Well...I hate to say it, but I think Mr. Groundhog lied to us. As I sit here typing this, bundled up in comfy pajama pants, sweatshirt and my dog curled up by my side. My mind begins to wander as I think about tomorrow morning. Tomorrow I'm scheduled to open up the Coffee Shop bright and early. Rain, snow or shine the Coffee Cottage has some pretty awesome Barista's who are very dedicated and willing to get to work each morning. Sometimes, mother nature and life in general, does prevent us from getting to work, but we strive to do our best. With that said, let me give you a little bit of an inside look at what it's like to be an early morning Coffee Cottage Barista!
Beep beep beep! I roll over, turn off the alarm and am immediately greeted with sloppy kisses from my dog. If that doesn't wake you up, I don't know what will. Clearly, he's excited that it's time to get up and likes to make sure I don't accidentally fall back asleep. The clock says 5:00 a.m., so I have about a half hour to get myself ready for work. Once my car is warmed up and I'm all ready for the day it's off to the Coffee Shop. The sun is still hiding and my car thermometer says -2. Nothing sounds better right now than a hot cup of coffee. Just a handful of other people out on the road at 5:45. Makes for a peaceful commute while most of the world is still asleep. During the different time changes and seasons, sometimes you get to see some pretty amazing sunrises on your early morning drive.
Upon arrival at the Coffee Shop. I park and make my way through the cold to the door. Once inside the lights go on and the opening process begins. The oven starts warming up and I begin baking the pastries. With the pastries started now begins the hard part. What brewed Coffee Of The Day should we have? So many choices! First, let's start with regular coffee. We have Sumatran, Costa Rican, Mocha Java, Bridgetown Special Dark, Guatemalan, Sunrise! Personally, I'm a huge fan of the Bridgetown Special Dark. Next, we have our flavored Coffee Of The Day: Jazzy Java, Cinnamon Hazelnut, Vanilla Nut, and so many more. Let's try the new one, Kettle Corn! A delicious blend of butterscotch, caramel, and vanilla.
With the coffee brewers working their magic, a delicious aroma coming from the oven, and a final look over to make sure the shop is clean and everything is stocked we are almost ready to open. Since it's still winter, sometimes it's necessary to scoop a little snow and throw out some salt to make sure the porch and parking lot are safe. It's 6:30 a.m. time to open! The doors are unlocked, the open sign switched on. Some mornings you get a rush of people, sometimes your morning starts off slow. You have the regulars you know by name and some travelers who just happen to stumble upon "this adorable little Coffee Shop!" Once inside you'll be greeted with the rich aroma of espresso, pastries and the steamer frothing milk to perfection. Even on bitter cold Nebraska mornings, don't be surprised if you hear the blender humming and mixing up a frosty Jamocha.
Not everybody's a morning person and that's okay. Morning or afternoon we are happy to see you! I hope this post has given you a little insight into what it's like to be an early morning barista. "The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese." That's why we're open all day ;-)
Beep beep beep! I roll over, turn off the alarm and am immediately greeted with sloppy kisses from my dog. If that doesn't wake you up, I don't know what will. Clearly, he's excited that it's time to get up and likes to make sure I don't accidentally fall back asleep. The clock says 5:00 a.m., so I have about a half hour to get myself ready for work. Once my car is warmed up and I'm all ready for the day it's off to the Coffee Shop. The sun is still hiding and my car thermometer says -2. Nothing sounds better right now than a hot cup of coffee. Just a handful of other people out on the road at 5:45. Makes for a peaceful commute while most of the world is still asleep. During the different time changes and seasons, sometimes you get to see some pretty amazing sunrises on your early morning drive.
Upon arrival at the Coffee Shop. I park and make my way through the cold to the door. Once inside the lights go on and the opening process begins. The oven starts warming up and I begin baking the pastries. With the pastries started now begins the hard part. What brewed Coffee Of The Day should we have? So many choices! First, let's start with regular coffee. We have Sumatran, Costa Rican, Mocha Java, Bridgetown Special Dark, Guatemalan, Sunrise! Personally, I'm a huge fan of the Bridgetown Special Dark. Next, we have our flavored Coffee Of The Day: Jazzy Java, Cinnamon Hazelnut, Vanilla Nut, and so many more. Let's try the new one, Kettle Corn! A delicious blend of butterscotch, caramel, and vanilla.
With the coffee brewers working their magic, a delicious aroma coming from the oven, and a final look over to make sure the shop is clean and everything is stocked we are almost ready to open. Since it's still winter, sometimes it's necessary to scoop a little snow and throw out some salt to make sure the porch and parking lot are safe. It's 6:30 a.m. time to open! The doors are unlocked, the open sign switched on. Some mornings you get a rush of people, sometimes your morning starts off slow. You have the regulars you know by name and some travelers who just happen to stumble upon "this adorable little Coffee Shop!" Once inside you'll be greeted with the rich aroma of espresso, pastries and the steamer frothing milk to perfection. Even on bitter cold Nebraska mornings, don't be surprised if you hear the blender humming and mixing up a frosty Jamocha.
Not everybody's a morning person and that's okay. Morning or afternoon we are happy to see you! I hope this post has given you a little insight into what it's like to be an early morning barista. "The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese." That's why we're open all day ;-)
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