Blue Bottle Coffee enters SEA via Singapore

Source: Blue Bottle Coffee. The gift shop.

Blue Bottle Coffee has debuted in Southeast Asia at the LUMINE Singapore global flagship store in Raffles City Shopping Center with a gift shop and exhibition that will lead in to a broader Blue Bottle Coffee experience in future.

The gift shop will spotlight Blue Bottle’s instant craft coffee and premium matcha offerings, including the craft instant espresso (S$24), the New Orleans-style craft instant coffee blend (S$24), and ceremonial-grade craft matcha ($51) from Uji, Japan. A variety of drinkware and accessories for enjoying Blue Bottle’s instant coffee and matcha will also be available for purchase, including an exclusive Singapore tote bag (S$39).

The gift shop will feature an exhibition that chronicles Blue Bottle Coffee’s journey over the past 20 years, showing how the brand has been shaped by its California roots and Japanese influences as well as its commitment to innovation.

The exhibition features three unique brewing tools — Oji, Syphon and the Nel Drip. The Oji water dripper, originating from Tokyo, produces a heavy body and layered, complex cup, often compared to an alcoholic spirit, through a slow, meticulously-timed drip. 

The Syphon, crafted by HARIO, requires precision and heat manipulation to deliver a rounded cup with an intricate flavour profile. The Nel Drip also by HARIO, is closely associated to traditional Japanese kissaten (喫茶店, a tea-room which also serves coffee) culture, offering a rich cup profile through its slow-drip method and high coffee-to-water ratio. 

In the coming months, visitors can look forward to holiday merchandise, as well as workshops and educational coffee sessions within the Blue Bottle Coffee space.

De’Longhi launches La Specialista Prestigio premium pump espresso coffee machine

Source: De’Longhi. De’Longhi has launched the Perfetto international campaign directed by Damien Chazelle and starring Brad Pitt in conjunction with the arrival of its new La Specialista Prestigio espresso coffee machine. The campaign offers viewers to a glimpse of 'a day-in-the-life' of Pitt, featuring a 'perfetto' world where pressing a button yields the ultimate bean-to-cup experience. View the campaign on YouTube.

De’Longhi's latest premium pump espresso coffee machine, La Specialista Prestigio, provides consumers with more luxury, craft coffee machine options, along with new and enhanced features. It is aimed at the segment of the manual coffee drinking market that enjoys the hands-on experience of making a coffee and want a machine that can support them throughout that process.

Collaborating with coffee scientists, De'Longhi's research and development teams invested thousands of hours finetuning La Specialista Prestigio to produce a machine that combines the science of coffee-making with a barista's craftsmanship.

“With innovative technology that is unique to De’Longhi, including the Sensor Grinding Technology and Smart Tamping Station, making the perfect brew has become simpler, without removing the hands-on experience coffee connoisseurs appreciate with a manual machine,” said Poh Hwee Hian, MD, De’Longhi Singapore & Malaysia.

La Specialista Prestigio features include:

Sensor Grinding Technology that calibrates coffee beans with engineered precision, while the Smart Tamping Station delivers optimal pressure.

Eight grinding levels to provide precision control and grinding variability. Level 1 provides the finest grind setting, and level 8 the coarsest. Because of each blend of coffee beans' uniqueness, grind settings have been created to maximise the aroma of the coffee beans chosen.

There are three infusion temperature settings, between 90° and 96°C, to accommodate different coffee bean varieties. Throughout the brewing process, the water temperature is precisely controlled, ensuring temperature stability and extraction consistency. The temperature profiles are engineered to bring out the full flavour of the beans.

With an innovative tamping lever, the Smart Tamping Station offers consistent tamping pressure and avoids the mess of coffee grounds on the kitchen bench. The lever tamps the dose with the right pressure inside the machine.

Dynamic Pre-Infusion improves coffee extraction by adapting the pre-infusion length to the density of the coffee dose. This process ensures an evenly-distributed cover of water across the surface area of the coffee grounds. This contributes to the perfect extraction.

La Specialista Prestigio's My LatteArt steam wand provides a creative outlet for coffee lovers. Users can create micro foam and craft their own latte art.

A dedicated heating system for milk preparation also ensures great steam performances.

For those who are looking for simplicity, La Specialista Prestigio comes with three one-touch coffee recipes: espresso, coffee and Americano/long black.

Explore:

La Specialista Prestigio is available at the De’Longhi Online Store and in major consumer and electronics stores in Singapore at a recommended retail price of S$1,599.

Dimensions (W x D x H) with bean container	380 mm x 370 mm x 445 mm
Dimensions (W x D x H) with packaging	445 mm x 460 mm x 540 mm
Weight	13.5 kg
Weight with packaging	18 kg
Power	1,450 W
Rated voltage/Frequency (V~Hz)	220/240~50-60
Pump pressure	19 bar
Max cup height	82–120 mm

 

Heritage-driven coffee consumer festival to begin in Singapore

Source: La Kopi.

The inaugural heritage-driven coffee consumer festival, La Kopi 2019, is designed to be a fun-filled weekend that raises awareness and appreciation of Singapore coffee and bakeries, with the support of its host, the Singapore Coffee Association.

The one-of-a-kind coffee festival will be held at Singapore Expo Hall from 25 January to 27 January 2019 and occupies 4,000 sq m with almost 70 vendors. There will be booths hailing from Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia and Hong Kong.


Aside from promoting a sense of belonging and togetherness, La Kopi also seeks to educate people about the origins of different coffees and the industry as a whole through events and competitions.

