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Nordic Cup Finland 2008 canceled… but Iceland 2009 will be great!

We’re sad to share the news that the 2008 Nordic Barista Cup (NBC), scheduled to be held in Helsinki, Finland, in September, has been canceled. Barista Magazine and the Nordic Barista Cup have always shared a special relationship, as I debuted the idea for the magazine at the 2004 NBC in Iceland, and was given […]

Farewell, Nicaragua… Hello, M’lissa!

It’s hard to believe that we’re back in Portland. In many ways, this trip to Nicaragua for me and Ken was one of the most important coffee ventures we’ve been on. Nicaragua is a beautiful, complex, poverty-stricken, vast, friendly, and unforgettable place.

It will take me many more days to process what I saw, the wonderful […]

Back to Managua

Yesterday, the Nordic Barista Cup travelling roadshow rolled through the north part of Nicaragua. We saw a different climate, much drier, than the other coffee producing regions of the country, and perhaps that climate difference is why so many Cup of Excellence winners come from Nueva Segovia.
The Nordic baristas did another hands-on training with some […]

Today Was A Good Day

Greetings once again from beautiful Nicaragua. We woke early and packed our bags to check out of Hotel Cafe in time for a training of baristas in Jinotega. Though the city is known for its misty weather, which we experienced when we arrived on Tuesday, today was bright and sunny from start to finish. We […]

This Is How The World Changes

Once upon a time, this little village in Nicaragua had no phone lines, no internet, and no way to reach the outside world. Meanwhile across the globe, in Sweden, a group of dedicated coffee professionals gathered for a fun time. To be together, act together and learn together in their words. And in doing so, […]

NBC Tour Rolls On

Day 2 of the Nordic Barista Cup tour of Nicaragua was another illuminating day at coffee origin. We were lucky enough to tour Roberto’s dry mill, wet mill and his coffee farm.

Roberto is one of the first growers in Central America to use raised beds for drying his and his fellow growers’ crops at his […]

The NBC hits Nicaragua!

Sunday started off the Nordic Barista Cups’ week-long trip to Nicaragua, and except for a few pieces of lost luggage and a couple of delayed people, it was a great day all around.
The winning team of this year’s NBC, Sweden, was awarded a trip to this beautiful country by the generous coffee sponsor Roberto Bendana […]

Throwdown Madness in… Sweden?

This is what happens when you take two boys from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, drop them in Gothenburg, Sweden, during one of the most creative barista competition events in the world, work them like crazy as volunteers to make the event go smoothly, and then comp their drinks at the final party, the Gala Dinner. THIS, my […]

Home Sweet Home

Ken and I made it safely back to Portland yesterday (Monday). He spent most of the day catching up on his Washington Huskies football games, while I played with the dog at the park and then totally crashed out. We really had a wonderful time with our friends in Sweden at the Nordic Barista Cup, […]

SWEDEN WINS! SWEDEN WINS!

It’s been a tremendous three days at the Nordic Barista Cup, and at the end of it, Team Sweden won a hard-fought crown, ending Norway’s streak of two wins in a row. It’s Team Sweden’s first ever victory in the NBC. Congratulations Sweden!

And there can be no question that they earned it, in fact you […]