club soda

-        4oz illy RTD cold brew (half a can)

Mix all ingredients and pour into a latte or pint glass

Photo Credit: Getty

Photo Credit: Getty 

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2020 NYCWFF

NYC Wine & Food Festival is back! Throughout the festival I’ll be joining Chefs Scott Conant, Rocco DiSpirito, Jacques Torres and Giada de Laurentiis during their “In the Kitchen” series to demo seasonal coffee treats and beverages. 

Find my schedule below and follow along on Twitter @Giorgio_Milos for live updates.

Saturday, October 3 at 1pm EST - In the Kitchen with Scott Conant where I’m making an illy Espresso Martini

Saturday, Oct. 3 at 5pm EST - In the Kitchen with Rocco DiSpirito where I’m making a seasonal Harvest Affogato.

Tuesday, October 6 at 5pm EST - In the Kitchen with Jacques Torres where I’m making an illy Cold Brew Float with spooky spider web latte art.  

Sunday, October 11 at 5pm EST - In the Kitchen with Giada de Laurentiis where I’m making a Pumpkin Spice Espressoda.

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Homemade Fall Comfort with These illy Pumpkin Recipes

While the fall equinox isn’t for a couple of weeks, pumpkin patches are visible, comforting ingredients are on full display in grocery isles, and pumpkin lattes are trending.

With more than 20 years working as an illy Master Barista pursing quality coffee drink, from cocktails to hot preparations, I’ve decided to fill my cup with my own pumpkin recipes using simple ingredients and tools for everyone to make in the comfort of their home.   Of course it all starts with great coffee and the illy blend provides a backbone with a complex and balanced taste profile that can work with this type of recipe.

Along these lines and the seasonal popularity,  I’ve created my very own Pumpkin Simple Syrup. It’s as easy to make as it is delicious. In fact, I’ve used the syrup for almost everything, from pancakes to cocktails to a number of illy recipes. The opportunities are endless!

All you need is:

·       1 cup pumpkin puree ·       1 cup water ·       1 cup sugar ·       1 tbsp spice mix ·       1 tsp vanilla extract

Combine and mix all ingredients together in a pan and set medium heat. Cook it for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Let it cool down for another hour and then strain it using a nut milk bag (for clear syrup, a fine strainer works as well).

The next step, making your own pumpkin spice latte. I recommend using illy’s signature Classico blend that is made of 100% Arabica beans. Its versatility and balanced taste, with delicate notes of caramel, makes the flavor profile perfect for this fall treat. Then if you’re making a savory iced version, use 1% milk and if looking for a comforting warm latte, use steamed whole milk (no foam). The rest is the same!

And if you’re really feeling the autumnal spirit, try your hand at an illy Warm Harvest Latte or even add pumpkin syrup to your illy Cold Brew – yum.

Benvenuto autunno!

illy Iced Pumpkin Spice Latte:

Ingredients:

·       1 illy Classico espresso ·       1 oz Pumpkin Spice Syrup ·       3 oz 1% milk ·       2 oz cream ·       Pumpkin Spice Mix, to taste ·       1 tbsp ground Cinnamon ·       3/4 tbsp ground Ginger ·       1 tsp ground Nutmeg ·       1/8 tsp ground Clove ·       Ice cubes

Add ice to the glass. Mix together 1/2 oz syrup and 3 oz 1% milk and pour into the glass. Prepare the espresso, using illy Classico blend, and pour into the glass gently to create layers. In a shaker (or in a bowl) pour the cream and the other 1/2 oz of syrup, shake it (or whisk it if using a bowl) just enough to turn the liquid cream into a denser liquid (must be pourable). Then pour the cream slowly on top of the drink. Finish with a dusting of pumpkin spice.

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Celebrate Summer with Frozen Coffee Three Ways

Ready to say hi to summer with something even colder than cold brew and icier than iced coffee.  Like, literally?  I’m talking frozen coffee, DIY-style, three different ways.  The star of the show is the granita, a classic from southern Italy. Close behind are the too-often-overlooked coffee ice cubes (goodbye, watered-down coffee drinks), and coffee ice pops, a grown-up take on your childhood summer must-have. Those last two are as easy to make as they are practical and indulgent, yet aren’t as simple as just pouring this morning’s leftover brew into trays and molds. I’ll explain.

