London Coffee Festival 2015

Thursday I was working at the London Coffee Festival for Starbucks. And all I can say is wow! It was such an amazing day and it was great to be apart of it. I worked on the Thursday during the trade event, in which I arrived early to view the rest of the show and get a few freebie samples. 

Even though I saw plans for the Starbucks stand I never expected it to be how it turned out. It was brilliant and really stood out from a lot of the other stands in the show. The stand was inspired by the new Starbucks Roastery that just opened in Seattle last year. 

There was different 'stations' on the Starbucks stand were guests could try samples of new Starbucks coffee innervation, having a chance at creating latte art and even getting a free 50g bag of our specialty reserve coffee particularly the No 11 reserve blend that can only be brought in the states. I will try and do a blog post on this blend soon. But I wish I could buy a bag myself as it was lovely and very sweet. 

I began working on the Cold Brew station, which is a simple iced cold coffee but brewed in a different way. We used the Colombia Montebonito which is a medium roast coffee from Latin America. Grown on the steep mountainsides of the Andean mountain this particular coffee has a unique complexity, floral undertones and a distinctive character. The brewing of this coffee via Cold Brew method brings out the distinctive flavours of the bittersweet chocolate with the herbal undertones of the coffee bean.You can compliment the cold brew with milk or a demura sugar syrup but I think it was perfect on its own. 

I was mostly on the cold brew station but I got a chance to try everything including the new coffee machine we brought in for the event. I had so much fun at this event and met a lot of new people, I would definitely consider doing it again next year. 

Easter Sunday with Mother

I planned to post this a while ago but did not get round to it. Every Easter my mum comes up for the weekend and Easter Sunday we have a slightly unusual tradition; Camden Town. Every year since I was around 14-15 we have been going to Camden at this time of the year (as well as summer). As usual the sunshine was out it was nice and warm with a slight chill in the air but I was easily able to not to wear a coat/jacket. It was unusually busy for this year but nothing me and my mother could not handle!

Before we even got to our usual places in Camden we came across the Mad Hatter along our travels!

He was very fun and something a little different and unusual to find in Camden. We continued the journey along to the food area to plan our meal for lunch time and along the way decided to have a fruit skewer covered in chocolate! Well more like I decided!

We stopped in my usual favorite shop Collectif in which I purchased 4 items all pre-birthday money spending so fingers crossed I get enough next week. I will have to take a picture of my amazing outfit on my birthday as I will have to wait till then for them. We both decided for our lunch to share an Indian wrap which I do not have a picture of but it was very yummy! Before I forget here is some latte art I did for some customers at work over the Easter period.

Because I don't really do Easter HAPPY SPRING TIME!  

Latte Art

Working at a Coffee Shop I get to practice a lot of latte art on customers drinks. I have worked for Starbucks for over a year and half and I worked in a previous independent coffee shop for just over a year so I have had plenty of practice but it is only recently that I have got back into it.
I did a competition at the beginning of last year in which I was trying to perfect a swan. This isn't my best one but you get the idea.

I like it but the milk is not right. Too much foam

Because the competition will fingers crossed be coming up again I have been constantly practicing to get the perfect latte milk, the creamy flat white milk along with a frothy cappuccino. The lat couple of days I have seen some of my best ones.

Heart (sorry about the shadow)

Leaf

Leaf finished with a heart

The last one has to be my favorite that I have done so far and this was done on a hot chocolate. If anyone was wondering I taught myself how to do all the latte art I have done and I have found a variety of you tubes videos have helped with this along with seeking some inspiration from pinterest. Just look at these amazing Japanese ones wish I could do that!

I will continue my progress with the latte art and will keep you all updated if I enter the competition again or not this year. Fingers crossed I will get to go to Regional as I couldn't last year even if I did win my district.