Coffee connoisseur set to steam ahead (From Swindon Advertiser)

Coffee connoisseur set to steam ahead

11:00am Friday 10th February 2012 in Local By Scott D'Arcy

A COFFEE fanatic was hoping to brew up a storm in a competition to find the best barista.

Coffee connoisseur Barry Cook, the owner of Café Licious, in Havelock Square, was due to go head-to-head with the south west’s best cafes yesterday in the regional heat of the UK Barista Championships.

The competition aims to find the best coffee maker – or barista – in the country.

The south west heat, held in Exeter, saw 15 baristas challenged to make four espressos, four cappuccinos and four signature drinks in just 15 minutes.

Barry’s signature drink is a ristretto-based piccolo-inspired creation using steamed milk, crème brulee syrup and vanilla flavoured whipped cream.

And to add another facet to Barry’s signature drink, he has made sure that it boasts the lowest food miles possible – with the milk coming from a local farm, the coffee having been roasted just over the county border in Tetbury and the syrups from a Malmesbury company.

“There was a high calibre of competitors at this year’s competition.

“But after attending last year as a spectator, I was inspired to enter as there is a great atmosphere and level of camaraderie,” said Barry.

“For me, entering this competition is more about the experience, learning and what I can take away from it in order to improve Café Licious and introduce Swindon to the best quality coffee made the way it should be – as well as new recipes and drinks that you don’t often find outside the big cities.”

Barry was due to be marked on the consistency of his drinks, the taste balance, his knowledge and technique.

He took with him the Café Licious special blend of coffee, made of four different types of bean, as well as his lucky charm, an engraved coffee tamper from his wife Mandy.

If he has made the cut, Barry could be representing the region at the UK finals in April – and then compete internationally at the World Championships, in Vienna, in June.

To keep up to date with Café Licious’ progress at the UK Barista Championships, follow them on Twitter @_cafelicious or search for the hashtag #ukbcht2.