The First Tuesday Of The Month

Yeah, I know the first tuesday of november is cup day, but the concenus is that it's easier to remenber.

So we are going to continue our Barista Jam sessions at 5.30pm on the first tuesday of each month.

At Cafe La de da.

We will continue with the various sections, too.

The get together bit where we are sharing ideas, schmoozing, pulling shots and getting the hang of it.

The short 5-7 minute part, where we have a guest presenter with an educational session.

The free pour latte art bit, for which we will use the American name of a throwdown.

Smackdown and slamdown seemed a bit WWE wrestleing brutal, we thought.

Throwdown, as in a challenge, felt more friendly.

And we want, and need, the coffee drinkers support team, too. We would love this group to grow. Like a wine appreciation group.

The groupies, or groupheads [that's the dodah that holds the coffee on the machine]. What could they call themselves?

And tuesday night also lines us up with the Tuesday night two for one pizza deal. So catering costs are contained. We like that bit, too.

And keep our contribution at $5. With Pura Milk and DiBella both happy to contribute product, we can fatten the pot a little more.

Or we could leave the throwdown prize at a set amount and if any is over, put it to a local charity. Yes??

So, we are ready for next week?

From all the pictures we took , we didnt see any of product, so a fuzzy one is included here.

Here are some notes I borrowed from an article on a Barista session in Holland, Michigan, USA.

Ideas for judging notes of free pour throwdown.


. Judging
· The drinks will be judged in 4 categories.
· Balance & Symmetry
· Dividing lines are clean, even, and show no signs of hesitation.
· Individual elements work well with and complement each other. There is no sense of awkwardness.
· Color Infusion & Definition
· The contrast between the whiteness of the foam, and the darkness of the crema
· How infused or intertwined the brownness of the crema is with the whiteness of the foam
· The intention of the design is obvious and clear
· Use of Space
· The design fills the cup with in an appropriate and pleasant way
· The design neither crowds the cup, nor leaves it feeling empty or unfinished
· There is a harmony between the size of the cup and size of the design
· Overall Impression
· Drink is free of spill marks and cup is appropriately full of liquid
· General aesthetic appeal
· Subjective appreciation

What's a Throwdown?
A gathering of baristas, all with some skill in pouring latte art, competing against each other. The prize is secondary to the satisfaction of pouring up the best art, building coffee community and meeting people. OK, the prize is nice too, but the fun, learning and hanging with the best baristas around is worth the time.

Come out and join the fun!