Here are my frozen coffee tips and tricks, just in time to to impress your friends and family…and treat yourself…this summer.

 ·       Granita – Born and hugely popular in sultry southern Italy, the granita comes in a variety of forms but is traditionally made with espresso, sugar and water, then frozen to a desired consistency ranging from sorbet-like smooth to more prominently icy. Traditionalists enjoy it for breakfast on a sweet brioche bun, but it is also served in a glass plain, with a dollop of whipped cream or even with a favorite liqueur drizzled on top.  

o   Scroll down for my recipes for a traditional espresso granita and non-traditional variations.

·       Coffee Ice Cubes – Call it a coffee hack if you want, but I always keep the freezer well stocked with these versatile helpers to keep cold coffee drinks precisely that…cold…without watering them down. But beware: refrigerating coffee promotes both rapid and prolonged oxidation over time, doing irreparable harm to coffee’s essential, aroma-harboring oils and promoting fast-escalating acidity. What’s more, using regular strength coffee makes for weak cubes. Here’s the way:

o   Use a pour over method of brewing coffee directly over ice to preserve aromatic integrity, adding 50% more coffee to account for additional water from melting ice. Let sit until cool or at room temperature, then pour into ice tray and place in freezer.

o   Have a sweet tooth? Add sugar to the tray and savor as it all melts away.

 ·       Cold Brew Ice Pops – If granita is the Italian frozen classic, then ice pops, or popsicles, are its cool, all-American cousins. Make your own ice pops using a reusable mold, like this one, pour in the coffee and place in the freezer to set. Cold brew is my recommended type of coffee to use. I find that its smooth flavor, slight sweetness and notes of caramel stand up to the cold and yield the best taste. Like with the cubes, add sugar or other sweetener to taste, if desired.

o   Learn how to make your own cold brew here. Or to save 12 hours, simply pour a ready to drink cold brew into your ice molds, put it in the freezer and voila!

o   For a creamier take, add your preferred dairy or plant-based milk, from heavy cream to skim to almond or oat.

And how’s this for a pro tip: have fun and play around! (It is summer, after all.) Experiment with different preparation methods, amounts of sweeteners and lighteners, and just about anything else your palate says will go great with coffee gone frozen.

I hope you’re feeling inspired to get chilly with your coffee.  Happy summer sipping and cheers!

+++

Original Espresso Granita Recipe

Equipment: -          1 quart-sized bowl or container (must be “freezable”) -          Silicone spatula (or other mixing utensils)

Ingredients (for 2 servings): -          10 espressos           10floz/300ml -          45g white sugar       1.5oz Preparation: -          Mix coffee and sugar together in a bowl, making sure the sugar dissolves completely            o   Note: The amount of sugar can be adjusted, but the higher the sugar               amount the lower the freezing temperature, the longer the freezing time.

-          If espresso is just pulled, let cool for 5 minutes -          Place in bowl in freezer -          Every 20 minutes, stir the mixture thoroughly and place back in freezer

            o   Note: When stirring, break down as much ice as possible for a                        smoother texture.             o   Total freezing time is between 2 and 3 hours, depending on desired                consistency

-          Once desired consistency is achieved, remove from freezer and serve in a glass, bowl or any vessel of choice.

-          If the granita has been left over in the freezer, take it out and keep it at room temperature for 45 minutes then stir/mix right before serving.  

-          Enjoy! (For PM version, feel free to substitute decaffeinated coffee and/or drizzle and favorite liqueur on to)

And here are some variations on the traditional Granita recipe using different types of coffee:

Low-Caffeine Espresso:      -   4 espressos      -   6oz cold water      -   45g sugar      -   Mix espresso and sugar then add cold water (substitute 2 espressos with            2oz whole milk for a Cappuccino version)

Drip Coffee:      -   10oz strong drip coffee (2g coffee/1fl oz water)      -   45g sugar      -   (Substitute 4oz of water with 4oz whole milk for a Cappuccino version)

Cold Brew:      -   10oz strong cold brew (3g/1fl oz)      -   45g sugar

 illy Ready-to-Drink Mochaccino, Cappucino or Caffe Latte flavors:      -   1 full can

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Hot for Summer: Moka Pot Coffee

With all the recent talk about making cold coffee at home (guilty!), I’d like to pause for a minute and celebrate a hot method that has given me lots of comfort these past months – and really, for nearly my entire life. It’s called Moka, a preparation too often mislabeled “stovetop espresso,” because like espresso, the Moka pot creates a distinctly rich coffee, often enjoyed in small-ish portions. (To be called espresso, there must be high pressure involved, which is not the case for Moka...just a little pressure.) Most Italians start their day by brewing up a pot of Moka, and it is the very first coffee I can remember.

