Friday 28 November 2014

Week beginning November 24th - London Latte Art Smackdown Finals and Wrap Up

Even I was slightly nervous as I dropped off the children in Walthamstow to my wife and caught the train back in into town (East London) to get to Square Mile coffee roasters.

Not sure why. I wasn't competing as one of the top 12 latte art baristas in London for a share of £480 cash money, amazing prizes from Coffee Hit, Square Mile and Minor Figures in front of over 100 industry people fired up on free Kernel Brewery beer, tunes by Oli Bradshaw, with MC Ross 'Brockley' Brown and a giant video screen showing every move (or non move).

It is slightly possible with all this going on and at stake that one or perhaps all of the twelve competing were slightly nervous, but hey, we're not going to give that away.

The Square Mile team did an amazing job of setting up for the evening with a ping pong table and video games in the back room, Kernel bar in the side room and the main room with hanging old school microphone in the middle of the room, a 2 group Synesso set and ready with a GoPro camera set above the pouring table ready to project onto the big wall. We set off proceedings with a re-run of the rules and an explanation of the new 'pour your left over milk into a glass' rule (which was one of the best ideas ever).

There were too many amazing pours, slight dribbles, shaking hands, GoPro camera issues and wind-ups from the MC to go over in this tiny blog, but if you want to see visuals, check the links out to the photo albums below.

So the 1st Round looked like this
Ross - Browns vs Sam - Artisan
Tim - Curators vs Karolina - Nude
David - Artisan vs James - Iris and June
Adrian - LMNH vs Shaun - Noble
Gabriel - Noble vs Krystian - Dose
Paul - Alchemy vs Alfie - Flat Cap

Round two saw
Ross vs Tim
David vs Shaun
Krystian vs Paul

The final round started with an announcement - we had run out of beer - again, but in a first ever for the Latte Art, we had a three way final with
Tim vs
David vs
Paul

Judges decided at the last minute to do a one jug, one cup, one pour rule and the £480 cash was put on the table. The three competitors all put down their one cup pours and the judges deliberated for what seemed like ages. We counted down from five to decide the third place and it was Tim from Curators and then we counted down from ten for the winner between Paul and David.

Boom! David is the winner!!! As he had won throughout the heats he had celebrated like he had won the final already and to say he was excited and slightly emotional when he actually cracked the winner is an understatement. But it was a truly beautiful moment, as his girlfriend celebrated with him with kisses, hugs and very large smiles. A truly deserved and welcome winner, well done.

The fantastic Kate Beard was on hand again to take photos and to write all about the event for Barista Magazine, her blogs are available here (though at time of writing the blog for the final was not quite up yet).

http://baristamagazine.com/blog/?p=15459

Lead judge and all round superstar Glenn Watson was of course taking amazing photos while judging and mediating decisions between all the other judges and whether a two jug steam and pour was or was not allowed. Check out his photos here....

https://www.flickr.com/photos/getnoticed/sets/72157649006266665/#

Unbeknownst to me, there was another photographer in the crowd who has taken some of the best shots I have ever seen including the final 'winner' photo. Check these out by @kota_hata

https://www.flickr.com/photos/126501299@N07/sets/72157649049480650/

There was controversy, there was fun, there was spilt milk but there was no tears at least that I know of and finally it is all over. Feedback from this year is very welcome if you have any, either positive or areas to improve, but we already have people asking about next year. We may hold it in late Summer instead and we will definitely get more beer in.

Please may I say a huge thank you to all Kaffeine staff, all Square Mile Roastery and staff, Coffee Hit, Minor Figures, Kernel Brewery and to all the legend judges who contributed their time and effort to the competition, brilliant. We hope to be able to have it all again next year.

In the meantime, please enjoy this weeks menu, as we will enjoy bringing it to you.


