Barista
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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This article is about bartenders. For lawyers, see Barrister. For the chain of espresso bars in India, see Barista Coffee.
Entered into English from the Italian in which it means roughly "bartender" (plural: baristi [masculine or mixed sex] or bariste [feminine]). The term is derived from the Italian use of the word bar, which is similar to the American or British café. In Italy, the barista typically works behind a counter, serving both hot (such as espresso and other coffee-based ones) and cold alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
When using the term in English, "barista" refers to one who has acquired some level of expertise in the preparation of espresso-based coffee drinks. Within certain circles, its meaning is expanding to include what might be called a coffee sommelier; a professional who is highly skilled in coffee preparation, with a comprehensive understanding of coffee, coffee blends, espresso, quality, coffee varieties, roast degree, espresso equipment, maintenance, latte art, etc.