The thing about Moka is that it can be tricky to make, and there are lots of American coffee explorers out there whose Moka pots haven’t seen the stovetop in years after a few failed test runs. But get the hang of just a couple of things – it’s really pretty easy – and I bet you’ll never put your Moka pot away. Even on the most HHH of days.

One thing that’s critical is the grind. You’ll want to go with medium. illy makes it super easy with a grind perfected specifically for Moka preparation.

Watch this short video I just put together and you’ll master Moka in no time. If you want to dive in deeper, here’s a story I wrote for The Atlantic a while back. And please, help spread the word: there’s no chocolate in coffee made in Moka pots.  

Enjoy!

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Welcome to my kitchen! It pretty much goes without saying that likely, you’re drinking more coffee at home these days. And if you’re like me, maybe you’ve been working on your coffee skills, maybe experimenting a little bit with equipment right in your own kitchen.

Here’s something I’ve been playing around with, and all you need is a French Press and a Chemex or a similar kind of glass dripper.  

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Cold Brew Home Brew: A Barista’s Cardinal Rules & How-to Guide

Spoiler Alert: It’s Way Simpler Than You Probably Think

It’s that time, when the ranks of insulated coffee cups, steam wafting atop, start to thin out, replaced by their clear, tall counterparts, straws peeking out just so. In other words, it’s turning prime time for cold brew.

While the street-level evidence is far less visible this spring due to our current unfortunate circumstances, our yearning to move from hot brewed to cold steeped coffee is no less palpable. With it has come a deluge of questions about how to do cold brew the right way at home – and with them, lots of answers…too many answers that too often conflict with the last thing you heard, and that are often too complicated.

As a coffee professor, mixologist and former barista champion, I’m here to tell you that it’s not tough at all to make really good cold brew in that kitchen of yours…chances are, using stuff already sitting on your shelves and countertops. Just follow these simple rules and you’ll be savoring the good, chilled stuff come the morning.

Beans Single-origin people, stick with me for a minute. Go with a blend of high-quality, fresh Arabica, and you won’t go wrong. Why? Because blending beans from a variety of origins (in illy’s case, nine of them) adds complexity from a wider range of elements to extract. Cold brew’s long steeping time means more extraction time, and more notes coming forward like you’ve never tasted.

If you insist on going single origin, choose Brazil. The dry processing method used by growers throughout the country after harvest produces a delightful natural sweetness, with pronounced chocolate and caramel notes that emerge fully during overnight cold-water steeping.

Roast Cold brew calls for a medium roast, once again owing to how the process’s length accentuates flavors. Darker roasts are naturally more bitter and lighter roasts are naturally more acidic. Either can be a delight in a rapidly brewed cup of hot coffee, but these characteristics get amplified beyond their pleasurable limits after soaking at length in cold water.

Grind & Time Here you have some latitude, depending on how long you have to steep. A finer grind like illy uses to make cold brew is better-suited to shorter steeping times – 12 hours in our case. A coarse grind like you’d use for French Press can go as long as 24 hours. Just adjust time accordingly for grinds along the spectrum.

And no matter how long your coffee steeps, make sure all the magic happens in the fridge, not your countertop.  

Coffee-to-Water Ratio   The golden rule: for cold brew, use 70 grams of ground coffee for every liter of water. What’s that, you don’t have a scale? And you hate the metric system? Fear not. That ratio translates to the amount of ground coffee that completely fills an 8 oz. cup for every 33.8 oz. of water. 

Important: this ratio produces unconcentrated cold brew, ready to drink once fully steeped. Do not add water. There’s nothing technically wrong with making a concentrate by using less water during steeping and then adding water at the end. For me, using all the water at the start makes for a more forward and uniform taste, kind of like the difference between fresh juice and juice made from concentrate. It also takes less guesswork when it’s time to enjoy.

