Workday Wednesday-

A year and a half ago, I gave up a reasonably well paying job editing computer reports. The people I worked with were nice (well, most of them). The reports were fine, but a wee bit dull. Now, I am a barista. I like it. It's fun. I learn something new every day.

The Mocha Mermaid (commonly known as FourBucks) paved my coffee path by impregnating every Target across the land, and every major shopping district in foreign countries. Because she's on every corner, East Cupcake's eyes are opened to the possibility of wonderful coffee. Which I serve.

One of the Mocha Mermaid's employees came in a few weeks ago, and we had an interesting conversation. Since her exposure to coffee was dictated by Pepsico's training program (Pepsico owns Fourbucks), she knew that she was the coffee expert. She was stunned that my machine was totally manual; "You have an old-fashioned machine!" she exclaimed, laughing. (It's different when you have to buy your equipment!) She was also certain that my store was stocked with Fourbucks products purchased on e-bay. (Apparently, employees leave the Mocha Mermaid with merchandise stuffed under their coats.) When I showed her that Ghiradelli makes an acceptable-no-YUMMY chocolate syrup, she was dumbfounded. (Hee-hee.)

The coffee grinder is at the core of my business; everything in my store STARTS at the coffee grinder. It's filled to the brim with Italian roast coffee which I grind as I use. It's a very dark, glossy bean. We buy our coffee from a local roaster, and I LOVE to pick coffee up from his shop, because my car smells WONDERFUL.

This lovely coffee aroma is the beginning of my day.