World Barista Championship

If you have followed my past blog entries you probably already know that the coffee market is a large industry. It is, in fact, large enough to have its own world championship! 

The World Barista Championship is the annual international coffee competition, which crowns the best barista of the world. A barista is a "coffee artists" at the espresso machine that has great knowledge of coffee, can prepare, decorate, and serve it artistically to the customer. The World Barista Championship (WBC) was founded by the Specialty Coffee Association of Europe and the Specialty Coffee Association of America. According to WBC's website, it "focuses on promoting excellence in coffee, advancing the barista profession, and engaging a worldwide audience with an annual championship event that serves as the culmination of local and regional events around the globe".

Every year, the participants of more than 50 Nations each need to prepare 4 espressos, 4 cappuccinos, and 4 original signature drinks to exacting standards in a 15-minute performance, which is accompanied by music.

These excellent creations are served to WBC Certified Taste Judges from around the world for evaluation. The evaluation is based on performance on the taste of beverages served, cleanliness, creativity, technical skill, and overall presentation. The organization states that the "ever-popular signature beverage allows baristas to stretch their imagination and the judges’ palates to incorporate a wealth of coffee knowledge into an expression of their individual tastes and experiences".

This year, the 11th annual World Barista Championship was held in London's Kensington Olympia Exhibition Center. In addition to the title of the world's best barista, the judges also awarded the international title for Latte Art (milk drawings), Good Coffee Spirits (alcoholic coffee drinks), Cup-tasting (tasting) and Ibrik (Turkish method). 

This year's World Barista Champion is Michael Phillips from the USA, followed by Raul Rodas of Guatemala and Scottie Callaghan from Australia. Congratulations!

Kaffeeklatsch - An old German Tradition

Today, I will tell you a little bit  about an old German tradition; the "Kaffeeklatsch". First off, Kaffee means coffee, and Klatsch can be translated as gossip. So, as you might imagine already, "Kaffeeklatsch", the coffee gossip, is a time when people (mostly women) get together and chat or gossip about all sorts of things, while having a good cup of coffee and some delicious cake.

For centuries, the "coffee gossip" existed for the ladies only behind the doors of their living rooms: After the coffee had conquered the European society in 1650, more and more coffee houses were opened in which only men were accepted. 
Even though the ladies of the society could not enter the coffee houses, they did not want to do without the new and modern drink. This was how the "Kaffeklatsch" started. The women simply enjoyed the coffee with their friends at home. A lavishly decorated table created the right atmosphere. Women during the time described it as follows: "A great "Kaffeeklatsch" needs the coffee, this much is clear, it needs the pastry, but perhaps even more...it needs the delicate shimmering porcelain, exquisite accessories, and of course pleasant furniture and comfortable rooms. " 
Inspired by the "happenings of everyday life" they had long conversations, that could derogatory be described as gossip, and shared their favorite poems and passages of novels.
Since the 1970's the once essential features of the classic coffee party slowly disappeared: flower dishes on silk tablecloth, artfully draped cream on homemade cakes, the ladies dressed properly with nicely dressed  hair.What remains is the desire to drink coffee and the exchange of news and gossip. Psychologist Stephan Grünewald thinks that TV talk shows in the afternoon are a "modern form of 'coffee gossip'". They help people to overcome the "midday-crisis", he says. "Adding the stimulating effect of coffee to this atmosphere", he claims, "creates the timeless fascination of the coffee gossip: You are excited and relaxed at the same time."
Grünewald has a valid argument, but not the whole German population relies on TV for "Kaffeekltatsch". In many towns people still get together and do the "real" coffee gossip, or even create clubs that serve the sole purpose of "Kaffeeklatsch".