Hi guysJust got back to the UK after Trieste Espresso Expo and the European Team Coffee Challenge.I thought you guys might want to see a selection of the 'millions' of the photos I took.Hope you enjoy them(I've tried not to incriminate anyone too much)http://tinyurl.com/5fhs82Please tag anyone you know so we can all be buddies!!!
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even though the temp is low around 3°C this morning in Moncton (going up to 5°C) we have the sun. This is really wonderful because we have been having a lot of rain of late.Does anyone know if Obama drinks coffee?NOTE: EU eager to work with Obama: http://thursdayfile.ning.com/group/whatsupeurope/forum/topics/eu-eager-to-work-with-obama
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Posted by grant yeamans on November 16, 2008 at 4:40pm
Ok, maybe not only press drinkers can respond- but those of you out there that want to share some insight here. I am now ready to replace my house with a new french press (in moving always take the time to secure & wrap your delicacies) and don't know what to get. So here's my question- Is a double wall glass french press worth the extra $? Sure it'll keep the coffee hotter longer than a reg. beaker, but i don't typically keep my coffee lying around for two hours. So, worth it?
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Posted by Jason Dominy on November 16, 2008 at 9:00am
I am finally getting around to posting how the Charlotte SCAA Skill Building Workshop and Barista Bash/Latte Art Throwdown went. I can't believe it's been a week already. The Skill Building Workshop part of the weekend went really well. We had attendees from as far away as Maine, and they were a great group to work with. The weekend started with a great duo of cupping classes from Andrew Miller with Cafe Imports. He is absolutely one of the most knowledgeable people in coffee, hands-down, and his classes didn't disappoint. Renee Espinoza from Coffee Masters out of Chicago helped out! Afterwards, some of us all went out to dinner at an Irish pub downtown.We had the espresso classes on Saturday, and I think they went really well. We had the help of Lydia Troxler, Brent Hall, and Mary Schroeder from Counter Culture, and Nick Guidry from Stockton Graham. A really good set of classes, and the attendees really enjoyed themselves, and got alot out of it.Saturday night, we hosted the first Southeast Barista Bash and Latte Art Throwdown. We had some of the best latte art talent in the room. Lem Butler DJ'd an amazing set of music, and showed incredible skills on the turntables. Ben Helfen of Octane Coffee MC'd the Throwdown part of the night. We had some great local pizza, and some great local microbrews from a great brewery out of Winston-Salem. When it came time to see who was competing, the list looked like this: Alex Medina and Shannon Hudgens from Coffee and Crema in Greenville, SC; Brady Butler from Coffee Garden in Charlotte, Bart Shaw from Ashland Coffee in Ashland, VA; Adam Minton from Higher Grounds in Boone, NC; Michael Buerl from Dilworth Coffee in Charlotte; Brent Hall from Counter Culture in Charlotte; Lem Butler from Counter Culture in Durham; Ellie Matuszak from Coffee Solutions in Los Angeles; Ben Szobody from Greenville, SC; Ben Helfen from Octane Coffee in Atlanta; and myself from Dilworth Coffee in Charlotte. (I actually just competed because with objective judging led by Tony Riffel from Octane-Atlanta, I just wanted to see what I could actually do. And, I just wanted to have fun, and since I didn't think there was a chance in Hades I would even come close to most in the competition, I didn't really even try that hard.)The competition was great, with several people stating they hadn't really steamed on the Rancilios before. Shannon Hudgens held the lead most of the night. Somehow, I managed a good couple of pours, pours that really scored well, and I took the lead. Then, Mr. Millrock Latte Art Champion himself Ben Helfen went. He poured what I thought was two really good pours, the last one an almost perfect rosetta. But, when the dust settled, I somehow came away the winner. It's funny, because I remember at the beginning of the night telling Brent Hall that I was going to compete because in latte art, we all have a good day, and we all have a bad day, and you never can tell till you pour. I had a good day. If we did it again today, I am positive the results would be different, but it sure was fun. So, I have a brand new Rancilio Silvia on my kitchen counter, and couldn't be happier, despite the fact I still can't believe it.It was so good to see so many excellent SE baristas in the room, and it reminded me of what I love about this community. It's so cool to see. I will do it again next year, for sure. (And hopefully, more people will show up, we won't have baristas who drink a little too much stout, and the community will be even bigger.)We had the Latte Art Workshop with Ellie Matuszak on Sunday, and Ben Helfen and I helped. The class was great, and several people really picked it up and ran with it. Bart Shaw from Ashland Coffee was pouring tulips in macchiatto cups, amazing.So, to wrap it up, this was a great event all the way around. We raised some good money for Socially Conscious Coffee and Blood:Water Mission. We met a lot of really cool people, and saw some old friends. We also started something that hopefully will build to continue the momentum of great coffee, crema and community. A special thanks to Lem Butler for DJing. Ben Helfen for MCing. Tony Riffel from Octane Coffee, Nick Guidry from Stockton Graham in Raleigh, and Jay Gestwick from Dilworth Coffee in Charlotte, for judging. And Renee Espinoza, Brent Hall, Lydia Troxler, Mary Schroeder, and Brady Butler for helping with the classes. Also to Sandy May, our president, for seeing the value in the whole event and supporting it 110%.The Video of the Throwdown is here:http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7742755330408091423&hl=en(I recommend watching it in Original Size.)