Traditional bircher muesli with rhubarb and raspberry compote 4.00 (V)
Granola muesli with pomegranate molasses and rhubarb and raspberry compote 4.00 (V)
Fruit salad (pineapple, mango, strawberries, grapes, passion fruit) 3.90 (GF, V)
Ciabatta roll with omelette, pancetta, rocket and tomato salsa 4.90
Ciabatta roll with courgette omelette, rocket and tomato salsa 4.90
Croissant with Italian roast ham, talleggio cheese, spinach & plum tomatoes 4.90
Cinnamon and Raisin Toast (V) 2.50
Banana bread 2.50
Porridge (V) 3.00
served with condiments muscovado sugar, dried fruit, chopped nuts, golden syrup or honey

Pastries by Seven Seed bakery
French butter croissant 2.00
Pain au chocolat 2.50
Almond croissant 2.80

Baked Treats
Sweet muffin: Black rice pudding and raspberry (V) 2.40
Savoury Scone: Olive, rosemary and red Leicester cheese(V) 2.40
Friand: Orange and honey (V,GF) 2.40
Super moist chocolate brownies 2.50
White chocolate blondies 2.50
Portuguese tarts 2.00
ANZAC cookies 2.00
Almond and custard slice 2.50
Canele 2.40

Lunch
Soup 4.50
Corn chowder with Kaffeine's own sour dough (V)

French retro baguettes 5.30
Parma ham, onion chutney, parmesan, basil and rocket.
Pickled carrot, feta, Dijon, red onion and spinach (V).

Foccacias 5.50
Salmon, aioli, dill, red onion, capers and rocket.
Saute mushroom, welsh rarebit, tarragon and spinach (V).

Salads: 5.50/7.00
Honey baked ham, roasted chestnuts, carrots, parsnips, red onions and cranberry and prune dressing (DF,GF).
Poached red wine pears, walnuts, Bath blue cheese, watercress and golden saxifrage (V,GF).
Roasted swede with satay dressing (VE,GF).

Tart: 4.40 or 8.00 with salad
Slow cooked sherry beef with hen of the woods and seabeet.  


Weekend Salads
Each weekend we offer different salads to the weekdays and we run them for a three week period, allowing our second Chef Khan to showcase her own creativity.

Salads: 5.50/7.00
Grilled beef with roasted red peppers, roasted cashews, green beans, mushrooms and oyster dressing
Roasted pumpkin with cherry tomatoes, couscous,. feta, mint, basil and yoghurt dressing
Roasted vegetable salad with a reduced sticky balsamic vinegar, thyme and date dressing

Tart: 4.40 or 8.00 with salad
Pancetta and leek quiche

Friday 14 November 2014

Week beginning November 17th - London Latte Art - The Finals

Four weeks is a long time in competition, and here we are at the end of it. Yes, on Tuesday the 18th we will have made it to the finals of the London Latte Art Smackdown which will see 12 London baristas competing in front of a packed house for glory and prizes.

The final will be held at Square Mile Roastery in Bethnal Green, entry time is from 7 pm and the heats should kick off from about 7:30.  There are no tickets required, but we do ask where possible that it is industry folk only, as we do have a very limited space. Mother Flipper burgers are confirmed to be cooking in the yard, and light refreshments will be provided from Kernel Brewery.

The Heats in week Four saw a very, very high standard indeed. Perhaps it was because it was the fourth week and baristas have had more practice time, or was it just the baristas on the night, or was it the pressure of competing and being judged in front of the Director of training from Prufrock Jeremy (Etchgate '13) Challender and World Barista Judge and Director of Taylor Street Coffee Andrew Tolley.

They have certainly set a standard for next week and the judges on the night will have a very hard job indeed. It is a good thing we have some of the most respected people in coffee as the judges including:

Head Judge - Glenn Watson
James Hoffman -Square Mile
Tim 'Styles' Williams - Workshop
Pete Garcia- Square Mile
Marty Latham - Square Mile
Andrew Tolley - Taylor Street
Ben Townsend - Espresso Room
Phil ' Bass Player' Wain - Coffee blogger superstar
James 'I won last year' Bailey - Workshop
Oli Bradshaw - Square Mile
Jeremy Challender - Prufrock

With £480 in cash, a Baratza Encore and 2 Rhino grinders courtesy of Coffee Hit, trophies by Irish Tamper maker Conor Regan, coffee subscriptions and other prizes by Square Mile, Minor Figures Cold Brew have donated 3 packs of their new blend, plus all the glory and  accolades that such a win will bring, the pressure will certainly be on.

