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Just back from Cafebiz show in Sydney on the May Day long weekend.

Pauline Mordue, our Mackay winner, competed in the Pura Milk Latte Art comp there, as her prize. She was unplaced, in a field of twelve, but is really pleased with her performance. Mackay coffee is a winner, though.

And a big thank you to Skills Training Mackay

It's a huge challenge getting up on stage, with your work up on a three metre screen, and every move you make being scutinised by state, national, international and even former world champions. The shakes and jitters were obvious everywhere.
The winner was Habib Maarbani from Morgans Kitchen in Liverpoole, Sydney. He is also the 'milk guy' on the Australian team, the Baristaroos.

THE TRANS TASMAN CHALLENGE

Also on the Australian team are David Makin, the Victorian champ and former World runner up, Zoe Delany and Scot Callaghan, current Australian champ and Former World champ.

What amazed me in the international Trans Tasman Challenge was that the Australian team used Scotty as drinks runner. If he worked in our cafe I think he would be on the machine, pulling shots. Just gives you an idea of the depth of talent in our team though.

Also as drinks runner he does have the final say on whether the drink is presented to the judges, or redone. Perhaps it was also a mind games ploy to rattle the New Zealand team

But it was New Zealand who won the best of three, to take out the first round. The next round is later in the year, in NZ. The final result came down to time penalties. At that level it is really picky.
Each year the rules are modified and tweeked a little, to keep them current and relevant. The idea being to have it as close to a real busy cafe enviroment as possible.

Phoebe Formosa.

Runner up at the 2010 Mackay Latte Art Comp on March 23

Mackay barista Pauline Mordue up on the big screen in the Latte Art competion in Sydney.

Paulines signature drink, a coffee/white chocolate/citrus with mandarin and a cinammon quill stirrer.

The Trans Tasman Challenge.

The drinks are set out as if on a gaming table for one on one comparison. The judges marking on taste, appearance and temperature. Scoring is done with poker chips.

The competition involves 30 drinks in 20 minutes. They are all done as mixed orders in either take away or ceramic, some flavoured with various syrups

The Australian team nervously counting the chips to learn the outcome of the challenge.

Half way through they found they were way ahead on time, and as they were rushing they thought that quality might be dropping. So they slowed down a little and focused on the work and ended up 40 seconds over time. That cost them 8 points and the comp.

While in Sydney, we also arranged special guests to travel to Mackay to a future monthly Jam session to do an educational session. How good is that?

Watch this space.