Jackson Avenue Coffee barista Ashli Crowe knows coffee.

Crowe, a barista at JAC since April 2010, said that before she worked at JAC, she was a barista at Common Grounds in Mattoon.

Crowe said it only took her a few training sessions to get back into the swing of working at a coffee shop. She said once someone starts making coffee, it is a skill they always remember.

“For me, making coffee is like riding a bike,” Crowe said. “You never forget what you’re doing.”

Crowe said she learned not only to be a coffee connoisseur but also her culinary skills at Robert Morris University in Chicago.

A 2009 graduate from RMU, Crowe said she eventually wants to open her own restaurant or coffee shop, but for now, she spends her time honing her barista and culinary skills at JAC to prepare for the future.

Although Crowe said her personal favorite drinks at JAC are green tea and black coffee, she loves to make more complex drinks for customers.

Crowe said she especially likes making JAC’s “The Squidge,” a drink consisting of vanilla chai, espresso and milk chocolate.

She said she has recently learned how to make “latte art,” drawing shapes like roses and hearts into customers’ drinks.

Crowe said she also decorates cakes, a skill she still utilizes when cooking baked goods at JAC.

Crowe said working at JAC can often be hectic, but she takes the chaos in stride.

“I would rather be working in a fast-paced environment,” she said.

She said when business picks up at JAC, she is able to keep her cool.

“You have to be as polite as possible,” she said. “It’s good to be patient.”

Crowe said interacting with regular customers is always one of the highlights of her day.

She said talking with them and preparing their favorite drinks has become part of her morning schedule.

“One guy orders a mocha every morning, so that’s how I start my day off,” she said. “It becomes part of my opening routine.”

She said she is even disappointed if she doesn’t see certain customers on the days she works.

“If some people don’t come in, my day isn’t as fun,” she said.

Sara Hall can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].