Great Lakes Regional Barista Competition

Yesterday morning, I got to experience firsthand the United States Barista Championships. My own obsession, Alterra Coffee, was hosting the Great Lakes Regional Barista Event at Discovery World Museum, and going into the bright, long corridor where the competition machines were set up, I really had no idea what to expect.

I knew that this was going to be some hardcore competition, however...

Each contestant has 15 minutes to make 12 drinks, 3 each for a 4 person judging panel. You can find the official rules and regulation here, but the gist is that the contestant has to complete 3 rounds of drinks (espresso, cappuccino and a signature drink containing espresso), while educating the tasting panel on the tasting notes and injecting a fair amount of his/her own personality into the theatrical aspect of the performance. This was done in a number of ways, my favorite being by Alterra's own Colin Whitcomb when he coordinated his music so well that after he described the peach cream he concocted for his signature drink, Prince's song Cream came over the loud speakers. Pretty impressive. The regional contest winners will advance to the National and ultimately the World Barista Championships held this year in London.

It was difficult to see, and I had to channel my inner Superman to hear, but I was fascinated by the creativity of these Baristas. Day one of the 3 day run began yesterday at 11, and the first contestant was a very poised and confident Chris Deferio from The Coffee Institute in Muncie, Indiana. He explained right away that he was new to the Midwest, and was using a reduction of sorghum syrup, which is a regional favorite in Indiana. We could actually smell the caramelizing syrup as he prepared the drinks, something that had to give high marks to Mr. Deferio.

I was also impressed at the array of flavors employed for the signature drinks. Expertly pulling the notes from their coffees, each contestant I watched gleaned fruits and herb flavors from coffee beans that I'd liken to the skills of the best mixologists. I watched as a blackberry pulp was strained into a cocktail shaker, homemade bitters accented by oranges were dropped into the bottoms of espresso cups, and in which the flavors of gin were extracted into their base notes and added to a drink that could contain no alcohol.

My favorite live moments, as I only stayed for the first 5 contestants, were as Tinuade Oyelowo from Metropolis Coffee in Chicago rocked out to A-Ha and Cindy Lauper as she sang her way around her performance, and as Colin kept the judges alert by snapping his fingers and clapping his hands for emphasis. Of course, I was more than impressed by his attention to musical detail with the final application of the peach cream set to music.

I wished I had unlimited time to hang out (and remember a notebook to record the interesting flavor compositions I saw), but I didn't. I met in person and got to chat with Cody Kinart, another local Alterra contestant (and Flickr contact) that was performing later in the afternoon. He told me about the live streaming, which can be found here, and I tuned in from home to catch him later in the day. Before we left, I had to go get caffeinated, first by this awesome macchiato:

and then by this method, called Areopress. Related somewhat to a French Press, the coffee is placed in a tube and steeped, then forced by air into the cup. I was glad the Barista at hand insisted that we try it, though I was more impressed with it after it "aged" for a few minutes on the walk to the car. He used the Kenya AA coffee that I have been loving at home via plain old drip method lately, and I was totally amazed at the "juice" flavors that he claimed (and correctly so!) would come through.

A short tutorial:

After I got home, I got to see a few more contestants on the live stream. One who stood out due to her use of coconut was first time competitor Allie VanHeyfte of Greyhouse Coffee and Supply in West Lafayette, Indiana. She mentioned her surprise at the melding of coconut and coffee flavors, and used both coconut milk and coconut cream in her signature drink.

I was most excited to see Cody and his drink, since I knew his signature drink was going to use strawberry. This flavor was a complete surprise to me, since I have never before considered strawberry in coffee. He made a mock "custard" out of sweetened condensed milk and yogurt, and layered it with the coffee in martini glasses... all to the tune of Louis Prima, mind you. Brilliant! I was also pleasantly surprised at how much more I could see of the performances via live streaming, since the camera was closer to the action than I could get, and the volume control was in my hands...

Way to go, Cody!

The competition continues today, and runs through tomorrow. You can find the complete competitor schedule here, and can see other (Alterra) local sons Scott Lucey and Nathan Hoida around 12:15 and 2:45 respectively, and local Stone Creek Coffee competitor Cody Taylor around 3:45. The times may run a bit off due to variables, so check your streaming if you are interested in catching these worthwhile performances.

Today's competition starts in about 10 minutes, so you can follow in person or via streaming if you are becoming curious about this amazing event. I think I'll keep tabs throughout the day as I'm able. Good luck to all the Milwaukeeans today, and thank you to Alterra for hosting a really educational event! I know that I am renewed in my appreciation for coffee, and it's many flavors. I will soon be posting many more photos at my flickr site, hopefully accompanied by some more accurate descriptions as I remember them.

