So I've been in the barista business for a long time. How long, I'm not saying. But as I've gotten older I've started to question the things I thought I knew as facts concerning all aspects of coffee from serving it to drinking it. Not question as in questioning the existence of god, but more of a curiosity as to the whys and hows of coffee rituals. Recently it was the serving of a lemon wedge with espresso. Where I learned this I cannot say and it started me wondering if it was an established practice or something I accepted as fact in my younger, less questioning, days. So doing a little research (i.e. googling, my favorite pastime) I come across a forum of my fellow baristas with a whole lot to say on the matter. The general consensus seems to be using lemon may have come about as a way to soften too bitter espresso or possibly as a cleaning agent in the less than sanitary days of yore. Whatever its original purpose, it has now become an accepted practice amongst some if not all baristas. Not every time, mind you, but as another way to serve an espresso; just the rind either crushed in the cup or possibly rubbed along the rim. So there we are, another question answered. Maybe having a child is to blame for this quest for knowledge as I'm sure soon enough I'll be answering all kinds of inquiries concerningthings I've taken for granted. On that note, can someone please explain to me why the sky is blue and what keeps planes from falling? You know, for the kids.

~Nicole