First Live Barista Competition @ Coffee Festival

La Kopi will be the first local coffee consumer festival to host a live barista competition sanctioned by the World Coffee Events. Skill and talent will be showcased at the annual Singapore National Barista Championship 2019 and Singapore National Brewers Cup 2019.

The 2018 Japan Aeropress Champion who will be at the show with Homeground Coffee Roasters. The Cupping Room HK @cuppingroomhk will also make an appearance.

Activities

Classic games like marbles, hopscotch, five stones will be available together with coffee cupping. There are also workshops such as block printing on tote bags with WithAutumn, silk screen printing and coffee cup silk screening.

Participants can also collect “beans” via the La Kopi app during the event to qualify for daily lucky draws and the grand lucky draw. Prizes include a return ticket to Milan, Italy worth S$3,000 and an OTO WELLNESS Massage Chair worth S$2,980.

Educational Zone 

At the Educational Zone, attendees can expect to participate in an origami dripper demo by Trunk Coffee Japan, Japan pour-over coffee demo by Hoshikuwa, Japan Coffee Cupping and Sharing, as well as a keynote session from the founder of social enterprise and cafe, The Caffeine Experience.

Details:

Opening hours:

25 January - 12 pm to 9 pm
26 January - 11 am to 9 pm
27 January - 11 am to 7 pm

Venue: Singapore Expo Hall 5B 1 Expo Dr, Singapore 486150

BODUM has a September promotion for coffee makers and toasters

BODUM has a September promotion in Singapore: a free BODUM Toaster with every purchase of a BODUM ePEBO Vacuum Coffee Maker, or 15% off BODUM Toasters.

Source: BODUM. The ePEBO coffee maker.

Buyers can choose from:

- A free BODUM toaster worth S$99 with every purchase of a BODUM ePEBO Vacuum Coffee Maker at S$369, or

- Opt for 15% off BODUM toasters. They pay S$84.15, against the usual price of S$99.

Details:

The promotion is on till 30 September 2018 in Singapore at:

- Metro Centrepoint

- Tangs Orchard

- Tangs VivoCity

- Robinsons Raffles City

- Robinsons Heeren

- Robinsons Jem

Allspice Institute creates Cafédirect-inspired recipes

The chefs at Allspice Institute who were involved in creating coffee-based recipes with Cafédirect coffee blends. 

Cafédirect, the UK drinks company, presented a number of coffee-based recipes created by the Allspice Institute, a heritage culinary and cooking school, when it launched new packaging for its Smooth, Lively and Intense Roast Coffees.

Chef Sakthi adding coffee grounds to the saucepan ahead of
smoking the cooked chicken for coffee smoked tandoori
chicken.

At the launch event, Chef Sakthivel Karuppiah, COO, Allspice, used coffee in two ways to prepare coffee smoked tandoori chicken. It would have been three ways, he said, but he had wanted to include coffee to make yoghurt instead of mixing coffee with yoghurt, and failed. It turns out that coffee mixed with milk will simply not turn into yoghurt, likely because the acid levels are too high in the first place.

Chef Sakthi's chicken for the dish is marinated in coffee and so tender he recommended that the audience use coffee to marinate chicken from now on. He also demonstrated how to recycle spent coffee grounds to smoke meat using a saucepan and some water.

Some of the recipes created by Allspice are below:

Silent screamer (beverage)

Source: Mileage Communications. Silent Screamer.

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Serves three

INGREDIENTS:

3 single shots of brewed Cafédirect Lively Roast Coffee. A single shot typically uses 7g of powder to 30ml of liquid
2 tbsp natural coconut oil
360 ml skimmed milk
1½ tbsp maple syrup
¼ tsp cinnamon powder
¼ tsp vanilla extract

METHOD:

1. Combine brewed Cafédirect Lively Roast Coffee, coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract in a jug and mix well.

2. In a medium-sized saucepan, heat the milk over low-medium heat until the milk reaches 60-70^o C.

3. Transfer the hot milk into a jug then back into the saucepan, then back again a few times to make sure it is thoroughly mixed and aerated.

4. Pour the mixture into three serving cups. Sprinkle with cinnamon powder and serve warm.

Coffee smoked tandoori chicken (savoury)

Source: Mileage Communications. Coffee smoked tandoori chicken, served with a mint sauce.

Preparation time: 4 hours
Cooking time: 10–12 minutes
Serves three

INGREDIENTS:

130g chicken, cut into cubes, with enough skewers to hold them for cooking and serving

A double shot of Cafédirect Lively Roast Coffee. Double shots are made with about 14g of coffee and about 60ml of liquid

Pinch of yuzu salt

For marinating:

50 ml thick yogurt. Yoghurt can be thickened by straining it through cloth.
½ tsp ground allspice
¼ tsp ground smoked paprika
½ tsp Himalayan salt
1/8 tsp ground white pepper

For smoking:

1 tbsp used/fresh coffee grounds
Cardamom

METHOD:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine chicken and coffee; mix well. Cover and place it in the refrigerator for about 1 hour to marinade. The chicken should ideally be marinated for two to three hours, or even overnight.

2. In another flat plate or bowl, mix the marinade ingredients to form a smooth paste.

3. After an hour in the fridge, remove the chicken from the coffee, and pat the meat dry with a kitchen towel 

4. Place the chicken onto the marinade paste and ensure the paste coats the chicken well.

5. Cover the chicken with wrap and put it back into the refrigerator for about three to four hours.

6. Remove from the fridge and arrange the chicken on the skewers to pan fry or grill in the oven.

7. Place the coffee grounds and some cardamom `in a large flat saucepan or frying pan that has a lid. Cook covered over high heat for two minutes. Add a splash of water, then place the cooked chicken in a heat-proof bowl or plate into the pan. Cover the pan. Turn off the heat and leave it to sit for two minutes.

