1st day of 2009 Ramadhan!

1st day of Ramadhan today!
Did not manage to hydrate the night before, so was up to there with lack of water during training.
Lesson learnt and tonight am gulping down water like never before.
Was supposed to see ZX off for her exchange at airport in the morning, but overslept after sahur and missed her... =(

Saddest part of day was rummaging in my bag looking for my hp after leaving the 3-car-strong pasta gang, and finding that it. was. not. in. my. bag. 1st thought: shit papa will be so sad. Thanks to Keok the Strawberry though, found out that Reg has it, so i set off for work in comparably lighter spirits (less than 2 hours to liquid-intake-time + hp isnt lost afterall!!).

sorry friends for being a grouch during training today! >=( <- like this..
but shu tells me oscar the grouch is still much-loved;
made me feel better hahaha (:

Espresso machine-operating lesson at work today ~
Essentials:
1. Get powder
- 2 pulls on single drip "spoon"
- even off over top with dry finger (GG if finger wet)

2. Rest edge on counter,
press
a) medium pressure,
then knock with opposite side of presser-thing
press
b) with more pressure

3. 8pm position and drip out

Specifics:
1. Regular black
- single drip espresso
- fill up to 80% of coffee cup with hot water (coffee cup as in vs. taller tea cup)

2. Espresso
- single drip (sama sama)
- into small cup (with cute small saucer)
- serve ASAP!!! esp if customer is italian hahaha

3. Capucinno
- singe drip
- fill up to 50% with warm milk
- then up to 80% with froth
- sprinkle cocoa powder

4. Latte
- single drip
- fill up to 80% with warm millk
- dunk froth layer on top

5. Mocha
- chocolate syrup
- same as latte

Additional notes:
1. Operating milk warmer-frother-thingy
- only touch the rubbered part (GG if touch metal part)
- tilt metal-jug-thingy
- let tip touch surface of milk (and maintain)
- anti-clockwise knob
- when different sound lo, dip nozzle into milk
- time clockwise turn of knob such that when milk reaches almost-brim, switch off

2. Cleaning up
Step 1: switch on milk warmer-frother thing to release clogged milk till vapor comes out (GG if forget to clean nozzle) X 2
Step 2: Wipe nozzle with wet yellow cloth X 2
Step 3: change single-drip "spoon" to solid cover-thing and slide 8pm position; press * button X 3
Step 4: Rinse bases

3. Identifying a cup of fab coffee
- seek "creama"
Note: all 3 of my cups tonight had fab "creama"s, so although i was only given "acceptable", i shall rate myself "exceeds expectations" so there (i can go on to take coffee-making at NEWT level now whee! =D )

4. Pouring warmed + frothed milk out
- Use back of soup spoon to keep froth from falling out

After making 1 cup of regular black, 1 capuccino and 1 latte... we were given those to break our fast(s) haha. i drank both the reg black and capu so i am how alert now; intending to take advantage of awake-ness to study (joy) and hydrate like mad.(y)!

I hope i make i get experienced making coffee so i can become fast and pro! (May my 1st few experiences be light and easy ones; if i get a ten-espresso/capuccino order on my 1st try i might faint)