Anyone serious about espresso in Madison knows about Sacha. A barista at the King Street Ancora, he, in my experiences so far, is the best barista in the city. Part of the Sacha experience, of course, is his charm, but his attention to craft and his high level of consistency has outdone every other barista I have come across in this city.
I've learned a lot about espresso and barista techniques just by drinking the macchiatos he prepares. When I place an order at Ancora, and Sacha is on the bar, I know I'll be learning a lot, as well as getting something fantastic to drink.
The first thing about his macchiato is that he always pours them. Like the traditional Italian method, he never uses a spoon. His froth is rich, thick, and smooth, allowing the perfect mix of taste and texture. What the pouring affords is the chance for the frothed milk to actually pass through the espresso, adding the micro-smooth texture throughout the coffee. When dolloped on top with a spoon, milk foam just sits there, like a hat, providing no texture, and keeping separate when the espresso is sipped.
The second thing pouring does is enhance the crema. The crema is the lightly tan layer that holds all the rich, sweet flavors of the espresso. When the foam comes up under the crema, it combines with the crema, enhances the texture, and actually increases its volume. When I drink a macchiato from Sasha, there is always an abundance of the crema, something that cannot be duplicated without an exquisite pour of perfectly smooth froth.
When I get behind my own bar at Cafe Soleil, I always try to match his technique. I'm not quite there, but I certainly appreciate the knowledge I've gained from him so far.
UPDATE: Sacha has left the barista world, but you can still find a great macchiato with high consistency from the new baristas at Ancora on King Street...
