Do you really know your barista?

If you are a true lover of coffee, you may know the name of a barista at Starbucks.  You may have shared a few stories and some laughs...but how well do you REALLY know the person that makes your non-fat with whip caramel macchiato?

I'll admit...I have spent way too much money at Starbucks since moving to Texas.  I even have a Starbucks gold card!  Our boys know my drink order...and like to inform Mike of my frequent Starbucks stops.  I try to tell them to plead the 5th when they're talking to Mike on the phone in the drive thru and he asks where we are...but he still knows! 

I'm not alone in my love of a good cup of coffee.  Mike is actually the one who introduced me to all the different handcrafted beverages you can buy at coffee houses.  In fact, our very first date was at Mezzamie's (a coffee house in Abilene).  We loved stopping at Metropolitan Coffee in Hutchinson, KS on our date nights and have always made time to stop at Bongo Billy's in Buena Vista, CO when we go visit the Littles.  When Mike went to California with Daddy Steve, Caleb, & Tyler, they visited Patrick Vincent (who now lives in CA).  Patrick introduced Mike to the art of making a handcrafted beverage at HOME!  Patrick owns an espresso machine and showed Mike how easy it was to make an Americana and a Latte at home.  When Mike got home from CA, the obsession began.

For the past year I've gotten to know Gail and Kat as Mike watched review after review on different espresso machines.  I'd walk in the room to find him watching youtube videos on how to make all different kinds of handcrafted beverages (mochas, macchiatos, lattes, cappuccinos, etc).  He's been saving and researching for the past year!  Our 12th anniversary was the big day...a Jura Impressa Z5 arrived on our front porch!  (Actually, the UPS guy delivered it inside our house...and then talked to me about how exciting this delivery must be for us...how his wife would love to have one of these!) 

All this to say...I know my barista really well.  He's my handsome husband...and he makes the best handcrafted beverage I've ever had!!!  I haven't been to a Starbucks since our anniversary almost a month ago.  Instead, I just give my hubby a little smile and a wink and he knows that it's coffee time!  My current favorite is a non-fat caramel macchiato with whip (gotta love the whip!)  Here's a picture of the Jura in action...and the finished process. 

(Disclaimer: Rustic Roots is not responsible for ruined keyboards due to drooling.  Keep a kleenex nearby!)