Which is why we have decided to increase the pressure with a new rule.

Each barista will have to pour into a glass, in front of the judges, their remaining milk.

So here we go with the final list of 12. The structure will be the same as in the heats so that we will end up with the last three standing to compete against each other in a 3 way smackdown for 1st, 2nd and 3rd.

Krystian - Dose
Paul - Alchemy
Alfie - Flat Cap
Adrian - Look Mum No Hands
Shaun - Noble
Gabriel - Noble
Karolina - Nude
David - Artisan
James - Iris and June
Ross - Browns of Brockley
Samuel - Artisan
Tim - Curators

If you have missed any of the heats, here are two fantastic links from Glenn Watson and Kate Beard

https://www.flickr.com/photos/getnoticed/sets/72157649006266665/

http://baristamagazine.com/blog/?p=15383

If you can't make it I am sure the social media channels will be hammered on Tuesday night with photos and comments, if you do make it, please say hello.

In the meantime, please enjoy this weeks menu, as we will enjoy bringing it to you.


Traditional bircher muesli with rhubarb and raspberry compote 4.00 (V)
Granola muesli with pomegranate molasses and rhubarb and raspberry compote 4.00 (V)
Fruit salad (pineapple, mango, strawberries, grapes, passion fruit) 3.90 (GF, V)
Ciabatta roll with omelette, pancetta, rocket and tomato salsa 4.90
Ciabatta roll with courgette omelette, rocket and tomato salsa 4.90
Croissant with Italian roast ham, talleggio cheese, spinach & plum tomatoes 4.90
Cinnamon and Raisin Toast (V) 2.50
Banana bread 2.50
Porridge (V) 3.00
served with condiments muscovado sugar, dried fruit, chopped nuts, golden syrup or honey

Pastries by Seven Seed bakery
French butter croissant 2.00
Pain au chocolat 2.50
Almond croissant 2.80

Baked Treats
Sweet muffin: Coffee and mango (V) 2.50
Savoury Scone: Cheese and onion (V) 2.50
Friand: Orange and honey (V, GF)  2.50
Super moist chocolate brownies 2.50
White chocolate blondies 2.50
Portuguese tarts 2.00
ANZAC cookies 2.00
Almond and custard slice 2.50
Canele 2.40

Lunch
Soup 4.50
Chicken cacciatore made with parma ham bones and served with basil, olive and parmesan bread

French retro baguettes 5.30
Ham, poached pears, brie, pommary mustard and rocket.
Saute mushroom, leek, mature cheddar and spinach (V).

Foccacias 5.50
Pancetta, sweet corn cheese, roasted fennel and spinach.
Roasted red peppers and courgette, avocado, gruyere, aioli and rocket (V)

Salads: 5.50/7.00
30 month aged parma ham, slow roasted plum tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, basil and scurvy grass (GF). 
Wild rice with feta, roasted peppers, chickweed, pumpkin seeds and three cornered garlic dressing (V, GF).
Poached leeks with pink sorrel (VE, GF)

Tart: 4.40 or 8.00 with salad
Lentil and vegetable bake with red pepper hummus

Weekend Salads
Each weekend we offer different salads to the weekdays and we run them for a three week period, allowing our second Chef Khan to showcase her own creativity.

Salads: 5.50/7.00
Grilled beef with roasted red peppers, roasted cashews, green beans, mushrooms and oyster dressing
Roasted pumpkin with cherry tomatoes, couscous,. feta, mint, basil and yoghurt dressing
Roasted vegetable salad with a reduced sticky balsamic vinegar, thyme and date dressing

Tart: 4.40 or 8.00 with salad
Pancetta and leek quiche

Sunday 9 November 2014

Week beginning November 10th - London Latte Art - Heat Four

We actually ran out of beer even faster than expected as over 30 people came to see Heat Three at Kaffeine on Tuesday night. Luckily we had loads of coffee and also milk on hand for the twelve baristas who were competing.