Also important: use only cold water, ideally filtered, or ever better, bottled spring water with a mineral content about 150 mg.

Equipment Let’s take all the mystique out of cold brew, right now. You can make it in just about anything that will hold your desired volume of liquid. Add the water to the ground coffee, cover and put in the fridge. Once fully steeped, strain the mixture through a filtering device dense enough to trap the grounds.

If you’re thinking, “Hey, my French Press sounds perfect for that,” you are correct. Just make sure to save the plunging (and re-plunging) till the end! For my money, French Press is about the best value for your coffee gear dollar, and certainly the most versatile.

And there you have it: DIY cold brew in just a few easy steps. Did I mention the whole prep process takes about three minutes, from measuring to grinding to sticking in the fridge? The hard part? Trying to get some sleep just thinking about what awaits you in the a.m.

Not quite ready to brew for yourself? illy has just the thing: a brand new, ready to drink cold brew that can be delivered right to your door.

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Using The Creative Chef’s Newest Secret Ingredient at Home: Coffee

We are meeting a challenge of uncertain times, when all of our energy needs to go to taking the best care of ourselves, our families and our neighbors. Since we’ll be spending more time indoors than imaginable even days ago, I’d like to share some make-it-at-home inspiration the way I know best: through coffee.

More time at home means more opportunities to experiment with cooking, and I came home from South Beach Wine & Food Festival (SOBEWFF) in Miami last month brimming with ideas to take my game to new places. SOBE is where some of the culinary world’s most exciting new ideas and advances can be seen and tasted. As it happens, one can’t-miss trend this year was the use of coffee in gourmet cooking. Chefs have caught on to coffee’s versatility not just in sophisticated beverages, but also as an ingredient that can take even their savory dish creativity to new heights.

How and why? For starters, incorporating coffee into recipes can intensify other ingredients. From sweet syrups to meat rubs, integrating roasted, ground, unbrewed beans can create richer, deeper tastes.

For an entry-level way to incorporate coffee into savory meals at home, consider adding espresso grind – and the finer the better – into a favorite marinade during the heating phase. The coffee caramelizes and adds a subtle bittersweet dimension. You can also use coffee as a spice rub by combining ground coffee grounds with salt and paprika. My personal favorite coffee-in-cuisine on-ramp is (quite naturally) desserts, which is why I was so excited about illy’s collaborations with local Miami chefs that produced coffee-infused desserts at this year’s SOBEWFF. Chef Soraya Kilgore (@soraya_kilgore), owner of Mad Lab Creamery, made tiramisu ice cream with illy espresso, while Fontainebleau’s Chef Brielle Fratellone (@chefbriellefratellone) created a petit gateau made with illy infused coffee cream mousse, roasted banana cake, and caramel toffee. Need one say more?

Coffee’s place in cuisine is owed to its many-layered complexity and surprising ease of combining with other ingredients. The possibilities in a restaurant’s kitchen and your home kitchen are endless, so here’s to the joy coffee and a fantastic meal gives.

These are little things, offered up humbly to provide some comfort and productive distraction. I’ll be sharing a series of at home recipes and preparations over the next several weeks so be sure to check back more frequently.

Be well.

[masterbarista]

The Perfect Winter Night with a Chocolate Mint Latte

Three cheers for the holiday season! For me, the perfect excuse to play with three of my favorite flavors: chocolate, peppermint and coffee. And just in time, our illy Caffé locations have come up with a taste tempting way to put them all together. Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce…the Chocolate Mint Latte!

The Chocolate Mint Latte brings back warm memories of the rich, creamy hot chocolate I sipped as a child back in Northern Italy, elevated and adult-ized with a complex yet balanced taste of illy espresso. Hints of peppermint carry throughout and tickle the taste buds with every sip. Ta-da! Could there be a better way to top off a savory holiday meal? Or enjoy any time, no excuses or reasons required? Best of all, it’s easy to master. This one’s all in the prep work. Enjoy and buone feste!  

