Let me make something very clear at the outset of this post: Both my husband and I are songwriters and artists and as such have a vested interest in license and distribution royalty rights--in fact, it makes us absolutely giddy to be paid for our work. That being said, I find the harassing, heavy-handed tactics employed by ASCAP, BMI and SESAC against small, independent cafés to be not only… Continue

Peter Pachal of the high tech blog DVICE has posted a video of a modified Philips 8155 x-y flatbed plotter printing out detailed latte art with edible ink. While it's a clever little gadget, it takes about two extra minutes and that's way too long to have my latte just sittin' there.



Baristas who practice the time honored skill of latte art have not yet responded to this most recent and provocative move by the… Continue

As Mike mentioned last month, Alterra Coffee will be hosting the 2008 Great Lakes Regional Barista Competition (GLRBC) this weekend, March 13-16, at the P.H. Dye Building, 320 E. Buffalo Street, in the Third Ward. With some of the best baristas from Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Ohio pitted against each other, it should be a very tasty… Continue