The standards were very, very high and the pressure was on the judges, Glenn Watson, Pete Garcia and Marty Latham to decide the winners of each round with some very, very close calls.

In the end, we had these three get through to the finals:
  • Adrian from Look Mum No Hands
  • Shaun from Noble Espresso
  • Gabriel from Noble Espresso
They will now join
  • Karolina from Nude
  • David from Artisan
  • James from Iris and June
  • Ross from Browns of Brockley
  • Samuel from Artisan 
  • Tim from Curators
This week in the final heat we expect the pressure and intensity and crowd support to be even greater with competitors including:
  • Leo from Terrone
  • Krystian from Dose
  • Adrian from Curators
  • Greg from Alchemy
  • Jess from Fields Beneath
  • Suri from Dose
  • Harry from Soho Grind
  • Paul from Alchemy
  • Bartosz from Dose
  • Alfie from Flat Cap
  • Asia from Alchemy
  • Vivien from Nude
Judges will need to be on form and we expect them to be as it is Andrew Tolley from Taylor Street Baristas and Jeremy (I came second last year) Challender from Prufrock coffee joining lead judge Glenn Watson. Check these photos out from Glenn on his flickr page - London Art 2014.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/getnoticed/sets/72157649006266665/

On Monday this week at Kaffeine we had a special visitor, Boris Johnson, the London Mayor as he announced the London Living Wage Rate and he had a go at trying his hand at latte art. Just in case you were wondering what it is like to compete with all the cameras going off as you pour, this is it. Luckily there is no spaces left in the competition.


With huge thanks to Square Mile and to Coffee Hit for sponsoring the event and providing prizes, we have news this week that legendary tamper maker Conor Regan will be making the trophies. With the possibility of winning your share in £480 cash as well as just general glory and happiness this is a great competition to be involved in or just to support.

Do not forget to keep an eye on Barista Magazine for Kate Beards weekly updates and photos on the blog.

http://baristamagazine.com/blog/

As usual have a great menu from Chef Jared this week, please enjoy it as we will enjoy bringing it to you.


Traditional bircher muesli with rhubarb and raspberry compote 4.00 (V)
Granola muesli with pomegranate molasses and rhubarb and raspberry compote 4.00 (V)
Fruit salad (pineapple, mango, strawberries, grapes, passion fruit) 3.90 (GF, V)
Ciabatta roll with omelette, pancetta, rocket and tomato salsa 4.90
Ciabatta roll with courgette omelette, rocket and tomato salsa 4.90
Croissant with Italian roast ham, talleggio cheese, spinach & plum tomatoes 4.90
Cinnamon and Raisin Toast (V) 2.50
Banana bread 2.50
Porridge (V) 3.00
served with condiments muscovado sugar, dried fruit, chopped nuts, golden syrup or honey

Pastries by Seven Seed bakery
French butter croissant 2.00
Pain au chocolat 2.50
Almond croissant 2.80

Baked Treats
Sweet muffin: Cranberry and almond (V) 2.50
Savoury Scone: Slow roasted tomatoes, cheddar and basil (V) 2.50
Friand: Passionfruit (V, GF)  2.50
Super moist chocolate brownies 2.50
White chocolate blondies 2.50
Portuguese tarts 2.00
ANZAC cookies 2.00
Almond and custard slice 2.50
Canele 2.40

Lunch
Soup 4.50
Cannellini bean, tomato and rape greens (VE, GF)

French retro baguettes 5.30
Bresaola, roasted red peppers, creamed parsnips, basil and mozzarella and rocket. 
Roasted sweet potato, mature cheddar, red onion, aioli and spinach (V)

Foccacias 5.50
Ham, avocado, gruyere, tomatonnaise and spinach.
Veggie and nut loaf with brie, tomato and rocket (V)

Salads: 5.50/7.00
Roasted sweet potato and brussels sprouts with sea campion, pancetta, and a creamed leek dressing (GF). 
Radicchio, dates, blue vein cheese with a clementine dressing (V, GF)
Roasted beetroot with a raw kale dressing and lady smock leaf (VE, GF)

Tart: 4.40 or 8.00 with salad
Pork, pomegranate and pumpkin pie



Sunday 2 November 2014

Week beginning November 3rd - London Latte Art Heat Three

It appears we have made a fairly serious miscalculation. We did not get enough beer in.