8. Serve warm, sprinkled with yuzu salt.

Coffee Religieuse

Coffee Religieuse (dessert)

Preparation time: 45 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Makes 12 pieces

INGREDIENTS:

Icing sugar for garnishing

For Cafédirect Smooth Roast pastry cream

1 litre milk
1 vanilla pod
125g sugar
240g egg yolk
80g custard powder
30g Cafédirect Smooth Roast Coffee

METHOD:

1. Heat the milk with the split vanilla pod and sugar and once it is boiling, turn off the heat.

2. Add the coffee and leave it to infuse in a covered pot for 10 minutes.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk* the sugar and egg yolk, mix in the custard powder.

4. Pour in the hot coffee-infused milk and mix briskly.

5. Strain it through a fine sieve and decant into a saucepan. Bring to a boil, whisking continuously. Cook for 1 minute.

6. Pour the coffee pastry cream onto a tray covered in food wrap, then cover the pastry cream with another layer of cling wrap. The wrap should be touching the surface of the cream.

7. Place the cream in the chiller to cool down.

INGREDIENTS:

For pâte à choux dough (choux pastry)

220g milk
220g water
4g salt
8g sugar
180g butter
220g flour
400g eggs

METHOD:

1. Boil milk, salt, sugar and butter.

2. Sift the flour and spoon it into the boiling liquid, stirring with a whisk.

3. Dry out the dough to obtain a panade (paste-like consistency).

4. Transfer the panade into a container, then gradually fold in the beaten eggs using a whisk.

5. Add a little boiling milk if needed, depending on the dough consistency**.

6. Pipe spheres onto baking sheet and bake in preheated oven at 200^oC for 30 to 35 minutes.

ASSEMBLY:

1. Turn each choux bun upside down, make a small hole in the base and pipe in the coffee pastry cream.

2. Dust with icing powder.

Description for the Smooth Roast Coffee from Cafédirect.

Cafédirect also demonstrated its own recipe for a frappé:

Frappé (beverage)

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Serves one

INGREDIENTS:

2 tsp Cafédirect Instant Freeze-dried Coffee
2-4 tsp of sugar to taste
Ice cubes
100ml cold water
100ml to 150ml of fresh milk

METHOD:

1. Place the instant coffee, water, and sugar into a shaker

2. Shake vigorously until a light-coloured froth has been created

3. Pour into a glass of ice cubes. Top up with fresh milk.

4. Stir well and enjoy.

Explore:

Read about Cafédirect coffee and try the recipe for coffee damier cake in this WorkSmart Asia blog post

In Singapore, Cafédirect coffee packs are available at Cold Storage, Fairprice Finest, Fairprice Xtra, Jasons, Market Place and Redmart at S$8.70 per 227g pack.

*Use an electric mixer to whisk.

**The Leiths School of Food and Wine says in a blog post that the right consistency for choux pastry is when a wooden spoonful of the pastry can fall into a container "to the slow count of six". The Flavor Bender blog covers mistakes made with choux pastry.

Cafédirect presents premium-grade coffee blends in new packaging

Source: Cafédirect. The Intense Roast Coffee from Cafédirect, presented in the new packaging.

Cafédirect, the UK drinks company, has introduced its Smooth, Lively and Intense Roast Coffees in all-new packaging.

The coffees are carefully formulated by Cafédirect’s own Q-graders (coffee experts) to express the full-bodied taste of the beans and bring out specific notes. Q grading ensures consistency in the way coffee is graded, and Q graders for coffee are analogous to sommeliers for wines.

“The exciting thing about creating these blends is that we are able to choose coffees that complement each other. Blending different varieties and regions together not only allows Cafédirect to tailor the coffee to a particular taste profile but also provides you with a consistent cup of coffee,” said Georgios Kokkalis, Q Grader and Production Manager, Cafédirect UK.

Three coffee blends were presented by Cafédirect at the Allspice Institute, a heritage culinary and cooking school:

Cafédirect Smooth Roast (strength 3)

This smooth 100% Arabica coffee is a "people pleaser", a blend of Central and South American coffee beans. There is a milk chocolate aroma with natural peanut, brown sugar and gingerbread flavours. It was the first Cafédirect coffee to get the Fairtrade label.

Cafédirect Lively Roast (strength 4)

The perfect balance of body from the Arabica and strength from the Robusta coffee beans, Cafédirect Lively Roast is a skilful blend of Latin American and African beans. It bears a caramel popcorn aroma with hints of tamarind-like and dried orange flavours, perfect for coffee lovers who enjoy a full-bodied brew that provides a creamy mouthfeel.

Cafédirect Intense Roast (strength 5)

Cafédirect Intense Roast is a superior blend of African and Latin American beans, balancing rich coffee flavours with a rounded toffee finish and a mint chocolate aroma. Strong and heavy bodied, this blend of Arabica and Robusta beans imparts the natural flavours of liquorice and tobacco. Kokkalis recommended that this blend be served with sugar and milk.

The table setting ahead of the coffee tasting session. Formally, coffee tasting is called "cupping".

Source: Cafédirect. Georgios Kokkalis, Q-Grader and Product Manager, Cafédirect UK showing how perfect coffee can be made simply by using Cafédirect Smooth Roast in a plunger/cafetierre.