Ingredients

·       Double shot of illy espresso

·       3 oz heavy cream

·       3 pumps of peppermint syrup

·       6 oz cold whole milk

·       2 pumps of dark chocolate sauce

·       Cocoa power or mint sprig

Directions

Prepare peppermint cream

·       Add 3 oz (90 cc) heavy cream into a small bowl or mixing cup.

·       Add 3 pumps (30 cc) peppermint syrup.

·       Hand-whisk for approximately 10 seconds or mix on low for 3 seconds (should be pourable).

·       Pour 6 oz (180 cc) cold whole milk and 2 pumps (30 cc) dark chocolate sauce into a steaming pitcher and set aside.

·       Prepare a double shot (50 cc) espresso into a 3 oz pour pitcher.

While coffee is pouring

·       Steam the milk and chocolate mixture. DO NOT FROTH.

·       Pour espresso into serving glass.

·       Pour warm chocolate milk over coffee, until glass is filled 2/3” (1.5 cm) from top.

·       Slowly pour a layer of peppermint cream on top of the caffè mocha so it floats on top.

·       Garnish with a dusting of cocoa powder OR mint sprig.

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Capital One HQ Café Featuring illy Coffee Named Best New Facility by Food Management Magazine

New York, NY – December 4, 2019 – illycaffè, a global leader in sustainable, high quality coffee and the third-generation family-owned coffee company from Trieste, Italy, has been recognized by Food Management Magazine for its custom designed café located within the Capital One Headquarters in McLean, VA, recently named the Best New Facility for 2019.

In conjunction with Restaurant Associates for Capital One, illy’s expertise in the hospitality sector was tapped to develop a unique café concept that serves as a special amenity for Capital One’s newly expanded space. The market-style café features an illy-branded coffee bar serving its innovative Cold Brew Aria coffee, among other varieties of coffee and espresso. The custom café design showcases how illy works together with its partners to create unique environments that are as beautiful as they are functional.  

Nine additional stations offer a variety of cuisines and an outdoor grill. A Terrace Bar serves as a smoothie and juice bar during breakfast, deli during lunch and turns into a full bar for the late afternoon where associates can relax and socialize.

“Being a collaborator on this Capital One café project and receiving recognition through an industry accolade is very rewarding for our entire team,” said Barry Sheldon, President and COO of illycaffè North America. “For the past 85 years, illy continues to be at the center of coffee culture bringing our knowledge, passion, innovation and hands-on capabilities to create memorable experiences for coffee lovers.  It is truly gratifying to know this café provides a place of enjoyment and inspiration for Capital One employees and visitors at their headquarters.”

Best Concept Awards History

The Food Management Best Concept Awards take place each year, honoring the most innovative operations in categories including best concept, best renovation, best menu and best customer service concept. Food Management Magazine has sponsored the program since 1998 with the goal of recognizing and celebrating the best practices and the most innovative thinking in onsite foodservice. Each year, its editors evaluate nominations, judging them on a variety of factors ranging from their creativity to their impact on a given program and their effectiveness in achieving targeted results.

The full list of the 2019 Food Management Best Concept Award winners can be found online and in the July print issue.

About illycaffè

illycaffè is an Italian family business, founded in Trieste in 1933 and committed to offering the greatest coffee to the world. illy is the world's most global coffee brand, producing the unique illy 100% Arabica blend made of 9 of the world ‘s best selections of Arabica; each day more than 7 million cups are served in over 140 countries in the finest cafés, restaurants, hotels and in offices and homes. illy has become the standard forerunner of espresso, and thanks to three critical innovations, is considered the leader in the science and technology of coffee. With the bestowing of the first “Ernesto Illy Award for quality espresso coffee” in 1991 in Brazil, illy also pioneered direct sourcing, sharing know-how and paying a premium price for the best quality, based on partnerships underwritten by the principles of sustainable development. The company also founded the University of Coffee with the aim of fostering and spreading its culture, providing comprehensive academic and hands-on training for coffee growers, baristas and coffee lovers in order to cover every aspect of the product. Everything ‘made in illy’ is enhanced by beauty & art, which represent founding values of the brand, starting from its logo – designed by an artist, James Rosenquist – and including the renowned illy Art Collection, comprised of over 100 cups designed by international artists. In 2018 the company was employing 1,294 people and posted consolidated revenues of €483 million. There are approximately 259 stores and mono-brand illy shops in 43 countries.