Two heats down and we have to go off to get some more just to be sure we can get through this coming week and Heat Three.

Heat Two was another great success with coffee legends Ben Townsend from the Espresso room and Phil 'Bass Player' Wain as judges along with head judge Glenn Watson , 12 competitors and over 35 people crammed into Kaffeine to watch. Cameras ready people.

We ended up with another three through to the finals.
Karolina from Nude
David from Artisan and
James from Iris and June

This week we have another incredible line up of baristas all wanting to get their hands on priozes from Coffee Hit including a Baratza grinder for first place and a rhino hand grinder for second and third, £480 cash from the entry money and untold prizes and trophies from Square Mile.

Tullio - Artisan
Adrian - Look Mum nO Hands
Matt - Climpsons
Louis - Noble
Manuel - Climpsons
Sam - Holborn Grind
Alessandro - Artisan
Jarek - Taylor Street
Gabriel - Noble
Ben - Kaffeine
Renaud - Bristol

This week we have lead judge and superstar Glenn Watson back on decks, accompanied by Pete Garcia and Marty Latham from Square Mile as support judges. We are also very lucky as we have Kate Beard writing for Barista Magazine each week with posts to their blog. Check out a review of the first week here.

http://baristamagazine.com/blog/?p=15182

If you cannot make it along. there have been loads of photos being taken, here are a sample. Many thanks again to Kate Beard (colour) and also to Alessandro from Artisan (b and w).






We also hope you enjoy this weeks menu, as we will enjoy bringing it to you.



Traditional bircher muesli with rhubarb and raspberry compote 4.00 (V)
Granola muesli with pomegranate molasses and rhubarb and raspberry compote 4.00 (V)
Fruit salad (pineapple, mango, strawberries, grapes, passion fruit) 3.90 (GF, V)
Ciabatta roll with omelette, pancetta, rocket and tomato salsa 4.90
Ciabatta roll with courgette omelette, rocket and tomato salsa 4.90
Croissant with Italian roast ham, talleggio cheese, spinach & plum tomatoes 4.90
Seven seed bakery bloomer toast with home made preserves 2.00
Povitika bread 2.50
Banana bread 2.50
Porridge (V) 3.00
served with condiments muscovado sugar, dried fruit, chopped nuts, golden syrup or honey

Pastries by Seven Seed bakery
French butter croissant 2.00
Pain au chocolat 2.50
Almond croissant 2.80

Baked Treats
Sweet muffin: Rhubarb, pear and hazelnut (V) 2.50
Savoury Scone: Curried peas and feta (V) 2.50
Friand: Passionfruit (V, GF)  2.50
Super moist chocolate brownies 2.50
White chocolate blondies 2.50
Portuguese tarts 2.00
ANZAC cookies 2.00
Almond and custard slice 2.50
Canele 2.40


Lunch
Soup 4.50
Curried red lentil soup with caraway bread (VE, GF)

French retro baguettes 5.30
Bresaola, slow roast tomato, gherkin, Camembert and rocket
Baked pumpkin and sauté mushrooms with tarragon mayonnaise and spinach (V)

Foccacias 5.50
Ham, cranberry jelly, roasted chestnuts, mature cheddar and spinach
Salmon, dill, red onion, capers, aioli and rocket (V)

Salads: 5.50/7.00
Chicken fried in creamed of corn with broad bean tops, mango, tomato salsa and rocket
Ribwort plantain, manchego, blackberries and polenta dumplings (V)
Chantenay carrots and fennel cooked in sambuca and caraway seeds (VE, GF)

Tart: 4.40 or 8.00 with salad
Checker berries and matured cheddar with charlock (V)