Kokkalis conducted a coffee tasting session for the three blends at the launch of the new packaging. Of the three, with the Intense Roast turned out to be my favourite in terms of aroma and flavour. As an irregular coffee drinker, I assumed a lower-strength coffee would be more to my taste. Lighter roasts, with lower strength ratings, have less intense flavours.

Cafédirect further demonstrated the spectrum of taste profiles of the three blended roast and ground coffees, through a spread of dishes made with coffee. The company invited chefs from Allspice Institute to recreate both savoury and sweet recipes:

Kopi udang (coffee prawns; savoury), which many said was delicious.

Chicken lollipop with coffee sauce (savoury)

Coffee smoked tandoori chicken (savoury)

Coffee religieuse (dessert)

Coffee Damier cake ("damier" means "checkerboard pattern" in French, and the cake when sliced has a checkerboard pattern inside; dessert), another crowd pleaser.

Silent screamer (drink), so called because it will have drinkers screaming in silent delight. The recipe is a twist on traditional coffee tarik with coconut milk and cinnamon added. This was a crowd favourite.

The spread also included coffee-flavoured chendol ice cream and coffee-flavoured hoon kueh, a Peranakan dessert of steamed green bean flour typically mixed with another ingredient, such as corn, and served wrapped in a banana leaf.

Coffee chendol popsicles, with coffee religieuse nibbles to the left and coffee hoon kueh in between. 

Cafédirect’s coffee beans are responsibly grown so that the quality of each coffee bean is at its natural best and a stellar taste profile is retained and delivered freshly ground, directly to consumers. From bean to cup, Cafédirect’s mantra is "100% Fairtrade".

The company's coffee has a premium price as it invests in making sure growers are able to grow coffee sustainably and maintain a better qualify of life. "It was about having that direct relationship with coffee growers from the start," said Olivia Minter, Export Manager, Cafédirect UK.

She shared that to date, Cafédirect has directly given over 50% of its profits to 280,000 growers represented by 39 partner grower organisations across 12 countries. In 2017 alone, it has paid £500,000 to the Fairtrade Foundation. On top of the Fairtrade Premium, Cafédirect also pays 36% above the Fairtrade minimum for Organic Premiums, and 46% over the Fairtrade minimum for Quality Premiums.

“Cafédirect integrates environment and social strategies into our overall business strategy. Social targets for 2020 include projects that will impact 1.5 million farmers of which 50% are women and 40% are youth. The approach will support the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals to improve food security, climate resilience and decrease poverty. We hope to achieve 100% increase in incomes for the farmers and 70% farmer confidence to combat climate change,” she said.

In working directly with charity partner Producers Direct, Cafédirect has impacted 600,000 farmers and their families since 2009. Producers Direct delivers services by farmers for farmers. The services help producers build resilience to market forces through training, pooled knowledge, access to finance and data for better decision-making. Today, the smallholder farmers have enjoyed a 50% increase in income, and 90% of farmers have witnessed an increase in crop quality and yields.

Explore:

Damier cake slices at the buffet.

Recipe for coffee damier cake, created by the Allspice Institute for Cafédirect

Preparation time: 60 mins
Cooking time: 30 mins
Serves: six to 12 

INGREDIENTS part 1:

Chocolate Genoa sponge

600g marzipan (50% finely ground almonds)
420g eggs
50g plain flour
50g corn starch
70g cocoa powder
160g egg white
180g melted butter

METHOD:

1. Mix marzipan with whole eggs

2. Fold with the flour and starch

3. Fold in the melted butter, followed by the cocoa powder mixed with the egg white. 

Leave aside until the coffee Genoa sponge is ready.

INGREDIENTS part 2:

Coffee Genoa sponge

600g marzipan (50% finely ground almonds)
420g eggs
70g plain flour
70g corn starch
180g melted butter
30g Cafédirect Intense Roast Coffee

METHOD:

1. Mix marzipan with whole eggs

2. Fold with the flour and starch

3. Fold with melted butter, followed by the Cafédirect Intense Roast Coffee

4. Pipe the chocolate Genoa sponge batter and the coffee Genoa sponge batter in alternate strips and in layers into a 20cm x 30cm biscuit frame. A biscuit frame helps to ensure a cake keeps its shape. 

5. Bake at 180^oC for 10-12 minutes

INGREDIENTS part 3:

Chocolate ganache - a filling, glaze or sauce made with chocolate and cream

800g 35% cream  - this is a heavier cream with a higher fat content

100g glucose syrup
1 kg dark chocolate
200 ml softened butter

METHOD:

1. Bring cream and glucose to a boil and turn off the heat

2. Fold in the chocolate and soft butter

3. Cool at room temperature before applying a layer to the cake using a silicon spatula to ensure even coverage.

Explore:

In Singapore, Cafédirect coffee packs are available at Cold Storage, Fairprice Finest, Fairprice Xtra, Jasons, Market Place and Redmart at S$8.70 per 227g pack.

New Cafédirect 100% Arabica Espresso Roast and Ground Coffee is deep, dark and wonderful

Source: Cafédirect. The new Cafédirect 100% Arabica Espresso Roast and Ground Coffee delivers an intense flavour with a sweet finish. Consider pairing with butter for a decadent experience.

Cafédirect, the 100% Fairtrade hot drinks company introduced a darker roast in its Cafédirect 100% Arabica Espresso Roast and Ground Coffee at the end of March. Created for coffee connoisseurs, this espresso blend uses beans from Peru and Costa Rica to deliver a dark, intense coffee.

