By Isaac Mell
Drink in the technique of master baristas, and discover your own skill for the craft, in “For the Love of Latte Art” Sat 5/12 at Tri-C Hospitality Management Center. Watch lattes as rosettas, swirls, faces and more form in milk, cream, chocolate and foam.
This competition/celebration/charity fundraiser is the inaugural event for CLE Brews, a new collaboration among Phoenix Coffee Company, Red Cedar Coffee, Caruso’s Coffee, Erie Island Coffee Company and Yelp.com.
Proceeds will provide disaster relief for ASOBAGRI, a Guatemalan coffee co-op devastated by heavy rainfall. The Cafe Femenino Foundation, which grows sustainable communities in developing countries through the success of women-owned coffee farms, will facilitate these donations.
Barista Skill-building Workshops begin at 1pm. Practice “the secrets of velvety milk and perfect espresso.” Then parlay your talents into the head-to-head Latte Art Throwdown. Registration starts at 3:30pm for the 4pm competition. The more quickly made, aesthetically pleasing, color-infused, creatively daring brew will advance. Coffee Fest sends its president, David Heilbrunn, from Seattle to Cleveland to help score the competitors. Spectators will bid to win the victorious cups. Grand prize is a Nuova Simonelli Musica espresso machine and a spot in Coffee Fest Seattle’s Latte Art Competition.
Tickets cost $5 for audience members, $10 for competing baristas and $20 for workshop attendees. T-shirts, beer tickets and other freebies are also offered.
So give thanks to the hands that bring you your latte—from bean farmers to coffee companies to artisan baristas—and take a grateful sip.
To purchase tickets and learn more, visit CleBrews.org.
Isaac Mell grew up in South Euclid, OH and attended American Jewish University in Los Angeles. He welcomes conversations with potential employers, collaborators and friends.
Cleveland, OH 44114
One Response to “‘For the Love of Latte Art’ Offers Thrills of Coffee Culture”
Sarah Wilson-Jones
We have almost filled up the event in terms of competitors and participants in the workshops! So if you want to register, do so soon before we are full!