Getting To Know Our Tenants: An Interview With Culture Craft Coffee’s Lead Barista, Abe

The Centre Escondido is lucky to be the host of several of the best businesses in Escondido, California. Amongst those is our in-house coffee shop, Culture Craft Coffee. The team at Culture Craft loves all things coffee and tea, and we wanted to reach out to their Lead Barista, Abe, to tell us a little bit about this amazing cafe.

1 | Hello, Abe. It is great to meet you. Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you became Lead Barista at Culture Craft Coffee?

I happily became the newly appointed Lead Barista here in the Culture Cafe. Along with much passion and dedication for the craft of coffee, I believe that is what helped me arrive at the path that I am currently on.

2 | When it comes to coffee, can you tell us anything about the beans and the different roasting methods?

Coffee beans and bean roasting is truly a beautiful world where much goes on. Roasting is an art in itself. The aspect I find most lovely about coffee beans and their different roast levels is that light roast coffee has more caffeine and darker roasts have the least amount of caffeine. This is due to the roasting itself. The longer the beans roast, the more of their caffeine properties they sweat out—a longer roast results in a more mild coffee but with a darker, smokier tone.

3 | Some of the coffee shop lingo can be a little intimidating. Can you explain the difference between a latte, cappuccino, macchiato, and cortado for those of us who do not know?

Yes, coffee talk can sure sound overwhelming, although it is very easy talk the talk. In regards to drinks, a Latte is a classic espresso drink that is paired beautifully with a lightly frothed milk. A smooth and balanced drink to start the morning with.

A cappuccino is a take on the classic latte in which it also includes a frothed up milk to pair with the espresso, although with a tad bit more foam than a latte to create a beautiful cream effect as the espresso passes through the frothed milk.

A macchiato is one of my personal favorites to have on a nice early morning to enjoy comfortably. A traditional macchiato is just pure lovely espresso with a dollop of frothed milk to add a slight hint of nice cream. It’s a true coffee drinkers drink as you take in the rich espresso for all its natural flavors.

I have seen a slow resurgence in the popularity of cortados amongst the community. It is another classic espresso-style drink that is pure espresso with an equal amount of steamed milk to balance the bold taste of the espresso.

4 | What does a typical day in the life of a barista look like?

A typical day of a barista in our cafe is a truly heartwarming experience. We enjoy the happiness that great food and amazing coffee can do to help start one’s day more beautiful and bring a warm sense of joy. We help guests find coffee drinks they may already know or ones that may be new to them. We love being here to provide those smiles by providing items we craft with our own personal happiness.

5 | If someone is interested in becoming a barista, or even working alongside you, what is something they should know?

My advice to those who wish to become baristas is to enjoy all the moments, enjoy all the new knowledge that comes from the coffee world, and be proud to be a part of a larger culinary experience. Coffee, in my eyes, is a true art, and like any other dish, it has its own craft and art that makes it special.

6 | What do you think is a common misconception about coffee or coffee shops that you wish people understood?

It may not be a misconception, although I would like everyone to know that coffee and coffee shops are full of wonderful moments and many new adventures to be had. Do not be afraid to step out of your comfort zone with coffee. You never know—you could end up finding your new favorite drink!

7 | For those of us who don’t like coffee or can’t have caffeine, what is a fun drink that you recommend?

For those who can not have caffeine due to the high level of energy from caffeine, I am always a fan of recommending Teas. Teas are a subtle caffeine kick with a soft taste that is a great way to start the morning or even ease into the evening.

8 | Since we are located in the heart of Escondido, what is one of your favorite local tips for a day out in North County?

Escondido is a beautiful city surrounded by so many lovely mountains and hills hence why we have the name of the hidden city. Taking advantage of all the mountains, we always highly recommend taking on one of our many local hikes. Dixon Lake is always a perfect place to start.

9 | Build your perfect cafe drink/meal combo and tell us why.

My perfect pair would be a lovely two shots of espresso with a splash of oat milk paired with a warmed-up Danish. The perfect pair of bold taste and a sweet delight to start any morning on a wonderful high note.

10 | Anything else you would like to share?

We at Culture Cafe base our wonderful days around the idea of spreading happiness and smiles through our interactions and the many wonderful treats we serve up, making every day a happy day.

We hope that you will stop by The Centre Escondido for a delicious cup of coffee, (tea, smoothies, or whatever you are craving) very soon. Find out more about all of our tenants on our website.