Arabica beans from Peru make up a strong base for the coffee, bringing a natural dark chocolatey taste to each sip. The strong roasting process intensifies the taste. Costa Rica Arabica beans counterbalance the Peruvian beans, softening the mouthfeel and giving the coffee a creamy finish.

Cafédirect uses a unique numbering system to indicate coffee strength. The strength of a coffee depends on a number of factors, namely the composition of coffee beans in the blend as well as the intensity of the roasting process. Roast and ground coffees from Cafédirect span the range from 3 to 6. The Arabica Espresso Roast and Ground Coffee is a 6, reflecting its full-bodied taste that promises a flavour explosion, leading up to a naturally sweet finish.

Cafédirect 100% Arabica Espresso is finely ground for easy brewing in an espresso machine, stove-top espresso pot or percolator, or сafetière (plunger).

As a business, Cafédirect is different: Growers have shares in the company and have two seats on the Cafédirect Board of Directors. Cafédirect’s unique approach has seen the company paying fair prices and working directly with smallholder growers so that they can develop their businesses and increase their influence in highly competitive commodity markets.

Through direct, personal and long-term relationships, Cafédirect partners with over 282,000 smallholder growers in 40 grower organisations across 14 developing countries. Under Cafédirect’s Fairtrade business model, 50% of the profits go back to the coffee growers who nurture and harvest the beans. This not only improves the lives of the growers, but the quality of each coffee bean as well.

Starbucks stores in Asia introduce limited edition spring drinks

Starbucks stores in Asia are featuring limited edition beverages for spring that range from lighter refreshment to hot beverages:

Source: Starbucks. Coconut Water Espresso Shakerato.

Coconut Water Espresso Shakerato
This beverage is made with Starbucks' signature espresso shaken with ice and poured over chilled coconut water that has been lightly sweetened with coconut syrup, then topped with espresso foam and a slice of lime. Available iced.

Source: Starbucks. New Valencia Orange Cocoa Cappuccino.

New Valencia Orange Cocoa Cappuccino
The new Starbucks Valencia Orange Cocoa Cappuccino is made with Valencia orange mocha sauce topped with steamed milk, espresso shots and foam. Dried orange and cocoa powder sprinkles finish the beverage. Available hot, iced and blended.

Source: Starbucks. Tahitian Vanilla Macchiato.

Tahitian Vanilla Macchiato
Velvety steamed milk is infused with aromatic Tahitian vanilla syrup, then topped with the Starbucks signature espresso and finished with vanilla bean specks and vanilla drizzle in a classic double crosshatch pattern. Available hot, iced and blended.

Source: Starbucks. Matcha & Espresso Fusion is a blend of coffee and tea.

Matcha & Espresso Fusion
The Starbucks Matcha & Espresso Fusion returns this season. The drink is made with Starbucks fine matcha (green tea) powder layered with milk and the Starbucks signature espresso. Available hot and iced.

Source: Starbucks. Starbucks Sakura Blossom Cream Latte and Starbucks Sakura Blossom Cream Frappuccino Blended Beverage with Crispy Swirl.

Starbucks Sakura Blossom Cream Latte and Starbucks Sakura Blossom Cream Frappuccino Blended Beverage with Crispy Swirl (available in Japan only)
Cherry blossom or sakura star in the Starbucks Sakura Blossom beverages served in special pink-cherry blossom cups. Starbucks Sakura Blossom Cream Latte and Starbucks Sakura Blossom Cream Frappuccino Blended Beverage with Crispy Swirl feature a sakura sauce made with cherry petals, condensed milk and white bean paste. The beverages are finished with pink shaved chocolate inspired by cherry petals and bright pink rice crackers scattered on maple-flavoured whipped cream.

South Korea gets two unique beverages.

Choux Cream Latte
Inspired by French cream puffs (choux à la crème), this new beverage has a smooth custard flavour combined with espresso and steamed milk, topped with custard-flavoured whipped cream. Available hot and iced.

Chamomile Apple Tea
This caffeine-free tea harmonises Teavana chamomile tea, sweet apple and agave. Available hot and iced.

Caffè Vergnano 1882 selects top three baristas in Singapore

Source: Caffè Vergnano 1882. From left: third place winner Rudel Rivera, first place winner Joseph Bringcula, and second placer Stephen Wong.

Caffè Vergnano 1882's inaugural Barista Challenge at South Beach saw three out of 16 baristas setting the bar for future competitions.

Source: Caffè Vergnano 1882. The winning latte art from Bringcula.

Competitors were tested on basic skills involving preparation of espresso-based drinks, from the optimal extraction of espresso to the texturing of milk to bring out its flavour.

Clinching the top position at this high-performance latte art competition was Joseph Bringcula from Google Singapore, followed by Stephen Wong from The Coffee Belt who displayed great skill in coffee extraction. Third place went to Rudel Rivera from D’Good Cafe.

"I think it was a breath of fresh air. I like the community to see that these baristas are not just very good milk pourers and latte artists; if given a chance, they will make very good non-alcohol mixologists,“ said Tony Tan, GM of Coffex, one of the sponsors of the event.

Caffè Vergnano, Italy’s oldest family-owned coffee roasters, serves its own coffee at Caffè Vergnano 1882. Caffè Vergnano 1882 does distribute its coffee to the hotels, restaurants and cafes (HORECA) sector, although that is not an emphasis of their business. Baristas can approach them to carry the Caffè Vergnano range of coffees in their cafes.

Singapore Year-end Gift Guide 2016: The edible edition

Whether it is a festive treat for the office or corporate gifts to source, the year-end period often features limited edition menus and special packaging:

Sample Christmas traditions at Caffe Vergnano 1882 Singapore

Source: Caffe Vergnano. Seasonal coffee drinks. From left: Peppermint Gianduja, Fizzy Cranberry Cold Brew and Cranberry White Marocchino.