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My wife gave me a wonderful gift today – a new computer chair. It’s black leather with chrome. She put it together with the help of my daughter Liz. Boy does it feel good. My coffee tomorrow morning should taste a little better when I sit in this seat.
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I was out to breakfast by myself this morning and I was served one of the worst mugs of coffee I've had in a long time - the only good thing about it she never came back to offer me more.
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I got a call on Monday, would I do a catering for Tuesday? I almost said no, well at first I did say no. It was for 60 and I thought they were talking lunch. No they just needed a morning snack with coffee, tea and hot cider. Ok. Delivered to the airport at 10AM, Ok. Who is this for, I ask?We need to have something for the press and staff when they get in town with Obama.I did not drop the phone.I said yes of course I can do this.I baked all day Monday and into the night. You know I just have a small oven.Well here is what I took to the airport for the President Elect and his entourage.Mini muffins, scones, granola, yogurt, and fruit took care of the food.The hot drinks were Fair Trade Organic coffees, 1 Guatemalan and 1 Timor, Kenyan tea, and hot apple cider from our local orchard.So there you have it, my brush with politics and fame!Cheers and here is to the next 4 years, may they be Great!
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Posted by mike cubbage on November 5, 2008 at 8:57pm
So I have been planning this trip to Hawai'i (the big Island -not Ouahu) for quite a while now. I arrived yesterday. Election day. Congratulations Obama. :) Well it just so happens that the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival starts on the 7th. I have a brochure here next to me. I've kinda flipped through the pages to get a feel for what is going on, but its somewhat confusing. Two main social events stand out for sure. Both on Saturdays. There is a Miss Kona Coffee Scholarship Pageant on the 8th. Young women - probably about seniors in highschool, I would guess - compete in a pageant full of music, entertainment and dance and the winner gets the crown. The following Saturday is The Kamehameha Schools Kona Coffee Grand Parade. Colorful floats and marching bands, your typical parade, only Hawai'i style. There is more. This obviously isn't your two day Coffee Fest like we have on the mainland.Some various events include a bowling tournamant, coffee recipe contests for the best entrees and desserts made with coffee, concerts - outside as is everything here -, a fun run (one mile), organized tours and tastings of nearby (there all nearby) plantations, workshops, Kona Coffee Art exhibits, and so much more. There is two big cupping competitions happening over the 9 days of the festival. First the Gevalia Kona Coffee Cupping Competition. Which as I understand it is more geared towards smaller farms. The Gevalia Crown Competition requires the larger farms to submit a sample of over 3000 pounds of Kona coffee for judging. Honestly I don't know which Crown is more coveted, nor why small and large farms compete seperatly. I will though try to figure that out. I just hope that there will be enough samples going around so that I can find my own personal winner. Coffee costs about $16 / 8oz here, so if I am going to spend my life's savings on coffee, I want to know it is that good.I will be diligently consulting my brochure for the next few days. Looks like it all starts out Friday evening at 630 with the lantern parade. All of Hawai'i is so rooted in custom, culture and heritage and I am looking forward to not only getting to know the coffees of Hawai'i, but their deep heritage and culture too.
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Posted by Alun Evans on November 5, 2008 at 3:22pm
Bags of Indonesian coffee labelled "Obama 2008 Blend" (R) and "McCain Election 2008 Blend" (L) are displayed in a cafe in Jakarta November 5, 2008. The "Obama 2008 Blend" coffee was sold out during an expatriate gathering in Jakarta for the U.S. presidential election , one of the owners, Alun Evans, said on Wednesday.REUTERS/Enny Nuraheni (INDONESIA)
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Our team which comprises of Phd and master's level writers can provide you the most cost-effective Thesis Statement with easy payment options. We offer several free features on our Thesis service and have made our price structure flexible to ensure that our customers who have financial limitations are able to place their orders without any difficulty.
