Learning the arcane art of espresso

Shortly before Christmas I decided, after much badgering from several coffee companies, customers and staff, to invest in an espresso machine.

The reason I'd put off such a straightforward acquisition was because I didn't like the thought of offering a product that might not be consistently good. And I wasn't sure that we would receive sufficient training from the company we purchased the machine from, or that it would be practical to expect every member of staff to master the technique.

After a half-hour of training, we proceeded to offer average espressos and cappuccinos, which bugged me, but I shamefully did nothing until I was informed of a half-day barista training course run by Coopers in Huddersfield.

I took three of my team early one Monday morning and did this half-day course. It was excellent and well worth the effort and cost. We were all inspired and now know the results we should be achieving and how to achieve them.

At the beginning of June, we held one of our food markets to promote our homemade products and the produce that we can get but our customers can't find. We had a really good turnout and sold just about everything on display.

In two hours, we took more than £800. This spurred on my hopes of opening a small shop and tasting room at the Star.

I was also filled with inspiration when visited Sally Clarke's Shop while in London for the Cateys.

I used to work for Sally Clarke and have always had huge admiration for what she has achieved.

My admiration waned a tiny bit, purely on a personal level, when I read her "Guide to Fashionable Restaurants" in Harpers & Queen, when the usual effort had been put into sourcing restaurants out of London. Apparently, there is only one restaurant in Leeds fashionable enough to be in this guide.

Of course, we did our share of eating out while in London. We stayed at the fashionable Blakes, which was lovely, and had a great evening at Gordon Ramsay restaurant. I've never eaten anywhere with such good front of house.

Big thanks and congratulations to those who organised the Cateys. The venue was great and the entertainment superb. And thanks to him upstairs for a fine night.

JACQUIE PERN and husband Andrew own the Star Inn at Harome, North Yorkshire

Next diary from Jacquie Pern: 24 August