Dean & Deluca St. Helena
In early Fall of 2009 Peter Giulliano and I travelled to Napa Valley to introduce Dean & Deluca St. Helena to Counter Culture Coffee. The introduction included information about our company, the coffees we buy and the producers who grow the coffee. It was an amazing trip through rolling hills of vineyard after vineyard, but the truly amazing part of the trip was the warmest welcome and hospitality of the Dean & Deluca staff. Their enthusiasm for coffee and coffee quality made my job so easy. In addition to the introduction, I trained the staff on a new La Marzocco GB5 and Mazzer Robur which we installed in their cafe. Many of the baristas were not accustomed to manual espresso machines, so my main objective was to help them become more comfortable with the equipment and be able to trouble shoot anything that would inhibit quality espresso based beverages.
They learned quick and out of all the baristas that I trained there, one stood out above all the rest.
Let me tell you a little about my friend Rocio Mejia. Rocio has the biggest heart and dedicates 110% of herself to whatever she does. She was a fast learner with the new equipment and never once backed down from any challenge Peter and I threw at her. She always greets you with a smile and sometimes lunch.
Rocio and Peter G.
At the end of my week in wine country, we discussed latte art and I demonstrated rosettas and hearts. I carefully explained milk chemistry and the importance of properly texturized milk for latte art (sexyfoam). Rocio struggled but managed to pull off a small heart in the cup. (I wish I still had my old phone, I would upload the picture.)
For the weeks to come, I would recieve email after email with questions about latte art, coffee, milk and soon afterwards pictures of latte art that would amaze the most seasoned latte art veteran.
Fast forward a couple months and we find the purveyor of fine foods and wines holding a nationwide in-house latte art competition. Dean & Deluca baristas from all over the US submitted pictures of their best latte art for a panel of D&D judges to decide which 6 baristas would travel to NYC for fianls. Not only did two of the baristas I trained at the Kansa City D&D made it but Rocio also made it into finals. So I flew to NYC to surprise them with a visit and support from an old coach.
The air was thick with anticipation, nerves and excitement. As the New York Times D&D rapidly filled to a standing capacity only, the baristas began to practice and pour for what would be an historical event for Dean & Deluca; the very first D&D latte art competition. There was some serious competition creating hearts, rosettas, double hearts and they kept coming and coming. I would have not wanted to be a judge. Whew!
…and the winner is: Rocio Mejia! Congrats Rocio, I knew you had it in you.
Enjoy the pictures:
The 
I find it amazing how so many baristas come out to support each other, compete against each other, brag about their shops, share photos of lattte art and above all travel to Raleigh, Durham and this month, Cary, to be a part of a growing community building event. La Farm Bakery hosted January’s Latte Art Throwdown and the numbers were high. 15 baristas from all over the triangle area signed up. The level of talent made the judging a bit of a challenge, but after a tie-breaking “throw-off”, “throw-up”, sudden death match between two co-workers from Cafe Driade, Michael emerged as the champ winning with a beautiful tulip design.
(Raleigh – For Immediate Release) The North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association (NCRLA), the trade association representing the state’s $17.5 billion restaurant and lodging industries, awarded its prestigious Restaurateur of the Year award to Sara Foster, owner of Foster’s Market in Chapel Hill and Durham, North Carolina. Foster will receive her award at the first annual Taste of North Carolina, which will be held on February 8, 2010, at the Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club of Durham, NC from 6-9pm.
Another year of intense throwdowns are ahead and this month is no different. La Farm Bakery in Cary, NC will host this month’s Latte Art Throwdown, Smackdown, Milkdown or whatever you call it in your shop or city, you just have to be there! Will we have a new winner or will one of the past winners sweep Cary, NC as well? Who knows, you can never tell at one of these events. 
I am a huge fan of the Shrimp BLT with havarti, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and mayo on toasted sourdough. Pair the sandwich with the Parker & Otis House Blend and you have a winning combination. Well balanced, the coffee has a smoky chocolate and nutty finish which compliments the toasted sourdough nicely. The tomatoes in the BLT bring out some of the muted brightness of the blend carrying the mellow brightness into the smooth aftertaste that, combined with the shrimp flavor, pleasantly lingers all the way back to my desk where I long for one more bite. We are talking about an explosion of savory notes that dazzle the palate, but you don’t have to take my word for it ….