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Posted by Alun Evans on November 4, 2008 at 2:15pm
We opened this morning and pulled our regular espresso blend to offer the "Obama" Bland and the "McCain" Blend. To date (2 hours into vote counting) we have Obama ahead 72% to McCains 28%. This is based on Espresso Based Drinks sold as well as 250gm coffee packs. It has been a CRAZY morning with a good % of South Jakarta's expat community coming through the cafe and crowding around CNN. Exciting stuff.!
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Posted by Alun Evans on November 3, 2008 at 7:02pm
(For anyone in the Indonesia area)Later tonight the US makes its choice about who will become President. Ithas been a long campaign, going back to the conventions of 2007 when thepotential candidates began canvasing their respective parties.Tomorrow from 6am we will have coverage of the results as they come in atthe cafe in Kemang Villa. We will also be selling two special coffees-which will be roasted tonight. These will only be available for the nextfew days until stock run.The "Obama" Blend is a mix of fresh new origins- Flores, West Timor andsome Java. Funky, new school with a touch of the new world and the old.Drinks well early or lateThe "McCain" blend is an old warhorse- robust, unbreakable but with agentle soul buried inside. A darker roast to exhibit worldly experienceand a dry ense of humor.We are not picking a winner, so both coffees will have equal braggingrights on the shelf.We have a new 49inch flat screen TV which will be showing a "neutral"broadcast of results as they come in.Look forward to seeing you tomorrow,
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Posted by judy f mccabe on November 2, 2008 at 8:25am
So....Florida Gators chomped Dawg again! Halloween was fun too. My nephew walked the neighborhood untill he was dragging. Got a bag full of treats. Tomarrow starts a new work week, onward to the next holiday.Thanksgiving Day. I'll be starting christmas shopping soon. I want to be finished with it before the holdays start.....that way I can kick back and enjoy them.
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The Espressoparts.com Training Lab is packed full of some of the coolest coffee gear available. We have a large selection of equipment that we are making available at great prices. All of this equipment has been used in the capacity of a training lab and is in excellent condition. In some instances the machine may have only been used for photo purposes only, and is in an open box. All items are as-is, and some may include warranties. If you are interested in any of these items please contact customer service @ 800-459-5594 or info@espressoparts.com• Dalla Corte Mini Espresso Machines(3) Total two open box models and one showroom display $2795.00• Anfim Ciamano Grinder DoserThis grinder was used on bar for 1 year. When we pulled this grinder, we upgraded the timer module to a Delta CTA timer. High polish finish with some minor scuffing. NEW burr set. For more info on this model $1595.00• La Marzocco GS3A showroom demo machine in great condition. Two small nicks in the top of the side panels, and minor scuffing, in the drain tray area. Really though, if your looking for a machine, and want to save a few bucks, these are easy to ignore. 5750.00 with 6 month Warranty• Astoria Gloria 2 Group Espresso MachineDemo model in excellent condition. This machine is the top of the line machine offered by Astoria. A nice addition to any espresso bar. Get this deal now! 4950.00 with 6 month warranty• Rancilio Class 8, 2 Group Espresso MachineDemo Model in excellent condition. An awesome machine, at an awesome price. Only 6450.00 For more inf• La Marzocco Linea 2 Group EE CustomThis Machine has been a test bed for Espressoparts for many years. Final modifications include anti-siphon steam wands, externally mounted Fuji PXR PID conversion, Piero / FB group caps, .06 ruby Gigluers, and more. Final mods were made just over a year ago and machine uses has been in test situations and a recent Latte Art Smackdown at Seattle Coffeefest. Own a piece of Espressoparts history. $8500.00 with 6 month warranty.• Lots of Grinders!A select number of grinders will be released from our training lab. These grinders, are in excellent condition and in many cases have been used as training tools, and tradeshow displays. Mazzer, Mahlkoenig, Macap, Anfim and more. A limited number of Mazzer E grinders are available as well! You must call and speak with Brian to get the deals 1-800-459-5594 x 111These deals will not last long, and it is a great opportunity to get some excellent equipment at fair prices. Call Espressoparts.com today!
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Posted by FinerGrind on November 1, 2008 at 2:04pm
- Brazil FVA Natural Dry- Uganda Bugisu AA (Crop to Cup)- Sumatra Blue Batak- Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Kochere- Bolivia Cafe Kantati, Villanueva Farm
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