Caffè Vergnano 1882 Singapore (South Beach) is offering a host of che figata (Italian slang meaning 'that’s cool or awesome') traditional Italian goodies such as Milanese sweet cake panettone, a trio of new seasonal coffee drinks, holiday merchandise and a customary Italian lucky dip tradition called the Urn of Fate to celebrate and hallmark the occasion.

For the month of December, drop by the Christmas-themed decorated cafe and indulge in the Italian cake panettone as a gift (S$49.50/750g). Soft, fluffy and moist, sweet and zesty with drops of chocolate and strong notes of coffee, this dome-shaped cake is a classic for a Christmas gathering. Holiday merchandise such as coffee tins with Christmas designs (S$15.50), coffee capsules (S$39.50/30 pieces) or historical KUSMI tea are also ideal gifts.

While at the cafe, try three specially concocted coffee creations by Caffè Vergnano 1882 Singapore’s head barista Shafi Sulaiman include Cranberry White Marocchino (regular S$6/large S$7) made with cranberry juice, white chocolate and coffee or indulge in something more chocolatey with the Peppermint Gianduja (regular S$6.50/large S$7.50). Alternatively, have a refreshing, tangy Fizzy Cranberry Cold Brew (S$6.50) made with cranberry juice, soda and coffee and served in a celebratory martini glass.

Caffe Vergnano has also brought in one of Italy’s most iconic traditions, the Urn of Fate. This is a decorated bowl containing presents meant for friends and family. In the same spirit of giving, Caffè Vergnano 1882 Singapore invites loyal customers to pick a present from the Christmas Dip and win gifts of free coffee, espresso capsules, coffee workshops, merchandise and more.  

Caffè Vergnano 1882 Singapore is also available as a venue space for private parties, corporate functions and group bookings.

Interested?

Caffè Vergnano 1882 Singapore (South Beach) is at 26 Beach Road, South Beach Avenue, #B1-17. Call +656385 5579 or email enquiry at silo dot com dot sg to find out more

~*~

Hook Coffee's gift sets feature a limited edition Christmas Blend

Hook Coffee Singapore has prepared a selection of gift sets for the festive season that incorporate the limited edition Christmas Blend. The company trades directly with coffee producers to maximise farmer profit and create a sustainable future for coffee.

Source: Hook Coffee website. From left: SetA, Set B and Set C.

The Drip Coffee Bags Gift Set (Set A) is an assortment of 10 individually-packed drip coffee bags for S$18. For S$36 Set B features 20 bags. Set A contains two bags each of Hook’s Christmas Blend, Kopi Sutra, A Midsummers’ Night Dream, Guji Liya and Sweet Bundchen. Set B contains everything in Set A, plus two more bags of the Christmas Blend, and two bags each of Honey I Shrunk the Kids, Neverneverland, Speculose Your Mind and Eternal Sunshine.

Set C costs S$30 and is a Whole Beans Gift Set combining one Christmas Blend (80g whole coffee beans) and Hook’s 2016 Top 3, a trio of the best sellers for 2016 in 80g whole bean packs.

Set E, S$21, is the Shotpods set - 30 Shotpods in three flavours. Shotpods are Nespresso-compatible and the set offers a box of 10 Sweet Bundchen Shotpods; a box of 10 Birds of Paradise Shotpods, and
a third box of 10 The Godfather Shotpods.

Hook Coffee's Gift Set F. 

For those who want a choice Set D and Set F may be of interest. Set D gives both whole beans and drip coffee: it has one pack of Christmas Blend (200g whole coffee beans) and an assortment of five individually wrapped drip coffee bags for $25. Set F, on the other hand, is the Ultimate Hook's Experience. It has one 200g pack of Christmas Blend whole coffee beans, a box of 10 The Godfather Shotpods, plus an assortment of five individually-wrapped drip coffee bags, for S$35. Check with Hook Coffee on the coffees featured in the assortment.

Interested?

The Christmas Blend is available in bags of 250g for S$14, either as a one-off purchase or on a subscription basis. Order a Hook Coffee gift set

~*~

Cure's festive menu adds modern twists to traditional classics

Cure, the modern European bistronomy restaurant in Keong Saik Road, has created a festive menu that captures the essence of a traditional Irish Christmas, made modern.

Available through to the end of December, Cure will present both a la carte and tasting festive menus. The wintery dish of salmon gravalax is part of both menus, served with beetroot, dill and smoke crème fraiche. For an updated take on a classic, opt for the duck & foie gras terrine, or a Christmas favourite of salt baked celeriac with decadent truffle puree, chestnuts, mushrooms and wild rice.

This year, the restaurant has adopted a sharing philosophy where diners are able to share sides of braised red cabbage and smoked & roast potatoes for the table. End the meal with a range of elevated sweet treats such as the cranberry, white chocolate and blood orange trifle.

Interested?

Cure is at 21, Keong Saik Road. The full seven-course tasting menu is priced at S$115.

Read the WorkSmart Asia Singapore Year-end Gift Guides 2016 for technology and travel

posted from Bloggeroid

Beijing is first location outside of the Americas to taste Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew

The China World Trade Centre Starbucks store in Beijing is the first location outside the US and Canada to introduce Nitro Cold Brew on tap alongside its classic Cold Brew. More locations are to come over the next few months, Starbucks said. The introduction of Nitro Cold Brew in China comes after a highly successful nationwide launch of Starbucks Cold Brew.

