Barista Champion Crowned; Winner Hails From Washington

The Specialty Coffee Association of America's 2005 United States Barista Championship, Hosted by Krups, Reveals Best in the Nation

SEATTLE, March 14 /PRNewswire/ -- She grinded and tamped her way to the top. She's the 2005 United States Barista Champion, Phuong Tran of Lava Java in Ridgefield, Wash. Tran competed against 40 other master baristas in the Specialty Coffee Association of America's 2005 United States Barista Championship (USBC), hosted by Krups. The intense four-day competition began March 10 in Seattle with 41 competitors and concluded March 13 with six finalists, all vying for the championship title. The U.S. Barista Championship encourages and recognizes professional achievement in the art and skill of espresso beverage preparation and service. SCAA is the world's largest coffee trade association with over 3,000 member companies from over 40 countries. Krups is a leading manufacturer of premium home espresso and coffee machines.

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Jihad Against Starbucks

By Carol Gould
FrontPageMagazine.com | March 11, 2005

Recently an advisory was sent to one of the writers for “Current Viewpoint” from the Friends of al-Aqsa, a group based in Great Britain whose purpose is to promote the Palestinian cause. The advisory announces with considerable fanfare that the charity Oxfam has terminated its relations with Starbucks.

Explaining that the Islamic Human Rights Commission and Innovative Minds (a group supported by Friends of al Aqsa), the Palestinian Return Centre, the Muslim Association of Britain and the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign have been in meetings with Oxfam, it emerges that the campaign’s target is “pro-Zionist multinational chain Starbucks.” That is news to us. So, all those Frappuccinos we have been guzzling here at Current Viewpoint are in some way supporting rampaging settlers and angry rabbis?

The document from Friends of al Aqsa says the organisations listed above had expressed their concerns to Oxfam regarding its one-year contract with Starbucks. According to the narrative, Starbucks had agreed to contribute ‘100,000’ (a currency is not specified) to Oxfam’s rural development programme in the East Harare coffee growing region of Ethiopia. We are instructed at this stage of the document to read background material.

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Making cup of coffee is just one use for grounds

INSIDE OUT: Making cup of coffee is just one use for grounds

JANN MALONE
POINT OF VIEW

In my mind, the only connection between coffee and the garden involves carrying my morning cup outside to drink while I wander around the yard.

It never occurred to me to carry the coffee grounds from that morning cup outside with me and dump them in the garden.

But, percolating in the back of that same mind was the memory of a colleague who used to collect the newsroom's used coffee grounds, which, as you might suspect, were and still are plentiful.

I always assumed he used them in his garden, but, since you never know, I asked him.

Yes, he said, that's where all those coffee grounds went. In fact, he still tosses them on his azaleas, because he read that worms and acid-loving plants like them. He's not sure, though, that the practice has made any difference.

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SCAA Barista Championship

The Specialty Coffee Association of America's 2005 United States Barista Championship, Hosted by Krups, Heats Up March 10-13 in Seattle

Baristas Battle It Out on Espresso Machine for U.S. Championship Title

In the quest for the perfect cup of coffee, masters of the espresso machine will compete in the Specialty Coffee Association of America's 2005 United States Barista Championship (USBC), hosted by Krups, a leading manufacturer of premium home espresso and coffee machines. Round One of the intense four-day competition begins March
10 in Seattle. The event concludes with a final round featuring the top
baristas in the nation, followed by a championship crowning, both on March 13.
The U.S. Barista Championship encourages and recognizes professional
achievement in the art and skill of espresso beverage preparation and service.
SCAA is the world's largest coffee trade association with over 3,000 member
companies from over 40 countries. Krups, a global leader in home espresso,
returns for its second year as title sponsor of the event.

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