Recent Carbohydrate Consumption

I am one of those people who gets very easily inspired. Looking even briefly at new websites is compellingly dangerous, since I immediately mentally catalogue what I have to make and in which order. (I totally identify with msmeanie who mentioned in her post today about mentally ranking recipes...) Of course, new websites turn into ones I follow, and a vicious cycle of too many carbohydrates inevitably ensue. But sometimes, a girl just needs some cake.

Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on the point of view, when I was cakeless on Sunday night, I plucked a Mostly Foodstuffs Majestic and Moist Honey Cake from the deep freeze. When I made these, I froze 2 petite bundts, and figured I'd eat them in the future. At the time I didn't know that future meant 5 months later. It was every bit as majestic and moist as the day it ventured into the freezer, and not a bit affected by such a long slumber. A half bundt per day, is all one really needs in life, methinks.

I have run into a number of new blogs that I really enjoy lately; one that is thankfully recipe-less is Horno Magico. I'm hooked, partly because this list of foods eaten is making me aspire to be virtuous, partly because I'm reminded of how I should be drinking more tea and less coffee, and mostly because it is peppered with amazing and simple photographs of eaten journeys.

Another is Chocolate Chip Trips, in which I saw these muffins, which I have patiently had in the back of my mind since I first saw them, and in which a reward was finally had after I remembered to pick up some white chocolate chips...

Unfortunately, msmeanie posts amazing recipes, which could only be a bad thing for someone who can easily be addicted to making more than can be consumed. On a positive note, she does tend to have healthier recipes, like this cauliflower, which is going to be made sometime very soon, since I also remembered to buy a cauliflower when I got the white chocolate chips...

These banana muffins with walnuts, dried cranberries and white chocolate are really amazing - especially just out of the oven. I did use quite a bit less sugar, and think that I could reduce it further when I make them again, since believe it or not, I'm getting used to eating less sugar. I will say that when you have to wonder if you are eating a cupcake or a muffin, you know you have hit a happy conundrum.

I had planned to make a couple different types of cupcakes today to equal the 3 dozen I needed, and unfortunately, only got to make one type: these amazing Chocolate Cinnamon Devil's Food cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Buttercream. As if the name doesn't say it all, these cupcakes posted by La Spicy Vita are going to be a new staple here at Casa Rcakewalk. They are so dense and almost brownielike in texture, they will make you weak at the knees. The only downside, is that the recipe was true to its original yield and I got 37 cupcakes... That's right, one blessed leftover cupcake all for yours truly.

going, going, gone...

The only downside I could see, was that they prevented me from making these lemon beauties from Chocolate and Whine. I have to find an excuse to make them soon, because "ugly yellow sprinkles" or not, I think they look fantastic.

Thanks to Talia's suggestion, I downloaded Feedly for all my blog browsing organizational needs... and I'm glad I did, since it shaves many, many minutes off fumbling about looking for new posts. I feel a bit more liberated to bookmark a few new blogs and keep tabs on more amazing people in their amazing kitchens. Next, I'll have to reexamine my own blog's links lists and update.

Meanwhile, I have some carbohydrates to keep me company, and a slew of recipes to try before bookmarking more. It's the double edged knife, this blogging world... never a moment's rest between finding that next thing that MUST be made. But at least it is all a quite friendly competition in the battle of raging foodies, and one I'm not likely to give up on anytime soon.


UPDATE: April 11th, 2010

I made the Devil's Food Cupcakes R1's housewarming party yesterday and added chiles to the frosting. I considered adding some spice right to the batter, but couldn't quite commit to a level of spiciness. But, adding chiles to the butter-heavy frosting proved to be the right move, and has the added bonus of better control over the final level of heat. The fat of the butter also tempers the raw heat of the cayenne. I aimed for the middle of the road, and added (and I'm guessing here) about a tablespoon of Aleppo pepper and maybe a scant teaspoon of cayenne to the buttercream recipe that La Spicy Vita posted above. The resulting cupcake was addicting, and many in the small party indulged in more than one (or several, as was also the case). Another benefit is that the recipe makes 3 dozen. I know R1 ate one for her breakfast this morning, and I confess that one was also mine.

It is also worth noting that the original recipe from Epicurious uses an almond extract spiked frosting. Chocolate with almond extract is one of my favorite combinations, and no doubt it is worth the 6 (yes, 6!) sticks of butter. Maybe next time, I'll give this one a shot.

Rock - A - Billy, Rockabilly Chili (Contest, that is...)

