Barista artists strive for the perfect cup of coffee

By Cynthia Billhartz Gregorian
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

Patrick Liberto, owner of Meshuggah Cafe in University City, screws a portafilter into an espresso machine. All of the coffee drinks at Meshuggah are espresso-based.

Patrick Liberto knows an 8-year-old boy who can make espresso.

"I tell him, 'OK, load up a single or load up a double,' and he comes here and does it. It's good," said Liberto, owner of Meshuggah Cafe in University City.

That's odd, because in some coffee circles, "pulling a shot of espresso" (as java jargon goes) is seen as a culinary art, while those who make espresso and espresso drinks have garnered a fancy title: barista.

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