Liane Faulder, Journal Food Writer
Published: Monday, November 03
EDMONTON - Chad Moss claims the folks at Transcend Coffee are "still licking our wounds," but the fact is, the local barista placed fourth out of 15 baristas from across Canada at a recent competition in Montreal.

"The quality and calibre was impressive to see," says Moss, 29. "Interestingly, three of the top six were Albertans."

Coffee slingers were judged in three categories - espresso, cappuccino and a signature drink. Moss thinks his choice of milk for his cappuccino got him in trouble.

"I selected a milk that I thought was the most appropriate for my cappuccino, but the judges were looking for something a little heavier in mouth-feel. That's the only part that let me down."

But Moss was pleased with his marks when it came to his signature drink, which he describes as "a dark chocolate cone suspended above the cup and plate, and then there was a flavour tip encrusted on the tip of the cone and then I poured a lingonberry syrup inside the cone, and when I served it to the judges, I raised the hot espresso and it melted the tip of the cone and infused (the coffee) with some of the flavours and the syrup poured down into the cup."

Sounds like a work of art. Bistro congratulates Moss, who came to Transcend earlier this year from the Maritimes via Australia (where he took a restaurant business degree in Adelaide), for his coffee commitment and creativity.

"It was my first Canadian competition and I hadn't had a chance to meet everyone from across Canada and I'm really impressed with the attitude towards espresso. I didn't know that as many people shared the passion that I do."

Transcend Coffee is located at 9869 62nd Ave.

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