the smart grinder

As anyone who follows my online shenanigans knows…I do love me a good espresso. If I’m not in the studio or at home with my wife, you’ll likely find me at a coffee shop.

So I have decided to begin a new section on the blog titled, “Americano Mondays“. I hope to feature imagery from different coffee shops that I dig. Some weeks it will be as simple as a handful of iPhone images, other weeks a full on shoot with the collaboration of the coffee shop.

Until then, here is the first installment of “Americano Mondays” courtesy of…my studio. Yes, I have my own mini espresso bar at the studio. I have to! I love having it there to help keep me rocking through those early mornings…mid afternoons and late night sessions. Basically…I’m addicted.

A bit of backstory: As with many other freelanceres, I had part time jobs in the early parts of my career. One of those jobs was as a barista at The Gold Bar Espresso, an independently owned coffee shop in Tempe, Arizona. I was a ‘regular’ before working there and have some great memories from that place. (Including bringing a small light table to edit film long before I shot digital or owned a laptop.) The beauty of having been a barista is that I have since brought those skills into my studio where I can offer any espresso based drink to my clients. I enjoy making it as much as I do drinking it.

Gear: I’ve been using a Breville espresso machine for years. It’s one of their older models but it still pours great shots with beautiful crema’. For my 34th birthday my wife bought me the Breville Smart Grinder. Having a professional grinder is an essential part of the process. If you can lessen the time between the grind to the pour, the more flavor you will be able to get from the bean. And the better your drink will taste.

So cheers to the new – hopefully weekly – segment of Americano Mondays.