According to the local press, the Malaysian coffee industry is getting creative.

One of the stories in the news recently is the tale of Doris Lam, who has just won a new coffee machine in a competition which will allow her to indulge her passion for latte art.

The world over, latte is no longer just a case of dumping some frothy milk on top of an espresso – these days, there is a whole barista craft of artistic designs which can be inserted into the milk.

On the internet you can find a whole range of designs, from faces to natural images, all worked into the froth on the top of a latte.

It seems that Ms Lam, who won the machine as part of a promotion by The Star Bid & Win promotion, is now looking forward to experimenting and treating her friends and family to her designs of coffee.

She is one of eight people who won as part of the Emerald series.

Other prizes include other goodies such as smartphones, bikes, Xbox Slim and an iPad 2.

Many of the professional baristas have made a true art out of latte decoration.

Some of the international competitions, such as the World Barista Championships, also allow competing baristas to show off their signature drinks.

The coffee market, together with the sophisticated range of coffee blends and forms, is getting more and more of an art form, as consumers with higher and higher requirements and tastes, get into the coffee vibe.

Art and coffee in Malaysia is a post from: Caffe Society Blog This feed and all content © 2010 Caffe Society Ltd

As reported in the local online Ugandan press, there’s a new coffee tree on the block in the region of Rwenzori in Uganda.

Why is this newsworthy you may ask?

The new coffee plant has recently been introduced to the area for a very good reason.

This particular plant has a lot of plus points, when it comes to coffee farming and, hopefully, this is good news for the local farmers and the coffee industry.

So, let’s spill the coffee beans, shall we?

The new coffee variety is the popular arabica coffee plant.

However, this plant is renowned for having a high yield – about twice as much as the older variety.

That’s some 4 kilos per tree, as compared with 2 kilos.

The new strain of arabica coffee plant has other strings to its bow too – it has a resistance to diseases and (important for Africa) also has drought-resistant qualities.

It matures more quickly than the old trees too, so that the yields are made available to farmers and lucky coffee drinkers, earlier.

The older trees took between three and five years to mature but the new arabica tree takes only two years.

The new variety of coffee plant will attract some attention and plans are afoot to make sure that it is taken care of – those districts which have the new tree, will be allocated a nursery operator.

The Ugandan Coffee Development Authority will also give some technical support.

Let’s hope that this new coffee plant brings lots of luck and profit and delicious cups of coffee with it.

Uganda branches out with coffee plants is a post from: Caffe Society Blog This feed and all content © 2010 Caffe Society Ltd

Get a new curator?

Think about refurbishment?

Or perhaps it might be easier to think of another way of encouraging people through the door…. such as the big slice of the population that enjoys a decent cup of coffee.

There has been a story in the news recently on this point exactly.

In Swadlincote in the county of South Derbyshire, a canny Pottery Museum has been busy raising funds to support such a venture.

It is said that after over a year of money-raising, the new facilities are now open for business.

The Sharpe’s Pottery Museum has chosen to open a new coffee shop plus an outdoor play area to attract visitors.

As well as driving tourists into the museum, it is also hoped that the new facilities will also encourage visitors into the town generally to appreciate the treats which are on offer.

The works are also said to be part of an ongoing development in the area – and were part funded by the Derbyshire Economic Partnership and also the Derbyshire County Council.

The new facilities were opened by the local MP, Heather Wheeler.

The chairman of the museum trust has been quoted as commenting positively on the development and has applauded the potential effect of the new coffee shop on the surrounding area.

Coffee, it seems, can really make a difference to the community.

Let’s hope the new café helps the museum venture and local town.

Take a look at their site here

Pottery museum’s coffee shop plans to attract visitors… is a post from: Caffe Society Blog This feed and all content © 2010 Caffe Society Ltd

Think about the exquisite craftsmanship in years gone by in creating miniatures, such as the astonishing array of snuffboxes that can be found gracing many a gallery.

However, one modern day micro-sculptor has come up with a rather fitting and timely sculpture.

This year, as we all know, is the year of the Queen of England’s Diamond Jubilee.

While other patriotic individuals are creating Union Jack designed paraphernalia and other themed trinkets, Willard Wigan has come up with a novel idea.