“We have been relentless in our pursuit to perfect our coffee expertise and Nitro Cold Brew is a firm demonstration of our significant investments in coffee-forward product innovations to deepen our coffee leadership position,” said Belinda Wong, CEO, Starbucks China. 

Source: Starbucks Drawing a Nitro Cold Brew

“Something magical happens whenever we combine our innovation with the unbelievable passion of our skilled Starbucks barista. The handcrafted Nitro Cold Brew will surprise and exceed the expectations of customers who are seeking a different kind of coffee artistry experience in China.”

Nitro Cold Brew is Starbucks' latest take on its signature Nariño 70 Cold Brew. Cold Brew is infused with nitrogen that unlocks the super-smooth, natural sweetness of Cold Brew coffee, which then cascades from the tap with a velvety and creamy texture that customers can see and taste. It is deliciously cold and is served unsweetened, and without ice, to highlight the flavour the cold brewing process brings out in the coffee. 

“Our customers embraced the smooth, full-bodied flavor of Starbucks Cold Brew when it was first introduced in China last summer. There’s a lot of time and passion that goes into brewing each batch of Cold Brew, so it’s been especially rewarding to see customers enjoying it,” said Xi Wen, Coffee Master and Store Manager, China World Trade Centre Starbucks Reserve store. “I am proud that my store has been selected as the first store in China to introduce the Nitro Cold Brew, and I am looking forward to introducing this new handcrafted cold coffee experience to my customers and partners.”

Recipes for cold coffee beverages are developed by Starbucks coffee and research teams, who taste hundreds of cups of coffee to ensure the right blend, roast and brewing method is used to create the perfect flavour profile. Starbucks Cold Brew features a blend of high-quality varietals from Latin America and Africa, which delivers a sweet, dense and smooth coffee punctuated with a chocolatey and citrusy flavour profile.

Cafédirect Tarrazu Terroir Roast & Ground Coffee offers a superior, balanced taste profile

Source: Cafédirect. Cafédirect Tarrazu Terroir Roast & Ground Coffee goes well with fruit.

Cafédirect, the UK’s largest 100% Fairtrade hot drinks company, has launched its 2016 Great Taste Awards prize-winner, Cafédirect Tarrazu Terroir Roast & Ground Coffee. The coffee is grown in Costa Rica, in the mountainous, rich volcanic soils of the Tarrazu region by the Llano Bonito cooperative. 

Cafédirect Tarrazu Terroir Coffee comes from the Caturra and Catuai Arabica coffee varietals, characterised by their low-height trees that provide high quality yields with excellent taste. The Caturra is particularly prized for its superlative qualities and taste profile. The trees are cultivated at altitudes of 1,200m to 2,000m, where daylight temperatures are high and the nights are cold. This slows down the growth cycle of the coffee plant, allowing more complex sugars and acids to develop. Growing coffees at high altitudes also reduces the need for pesticides. 

These environmental conditions, referred to as the terroir, and attention by passionate growers are instrumental in producing matured beans that carry the finest flavour: medium-bodied and pleasantly aromatic with natural sweet peachy notes. Coffees from the Tarrazu region consistently score very highly at the Cup of Excellence, an annual competition organised by the Alliance for Coffee Excellence to identify the highest quality coffees produced. 

With Cafédirect’s Fairtrade business model, 50% of the profits go back to the coffee growers where the beans are passionately nurtured and harvested. This not only improves the lives of the growers, but quality of each coffee bean as well. 

Cafédirect pays fair prices and works directly with smallholder growers so that they can develop their businesses and increase their influence in highly competitive commodity markets. Cafédirect partners with over 282,000 smallholder growers in 40 grower organisations across 14 developing countries. Growers have shares in the company, and have two seats on the Cafédirect Board of Directors.

Interested?

Cafédirect Tarrazu Terroir Roast & Ground Coffee can easily be brewed using a coffee plunger. All it takes is just four minutes to brew the grounds in freshly boiled hot water to release all the flavours. 

Cafédirect has also provided a recipe for cold brew coffee using Tarrazu Terroir Roast & Ground Coffee.

Items needed:

 Cafédirect Tarrazu Terroir Roast & Ground Coffee
 Water container and sieve, or a coffee plunger
 Ice cubes

Recommended ratio: two tablespoons of coffee per 200ml of water / 60g of coffee per litre of water

Instructions for use with water container and sieve:

1. Place your desired quantity of Cafédirect Tarrazu Terroir Roast & Ground Coffee into a container
2. Pour the corresponding amount of cold water into the container
3. Leave the container to stand for 12 hours at room temperature
4. Sieve the coffee after 12 hours
5. Serve with ice cubes

Instructions for use with a coffee plunger:

1. Place your desired quantity of Cafédirect Tarrazu Terroir Roast & Ground Coffee into a coffee plunger
2. Pour the corresponding amount of cold water into the plunger
3. Do not press the plunger; leave to stand for 12 hours at room temperature
4. Press the plunger after 12 hours
5. Serve with ice cubes

Hurting your throat causes cancer, not coffee

Coffee from Chye Seng Huat Hardware Store, Singapore.

IARC Monographs have come to some conclusions on the dangers of drinking coffee, maté, and very hot beverages. An international working group of 23 scientists convened by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the cancer agency of the World Health Organization (WHO), has evaluated the carcinogenicity of drinking coffee, maté* and very hot beverages. The IARC aims to coordinate and conduct research on the causes of human cancer and the mechanisms of carcinogenesis, and to develop scientific strategies for cancer control.

