The Foodie File: Caffeinated Competition
I recently returned from vacationing on the Adriatic coast of Italy. My first day back in Canada and I was struck with the realization that I would not be able to wake up with the exquisite lattes and espressos that greeted me every morning for the past three weeks.
Back at work that morning, speaking with my editor Donna, I regaled her with the earthly delights of the Italian culinary scene- the olive oil, the handmade cheeses, the fresh-off- the-boat seafood. She, being Italian herself and having been privy to the delights of which I spoke, reveled vicariously through my taste buds and asked me “ and the coffee Christine, what about the coffee?†I relayed my sad state that very morning going without any coffee rather than compromise my finely honed coffee palate. In an act of solidarity and disgust at typical substandard office coffee – Donna , dramatically in a foodie-diva moment, threw her cup into the waste bin offering “how can we let this pass our lips, it is a betrayal to our people and good food everywhere!†(The next day Donna was on an office rant about her thieving co-workers and how you can’t even leave a coffee cup on your desk, not realizing her caffeinated dramatics from the previous day had resulted in the recycling of her favourite mug).
Well it looks as though I can retract my coffee moratorium - much, I imagine, to the pleasure of co-workers and any other’s who have to witness me on a caffeine deprived morning. As of September 18th Michael Yung of Vancouver’s Café Artigiano was crowned Canadian Barista Champion at the Coffee and Tea Expo, Canada’s trade show for the coffee industry. Second place was awarded to Cady Wu of Vancouver’s Wicked Café and third to Anthony Benda of Montreal’s Café Sante Veritas. Participants were challenged to create espresso drinks demonsteating their creativity, speed and precision.
Michael Young will go on to represent Canada in Copenhagen Demark in 2008 to win us national acclaim as a coffee drinking nation. Now I guess I just need to figure out how to get him to ship his elixirs to Toronto for my morning quaff!
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