I thought I was going to be super excited about this year's Rockabilly Chili Contest, held yesterday at the MSOE Kern Center, but I surprised even myself at the extent of my excitement. I was probably equally as excited at getting to hang out a little bit more with Peef and Lo at this event, and also that Jonny Z and Dietrich were both in the DJ booth.

This was the 8th annual fund-raising event for WMSE, and every year I say I want to go and somehow never do. I finally made it there, and I'd say the only bad thing about it is that you can't come close to sampling all of the more than 50 chili's from area restaurants, and that you feel the need for an extra appendage to hold on to chili cups, walk, talk and mingle at the same time.

A coat check would have been a good idea, too. Especially after my theory of starting with the hottest chili I could find, this one from Ball'n Biscuit Catering:

There were a couple of other chili's featuring this Ghost Chile, which I only first heard about from Lo, boasting an unheard of reported 850,000 Scoville heat units. My first bite was really good, I thought the flavors of the chili and the chile were good and I started to think these ghost chiles weren't going to get the best of me. By bite 6, I had tears in my eyes. I walked over to watch Jeff get some Pizza Chili:

and by the time he was served, I was marvelling at how fast those chilies dissipated on my tongue. No more tears, but I still didn't think I felt like trying the other hot hot hot chilis featuring the Ghost Chile.

I opted for Honeypie's rather tame sample, instead.

Then, I mosied over to Hinterland. I've yet to eat at Hinterland, but have heard nothing but great things. One bite of this stuff sealed the deal!

It was delicious, and the best chili there in my opinion. I voted for them, and they came in 1st in the Meat Chili category. It had a sweetness I couldn't put my finger on, and I had to go back and ask them. "Indian spices", they said, and Lo's accomplished palate told her cinnamon, which I couldn't detect until she told me. But then again, I don't always have the best taste identifying abilities. Lo is a professional, and I so greatly enjoyed watching her accurately discover the flavor bases for most of the chili's. (She was also lucky to get to share with her husband, since my Husband had a cold and I didn't want to risk illness - especially when the sun has been out every day for a week!)

We NEED to get this recipe from Hinterland... I will stalk them if necessary.

This veg chili from Riverwest Co-Op was also great, packed with pureed sweet potatoes, pineapple and cilantro. So smooth and tasty, I really could have taken a bath in it. They won best Veggie Chili. They were confident after all, as their "untouchable" sign will tell you.

And I didn't eat the sample from Harley-Davidson's Motor, but loved the hot sauces and vat of cheese display:

There were several other samples I tried, but this last one was probably one of the most memorable: from Roots, the veggie chili had black beans and was garnished with the most amazing avocado "whip". Just equal parts avocado and cream charged in a soda siphon, and whipped into avocado-y heaven. Just the perfect thing to put me over the top.

After years of hearing about it, the Rockabilly Chili Contest lived up to its hype, and my growing anticipations. I can only hope it continues to be a venerable staple in the food events that endear WMSE to me a bit more each year.

Also, be sure to hop over to Peef and Lo's site to check out their take on this event, and head over here to hear the official anthems laid down by Jonny Z and friends... you too will be humming "Rock -a - Billy, rockabilly chili" for the rest of the day, I guarantee it - and that wouldn't be a bad thing either.

(Finally,) A Companion for Beet Pasta: Blue Cheese Sauce

Sometimes, I need a bit of prodding to complete a project. I've had this beet pasta in my deep freeze now since September, in part since I was hoping to share it was someone as passionate about beets as I am. I unearthed a portion for lunch today, and finally completed a sauce worthy of vibrant fuchsia noodles: a blue cheese sauce.

I had this sauce in mind since the noodles were first birthed, but when I ate them originally, I was absolutely contented to eat them with a bit of butter and salt and pepper. Indeed, the blue cheese sauce is "gilding the lily" so to say, since homemade noodles are always worthy of "nakedness" in my book, but sometimes the deep flavor of blue cheese is worth eating on almost anything. The pure beauty of this sauce is that it would also be a welcome addition to salad or roasted broccoli just as easily as it is added to the top of these noodles. A plain, raw carrot would be as fortunate for the introduction as would some fried cheese or spinach salad. The possibilities are endless, and I'm glad the prodding resulted in the concoction!

Blue Cheese Sauce for Beet Pasta

Because this sauce is so easy and mathematically proportional, I am giving you the amounts I made for about a 1/2 cup of sauce. It is easily doubled, tripled or quadrupled - depending on how saucy you like things! Any extra you have won't last for long, once your imagination gets going.