This sculptor has painstakingly crafted the image of the Queen’s head on to a humble coffee bean.

Extraordinary, no?

The coffee bean measures a teeny weeny 2 millimetres and the work of the micro-sculptor cannot be seen by the naked eye.

Viewers have to use a magnifying glass to appreciate the work of the artist.

How does the sculptor manage to work in such tiny proportions?

He slows his heartbeat and uses the space in between heartbeats to work.

This helps to prevent the sculptor’s hands from trembling or tremoring when he is working.

It took Wigan over four weeks to create this commemoration to the Queen.

The Belfast Telegraph noted this story and also observed that there have been other religious-food related sightings.

For instance, do you remember the news story of the Virgin Mary who seemed to appear in a grilled cheese sandwich?

Or the potato that seemed to reflect the image of Jesus?

Photo: Rex/Orange

Sculpture on a coffee bean is a post from: Caffe Society Blog This feed and all content © 2010 Caffe Society Ltd

The coffee news is abuzz with a new discovery that will put a smile on the face of coffee lovers the world over.

Why?

As well as giving pleasing sensations to the tastebuds, a warming beverage and also a kick of caffeine, it seems that the humble coffee bean has something more to offer its followers.

A study has been carried out recently, which has revealed that those who partake in the caffeine elixir may actually live longer.

Impressed?

Actually, it seems that it does not make any difference whether the coffee is decaffeinated or not.

The study researched findings from some 400,000 people, which is significant in itself and is one of the biggest coffee projects on the topic.

The head researcher at the National Cancer Institute is reported as confirming that there may be a ‘modest benefit’ from drinking coffee.

The study was carried out by the National Institutes of Health and AARP.

There are, of course, many reasons for longevity, but the research project suggested that there was some often some sort of correlation with longer lives and coffee drinking.

Although nothing categoric can be established, it was noticed that even when other factors were taken into account, such as smoking, alcohol consumption, reduced exercise etc, coffee drinkers had a pattern of also having longer lives.

Although further research needs to be carried out, this has the potential to be a fascinating discovery doesn’t it?

What a wonderful idea to think that something we actually enjoy consuming could have such life prolonging properties. Watch this space!

Another reason to drink coffee… is a post from: Caffe Society Blog This feed and all content © 2010 Caffe Society Ltd

Have you noticed the relationship between social and environmental issues and coffee drinking?

There have been plenty around in the news recently.

For instance, the Fair Trade certification is something that many people look out for when they browse the supermarket in search of their coffee.

This is an organisation that takes the agreements made with coffee growers seriously – so that certain criteria need to be in place to get the Fair Trade award, which in turn, helps the farmers of developing countries and their communities.

Another coffee ‘green’ issue: using coffee grounds as a fertiliser.

Some savvy coffee shops are giving away their grounds to be used as compost by green-fingered customers.

A coffee morning was planned in Lincolnshire recently, in the town of Horncastle and the agenda at the occasion focused on green issues.

While sipping on some coffee, visitors could discuss these matters and raise their awareness of them.

The planned topics for discussion?

There will be vegetable seedlings and plants for sale to encourage families to ‘grow their own.’

In addition, Life on the Verge information is to be made available – in essence a wild flower expert will help with the identification of flora.

An expert on energy assessing will also enlighten those who are interested about a new Green Deal, which is to come into play later in the year.

It seems that coffee sometimes acts as something of a catalyst to think about environmental issues and social issues, which surely benefits all of us.

Going Green with Coffee is a post from: Caffe Society Blog This feed and all content © 2010 Caffe Society Ltd

No?

It runs from 5th to 12th May and has been organised by Oxfam in the country.

Of course, both Fair Trade and Oxfam do excellent work to help those in need.

Fair Trade helps to put in place agreements to buy the products of farmers in developing countries, which comply with certain protective criteria (and help the community).

Oxfam is known the world over for its help of those who are in need.

The two organisations have inspired Bret McKenzie so much that he is ‘up for auction,’ as part of the fortnight’s activities.

McKenzie is well known for his appearance in Flight of the Conchords.

He has also won an Academy Award for his songwriting skills in last year’s The Muppets.

However, he is now turning his hand to raising money for worthwhile organisations.

Those who bid the highest at the auction could end up on a date with the much-loved New Zealander.

