Coffee snobs in for a treat
Award-winning barista and NZ Barista Championship judge, Andrew Feldon, is visiting the Bay of Plenty to share his passion for coffee and provide a free latte art demonstration for coffee lovers.
Feldon who is head barista at award-winning Hawthorne Coffee Roasters, Hawkes Bay, will take over the kitchen of the new Classic Builders show home in Golden Sands, Papamoa, transforming it into a temporary barista training café.
“As well as making free coffee for visitors, I’m looking forward to sharing my top coffee making tips, answering questions about coffee machines and helping people discover the taste of great coffee – all while they have fun learning the skill of latte art,” says Feldon.
He says people often have a nice coffee machine sitting on their kitchen bench but don’t know how to get the best out of it.
“Making good coffee requires a combination of learning about coffee as well as the correct use of equipment.
“There’s a specific way of setting a grinder and ensuring using the right amount of coffee every time to get consistent results. People often struggle with steaming milk,” says Feldon.
Feldon began his barista career 10 years ago, working from a small coffee cart on the side of the road in Otaki, one hour north of Wellington. It was then he discovered there is much more to the coffee industry than he gave credit for.
“The coffee cart job was meant to be temporary. I loved coffee, but the more I learned about it, the less I realised I knew and my curiosity grew. So, I got involved in industry events to learn more about the craft. Eventually, I the opportunity to operate my own cart presented itself so I took it and from there I learned a lot about small business.”
In addition to Feldon’s responsibilities as head barista, trainer and judge, he recently launched his own coffee training company, Mouthwater Coffee.
“The idea started when I noticed the number of people who go out and buy pretty cool coffee gear, but weren’t entirely sure how to get the best out of it. What I aim to do, is go into their home with some nice fresh coffee and help them get the best on their machine and equipment,” he says.
Feldon will be demonstrating latte art at Classic Builders show home, 63 Golden Sands, Papamoa, on Sunday 28 September 2014, from 12 to 3pm.
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