• 2 oz blue cheese (I used Wisconsin's Mindoro Blue Gorgonzola, but any type of strong or mild blue or bleu will do)
• 2 oz half and half
• 1 T. flour
• Kosher salt
• black pepper

Combine and stir half and half and blue cheese in a skillet and heat over low heat until the cheese melts into the milk. When the mixture is nicely warmed and melted, add a tablespoon or so of warm milk/cheese mixture to the tablespoon of flour and stir to make a smooth paste. Whisk the paste into the milk/cheese mixture and turn up the heat a bit until the mixture thickens. Remember that the mixture will also thicken more as it cools. When properly sauce like, turn off the heat and season with salt and pepper. The sauce will have a blue-cheeseish hue, but is cleverly disguised by the vibrancy of the pink noodles. Garnish with toasted, chopped walnuts, and additional crumbled blue cheese if desired.

You may be able to omit the flour if you use a heavy cream instead of half and half, but personally, I always have half and half on hand and need to add heavy cream to the grocery list. The flour roux does thicken the sauce nicely, and the texture is delicious in my opinion.

A pretty posh lunch, I'd say. And the funny thing is that it seems posh, but really takes no time at all, especially when you have the pasta frozen and waiting for you. Not a bad thing to be able to pull out of your sleeve - especially, say, when eagerly anticipating a marmalade canning, food blogger joint project later in the month!

Operation Mascarpone Day 4: Quinoa Granola with Honey Mascarpone

So many happy things happened this week - and not all of them are mascarpone related. Early on, (during one of my new favorite pastimes) in emailing Lo back and forth, she sent me her "non-recipe" for Peanut Butter Granola. This was after I sent her a forwarded email from E. about her revelation for Quinoa Granola, after I posted the recipe for the Spiced Nuts and Seeds. Peanut Butter Granola was way too tempting to resist, so of course I made time to make it on Monday. There is still a little bit left, but then this morning, I had to make another batch of Quinoa Granola, since it too was very intriguing. Both are fantastic! And both would go well with the Day 4 way of using up mascarpone cheese: mixing it with honey and serving it with granola.

Actually, R1 and her slew of Luc-aged children were here for the morning - all playing together well enough that we had adult conversations about such important things as V (the re-made TV series), the Alien Illusions scarf that I finally just gave her, and miscellaneous things that have happened since the last time we chatted. I told her about the mascarone, revelations of Crystal Ball Farms milk, and then we ate cold slivers of crostada from yesterday with that amazing Kenya AA coffee from Alterra. She suggested mixing it with honey, and adding it to the Quinoa Granola, since it was out of the oven and still sitting in plain sight as we were discussing. Of course, it was delicious. And of course, I have a just a bit more honey-mixed mascarpone which will be devoured in exactly the same manner.

Both of these granolas demand your immediate attention! And I hope Lo won't mind that I'm excitedly posting her "non-recipe" without her explicit consent. She also mentioned having made it with almond butter to great effect, and I'm sure any nut or seed butter would work similarly well. I make granola following my method outlined here, but really you can use whichever method you are preferring at the moment.

Thanks, Lo!

Lo's Non-Recipe Peanut Butter Granola

• 2 c. oatmeal (Lo likes steel-cut, which I tried, and LOVED!)
• dash of honey
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 1 t. cinnamon
• 1/2 c. peanut butter
• nuts, seeds, whatever

I guess I changed this up more than I realized as I consult my post-it note. I used:

• 2 c. rolled oats
• 1 c. steel-cut oats
• 1 c. nuts (pecans, walnuts)
• 2 T. honey
• 2 T. agave syrup
• 1 T. oil
• 1/2 c. peanut butter
• handful of leftover coconut from when I made these
• handful of raisins, since Boy-O loves them

However you do it, it is going to be wonderful - and you will not be able to stop eating it. I did heat the honey, syrup and peanut butter in a small skillet to warm up before tossing it into the dried mix. I find it particularly good in milk.

Quinoa granola, ready to go.

E.'s Quinoa Granola

• 6 c. oats
• 2 c. quinoa
• 1 c. sesame seeds
• 2 c. nuts
• 3/4 c. honey
• 3/4 c. oil
  

I changed this one too, as it seems I just cannot help myself. For the half batch I used:

• 3 c. rolled oats
• 1 c. quinoa
• 1/2 c. sesame seeds
• 1 c. nuts (almond, pecan, walnut)
• 6 T. honey
• 1/4 c. olive oil
• pinch of salt

Boy-O had a big bowl of this for lunch, and I am happily reassured of his imminent nutrition due to the complete protein content. My mascarpone week has been fun, and I look forward to making it again. If you are in any way able, I'd urge you to check out Crystal Ball Farms milk products, and make up a batch yourself. I think I'm sold for life. I made some yogurt out of their 2%, and it turned out really well. I don't find them on a proper website, but a simple Google search will turn up many articles on their dairy.

I wonder what I'll be obsessed with next week!