There is also a guitar, signed by McKenzie and also fellow bandmate Jermaine Clement.

Oxfam’s Biggest Coffee Break and Fair Trade Fortnight gives volunteers the opportunity to host a Coffee Break party – which has the benefit of (a) being a good shindig, (b) raising money, (c) raising awareness of Fair Trade initiatives.

The funds go towards the producers of the products in developing countries.

Fair Trade fund-raising has added attraction is a post from: Caffe Society Blog This feed and all content © 2010 Caffe Society Ltd

Did you realise that there is a competition to discover the world’s best barista?

Annually, this event takes place in a different country around the world.

Last year the World Barista Championship took place in Bogota, Columbia, in South America.

This year it is to take place in Vienna during June 2012.

However, to find out who is to compete in the global competition, each participating country will have its own national competition.

As we approach the next global competition, the baristas in the United Kingdom have been flexing their coffee-making muscles and have been competing against each other to work out who will earn the title of the UK Barista Champion.

The winner has the prize of representing their nation at the world championships….

The news is now out.

The winner of the national competition goes to a barista who is based in the beautiful Georgian city of Bath.

He’s Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood, the co-owner of the coffee shop Colonna and Smalls.

To win the event, Colonna-Dashwood had to prepare twelve drinks – four cappuccinos, four espressos and also four espresso-based signature drinks.

Colonna-Dashwood chose to use Rwandan coffee for his signature dish, with other ingredients including ruby grapefruit and also sparkling water, root liquorice and star anise.

Of course, this is also good news for the Colonna and Small business in Bath.

We wish Colonna-Dashwood well in his performance at the World Championships in Vienna.

Who is the UK representative at the World Barista Championships? is a post from: Caffe Society Blog This feed and all content © 2010 Caffe Society Ltd

Although the weather in the area was miserable and visitors might have been tempted to stay inside and keep warm and dry, there was a good turn out, all things considered.

The charity that was to benefit from the event?

The Bereavement Counselling Charity.

The format for the coffee morning was traditional – homemade cakes aplenty.

Many of the visitors were part of the walking group called Walking for Health, who had especially planned their route to
end at the venue of the coffee morning.

The Bereavement Counselling Charity supports those in the East Hants, Portsmouth and also the Havant areas.

Originally named the Havant Area Bereavement Care Group, the organisation has been going strong since 1989.

The charity does an excellent job and, as it provides services without charging for them, the donations it receives from events such as coffee morning, are welcomed.

The charity provides counsellors who have had special bereavement training and the charity operates in accordance with the British Association of Counselling & Psychotherapy.

If you want to use the services of the Bereavement Counselling Service, you can arrange for adults to be counselled in the comfort of their own homes and younger people can either receive help on a one-to-one basis or also in smaller, group sessions.

The charity has been well-recognised and received the Queens Golden Jubilee Award for Services to the Community back in 2003.

Coffee morning to help local charity is a post from: Caffe Society Blog This feed and all content © 2010 Caffe Society Ltd

It seems that the people of Devon, a stunning county in the south of England, are very proud of the heritage of independent coffee shops, as opposed to chains of coffee outlets.

They are so proud, in fact, that they have decided to hold a festival to support them.

The festival will be a culmination of a period of coffee celebration.

The period will run from 5 May to 20 May. It is no coincidence that these dates tally with the World Fairtrade Day (May 12th).

During this time, the baristas in the area will battle it out between each other to create the best cup of coffee.

The cafes and eateries in Totnes have also agreed to promote coffee and there will be prize draws for rating the quality of coffee at relevant venues.

The café which wins the most votes will be disclosed at the festival.

In addition, at the festival there will be a barista-style competition, with plenty of entertainment at the event, plus various coffee making demonstrations.

It is said that the people in the area were partly motivated to hold this festival because they want to preserve the individuality of the shops and coffee outlets on their high street.

A common criticism of the high streets of Britain this year, is that they have the same selection of chain shops, so that visiting one town is very much like visiting any other.

Hopefully, this coffee festival will help the county of Devon to stand out from the crowd.

Independent coffee shops are celebrated in Devon is a post from: Caffe Society Blog This feed and all content © 2010 Caffe Society Ltd