A summary of the final evaluations is published in The Lancet Oncology, and the detailed assessments will be published as Volume 116 of the IARC Monographs. The working group found no conclusive evidence for a carcinogenic effect of drinking coffee. However, the experts did find that drinking very hot** beverages probably causes cancer of the oesophagus in humans. No conclusive evidence was found for drinking maté at temperatures that are not very hot.

“These results suggest that drinking very hot beverages is one probable cause of oesophageal cancer and that it is the temperature, rather than the drinks themselves, that appears to be responsible, ” says Dr Christopher Wild, IARC Director.

Very hot beverages

Drinking very hot beverages was classified as probably carcinogenic to humans. This was based on limited evidence from epidemiological studies that showed positive associations between cancer of the oesophagus and drinking very hot beverages. Studies in places such as China, Iran, Turkey, and South America, where tea or maté is traditionally drunk very hot (at about 70°C) , found that the risk of oesophageal cancer increased with the temperature at which the beverage was drunk.

In experiments involving animals, there was also limited evidence for the carcinogenicity of very hot water, the working group found.

“Smoking and alcohol drinking are major causes of oesophageal cancer, particularly in many high- income countries,” stresses Dr Wild. “However, the majority of oesophageal cancers occur in parts of Asia, South America, and East Africa, where regularly drinking very hot beverages is common and where the reasons for the high incidence of this cancer are not as well understood.”

Oesophageal cancer is the eighth most common cause of cancer worldwide and one of the main causes of cancer death, with approximately 400,000 deaths recorded in 2012 (5% of all cancer deaths), says the WHO. The proportion of oesophageal cancer cases that may be linked to drinking very hot beverages is not known.

Hibiscus maté on the left, guarana ginseng on the right - drinks at the Woodford Folk Festival in Queensland, Australia, 2006.

Maté

Cold maté did not have carcinogenic effects in experiments on animals or in epidemiological studies. Therefore, drinking maté at temperatures that are not very hot was not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans. This was based on inadequate evidence in humans for the carcinogenicity of drinking cold or warm maté and inadequate evidence in experimental animals for the carcinogenicity of cold maté as a drinking liquid*.

Coffee

Drinking coffee was not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans. The large body of evidence currently available led to the reevaluation of the carcinogenicity of coffee drinking, previously classified as possibly carcinogenic to humans by IARC in 1991. After thoroughly reviewing more than 1,000 studies in humans and animals, the working group found that there was inadequate evidence for the carcinogenicity of coffee drinking overall. Many epidemiological studies showed that coffee drinking had no carcinogenic effects for cancers of the pancreas, female breast, and prostate, and reduced risks were seen for cancers of the liver and uterine endometrium. For more than 20 other cancers, the evidence was inconclusive.

A scan of research online showed pretty much the same conclusions. In one 2009 study in Iran, researchers found that compared with drinking lukewarm or warm tea, drinking hot tea or very hot tea was associated with an increased risk of oesophageal cancer. For this study, temperatures of warm, hot and very hot tea were defined as being under 60°C, between 61 and 64°C, and 65°C and above respectively. Various confounders such as ethnicity, daily vegetable intake, alcohol consumption, tobacco or opium use, duration of residence in rural areas, and socioeconomic status were ruled out as likely causes. The total amount of tea consumed did not have an effect, either.

A 1995 study on maté in Paraguay linked very hot maté to oesophageal cancer. The authors of the research pointed out however that alcohol consumption, smoking, and eating of beef were also linked to the same cancer. The association between very hot maté and cancer was also found in a 2000 study, which also noted that the more maté is consumed, the higher the risk of oesophageal cancer. Women were found to have a higher risk of the cancer on all counts. The good news is that eating fruit, vegetables, cereals and drinking tea has a protective effect, but meat, animal fats and salt led to an increased cancer risk.

In 2011, a study in Southern China linked not only the drinking of very hot beverages to cancer, but also the eating of high-temperature foods - those which had been fried or barbecued. Eating fast was also correlated with cancer.

The IARC Monographs Programme seeks to classify cancer hazards, meaning the potential of any substance to cause cancer based on current knowledge. The classification does not indicate what level of risk exists to people’s health associated with exposure to a classified hazard. For example, IARC has classified tobacco smoking as carcinogenic to humans, but that classification does not indicate the increase in risk for each cigarette smoked. This working group evaluation is in line with the WHO Technical Report Series 916 on diet, nutrition and the prevention of chronic diseases, which states that people should not consume drinks when they are at a very hot (scalding hot) temperature.

A 2015 study postulates that the stem cell division model of cancer can explain why very hot foods and beverages cause cancer. Swallowing something too hot will damage cells in the oesophagus. Stem cell division is activated to repair the cells, and the more often stem cells divide over a period of time, the higher the risk of DNA damage, and in turn cancer. The author, Miguel López-Lázaro, further speculates that controlling stem cell divisions, such as through taking a daily low dose aspirin, could reduce cancer rates and reduce the likelihood of dying from cancer.

Interested?

Read the IARC Monographs Q&A on classifications (PDF)

Read the IARC Monographs Q&A on the evaluation of drinking coffee, maté, and very hot beverages (PDF)

*Maté, also called yerba maté, is an infusion made from dried leaves of ilex paraguariensis. It is consumed mainly in South America and to a lesser extent in the Middle East, Europe, and North America. It is also available as a health supplement in Singapore. Maté is traditionally drunk very hot (at about 70°C), but it may also be consumed warm or cold. 

**“Very hot” refers to any beverages consumed at a temperature above 65°C. See the Q&A for more details.