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[masterbarista]

A Month of Coffee: #Thanks4TheCoffee

Autumn is always a very special time of year for illy and the entire coffee industry, filled with events and new flavor offerings all centered on our favorite beverage. For me, there is no better time!

The coffee-centric season kicked off with International Coffee Day, which celebrates the millions of people around the world – from growers to roasters to baristas – whose dedicated work every day is to produce and craft the beverage we love so much. Just like coffee, music is a universal language. So to celebrate the day, illy created the first-ever coffee symphony inspired by the beautiful sounds made by coffee at every stage, from plant to cup. Coffee lovers from around the world also participated by recording their own personal "thank yous." Hearing is believing, so take a listen at illy.com/thanks4thecoffee, be inspired, and give extra thanks when you enjoy your next coffee. Hint: the sounds were recorded in Rwanda.

I was treated to a live performance of the symphony by its composers. Danila Rea and Martux_M, during the fourth annual Ernesto Illy International Coffee Award (EIICA). The evening was a celebration of illy’s growers and the high-quality coffee they nurture through sustainable means. Among the awards and special recognitions were an expert-jury determined “Best of the Best,” won (in a big surprise) by a grower group from Colombia, and a consumer-voted “Coffee Lover’s Choice” honor, earned by a group from Rwanda for the second year in a row! I had the distinct pleasure of serving these two coffees, along with seven other remarkable single origin beans, to guests and watch as they enjoyed the notes that ultimately combine in the beautiful symphony that is the illy blend. The perfect way to cap off an inspiring night.

Both International Coffee day and the Ernesto Illy International Coffee Award are really about bringing coffee drinkers and coffee growers closer to create even more appreciation and understanding of each other.  As this continues, we continue to create a virtuous circle that benefits both the coffee grower and the coffee lovers mainly by creating more connoisseurship and value in high quality, sustainable coffee.

I also had the pleasure of delighting New York foodies with the innovative illy cold brew Aria and espresso during the annual New York City Wine and Food Festival. We served my personal favorite Orange illy Cold Brew during a Sunday Brunch event where the masses mingled with the likes of Scott Contant, Alex Guarnaschelli and other celeb chefs. We closed out the weekend at Italian Sunday Supper hosted by our dear friend Giada De Laurentiis. Guests roamed and tasted room after room filled with fine Italian cuisine, topped off by our expertly crafted espresso.

What an incredible time! I look forward to all that is to come next Autumn. In the meantime, it’s time to prepare for our many holiday coffee festivities. It’s always a busy time in coffee world!

[masterbarista]

Fall In Love with a Warm Harvest Latte

What better time to fall back in love with coffee of the warming kind than now, with the leaves doing their colorful dance and sweaters unpacked for daily wear. Ovviamente, I rang in the new season with a new recipe – the Warm Harvest Latte, a vanilla latte topped with pumpkin spice cream and a dash of nutmeg. It all starts with illy espresso using our Classico (medium) roast blend which perfectly balanced with the right amount of dark chocolate and caramel notes that make this drink not your stereotypical fall “pumpkin” coffee drink that in my opinion has been overdone and unfortunately become overly trendy.

This new version can become a fall classic and was just introduced at our illy Caffé locations in San Francisco. You’ll notice that the recipe is a bit more complex than many of my other drinks…so be patient, and get ready to impress your family and friends. Enjoy!  

Ingredients

·       Double shot of illy espresso

·       3 oz heavy cream

·       3 pumps (3/4 oz) pumpkin spice syrup (for best results, use a high-end brand like Routin 1883)

·       8 oz cold whole milk

·       2 pumps (1/2 oz) vanilla syrup

·       A pinch of fresh ground nutmeg

Directions

·       Add heavy cream and pumpkin spice syrup into a small bowl or mixing cup.

·       Hand-whisk for approximately 15 seconds or mix on low for 3-5 seconds (should still be pourable).

·       Pour cold milk into a steaming pitcher and set aside.

·       Add vanilla syrup into the serving glass.

·       Prepare a double shot of illy espresso into a 3 oz pour pitcher.

·       Steam the milk. Do not froth.

·       Add the espresso to the serving glass.

·       Add warm milk, filling the glass to 1’’ (2.5 cm) from the top.

·       Slowly pour the pumpkin spice cream on top of the drink so it floats.

·       Garnish with a pinch of nutmeg.

[masterbarista]

The Future of Barista Fashion

While I wouldn’t consider my barista wardrobe your “typical” uniform – you’ll usually find me in a white dress shirt and slacks – I spent most of my early career mastering my technique behind the bar in the classic barista apron. And to be honest, I hadn’t thought about barista apparel all that much all those years in between, until illy turned its creative eye to the topic. The results are surprising and inspiring.  

The catalyst was an initiative that illy supports at home in Italy called International Talent Support (ITS), which showcases and nurtures emerging creative talent in fashion. This year, we introduced the ITS Fashion@Work by illy Award, with a mission to emphasize our brand’s commitment to the highest ideals for self-expression, identity and sustainable design.

The award will have a different focus each year…which gets us back to barista fashion, which was chosen as the inaugural creative challenge. Budding young designers from around the world were asked to reimagine the classic apron in all facets, aesthetic and functional.

Final prototypes were revealed at the annual ITS Fashion Show in Trieste. There was incredible variety in approach from design-to-design, and it inspired everyone in attendance, from top fashion journalists to established designers and trend experts. In my opinion, the creations were simply sorprendenti. Alongside the sheer beauty, entrants’ responsible sourcing of fabrics, upcycling of materials and imaginative application of textures were brilliant.

Ten finalists were hand-selected by my colleague Carlo Bach, illy’s longtime Creative Director, who admits to having had a tough time choosing the winner. It turned out to be Jiaen Chai, a 26-year-old student from China (his work is seen here), whose design’s creative elegance, as Carlo put it, can be applied in different ways and for different functions. (I couldn’t help but appreciate the healthy number and variety of pockets…otherwise known as a busy barista’s best friend!)  

Overall, it was a truly awe-inspiring peak into coffee’s future. What’s next? I can’t wait to see.

[masterbarista]

Savor the Flavors of Summer with Cold Brew-Crafted Drinks

As the summer days melt away, there’s no better way to cool down than with a beautiful beverage made with rich, complex yet silky smooth illy cold brew. Here are two new drinks I came up with for the season: Orange Cold Brew and Mock Americano. Both are designed to please using regular cold brew, but for an added effervescent kick, visit an illy Caffé location in San Francisco or other café’s equipped with bubbly new illy Aria Cold Brew. These two cocktails are not for sale yet, but it will be worth the trip!

For now, try these at home. Or for you official baristas out there, behind your bar.

Orange illy Cold Brew

Fill glass 2/3 with ice

Add 3 TBS orange juice

Add 1 TBS simple syrup

Put 4 oz illy cold brew coffee in a mixer cup of the spindle mixer (or if you have the “Aerolatte” use that. You can find it here: https://www.surlatable.com/product/PRO-1774785/Aerolatte+Milk+Frother)

Whip cold brew on high for 20-30 seconds

Add the illy cold brew to the glass

Finish with 1 oz still illy cold brew

***Serving size 10 oz

illy Cold Brew Mock Americano Cocktail

1.     Put 2 TBS Maraschino syrup in the bottom of the serving glass

2.     Fill glass 2/3 full of ice

3.     Add 4 oz tonic water

4.     Add 3 oz illy cold brew coffee

5.     Garnish with orange twist

6.     Gently stir

***Serving size 10 oz

Orange Cold Brew is a unique start to your day. It can also add the perfect WOW factor to a weekend brunch with friends and family.  When made with illy Aria Cold Bew, its bubbles create a sunrise-like effect inside of the glass, blending morning’s two perfect beverages…perfectly. Have an extra-sweet sweet tooth? The Mock Americano is the drink for you, made with Maraschino cherry syrup that creates a taste many have likened to a grown-up Cherry Coke.

I recently debuted these two recipes at tasting events at Well + Good and Time Out in NYC (see photos below,) where I shared tips for crafting cold coffee drinks at home. All cold brew lovers should try their own recipes at home. They’re easier than you may think and will truly elevate your “best host ever” status not to mention your overall coffee experience.

Want to learn how to make cold brew at home? Check out my story on cold coffee in The Atlantic from way back in 2011…way ahead of the times.

Cheers!