Barista

Celebrating the Barista Craft

David Makin, Veneziano Caffe

Ana Lucia Lardizábal de Hawit, Cafeteo

Tim Adams

Chad Moss, Transcend Coffee

Tim Adams

David Makin, Veneziano Caffe

Craig Simon, Veneziano Caffe

Anne Cooper, Di Bella Coffee

Colter Jones, Caffè Artigiano

Anthony Benda, Cáfe Santé Veritas

Nick Cho, Murky Coffee

Peter Middlecamp, Black Sheep Coffee Café

Matt Milletto, American Barista & Coffee School
Mark Prince, CoffeeGeek.com

David Makin represented Australia at the 2008 World Barista Championship in Copenhagen, Denmark. He placed a superb 2nd out of 53 competitors. Makin competed with Terra Keramik espresso and cappuccino cups.

Makin is a barista at Veneziano Caffe in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, and a trainer at Makin Espresso. His success as a barista is evidenced by twice competing in the World Barista Championship, twice winning his national championship and five times winning the regional championship.

Teaming up with roaster Peter Wolff of Veneziano Caffe, Makin served an espresso blend of Brazilian Daterra Vintage Reserve and El Salvador St. Helena, and cappuccino using a blend of Daterra, Helena and El Salvador Pacamara.

Baristi spend years practicing and perfecting their craft of creating and serving espresso beverages. It is a community that is passionate about the art of espresso beverage preparation and service. The very best baristi compete in regional, national and world championships.

We would like to acknowledge the work and achievements of the barista community through a few pictures and words.

David kicking off

Loading up the portafilter

Pulling the first shots

David Makin's Open Round Performance to Qualify for the Finals

Ana Lucia Lardizábal de Hawit represented Honduras in the 2008 World Barista Championship in Copenhagen, Denmark. She placed an excellent 15th out of 53 competitors. Hawit competed with Terra Keramik espresso and cappuccino cups and small dinner plates.

Hawit is a barista at Cafeteo in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. She won the inaugural Honduras Barista Championship to qualify for the World Barista Championship.

For the competition, Ana Lucia made all three drinks using a Pacamara coffee that won the Cup of Excellence in 2006 and was grown on her family's beautiful coffee farm Finca Santa Marta in Honduras.

Please read about Finca Santa Marta in our Origin to Cup section.

Distribution technique

Latte art

Ana Lucia Lardizábal de Hawit's Open Round Performance

Tim Adams won the 2009 Australia Barista Championship and qualified for the World Barista Championship in Atlanta, Georgia. Adams used Terra Keramik espresso and cappuccino cups.

Adams is a barista trainer near Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

Adams choose a 100% UTZ certified espresso blend with beans from the Luwero Coffee Improvement Project in Uganda, Comercio & Cia. growing group in North Eastern Peru, and Faz São Domingos and Faz Boa Vista in Brazil.



Concentration The face of concentration in competition	Cappuccino Tim builds his cappuccino drinks	Steady hand Latte art requires a steady hand	Latte art I Tim presents the cappuccino to the sensory judges	Latte art II Latte art framed by green Terra Keramik cups
Photos copyright by photoworx.com.au (no. 1-4) and Simon James (no. 5-9). Used with permission.

Chad Moss placed 4th at the 2008 Canadian Barista Championship in Montreal, Canada. Moss used Terra Keramik espresso and cappuccino cups.

Moss is the lead roaster and espresso specialist for Transcend Coffee in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Trained in Australia before moving to Canada, he has twice won the South Australian regional barista championship.



Chad's setup Terra Keramik white espresso cups and cobalt blue cappuccino cups	Filling the hopper Transcend owner Poul Mark watching Chad pour the coffee beans	Grinding and dosing Loading up the espresso machine's portafilter	Tamping Technical judge observing Chad's tamping technique



Double action Sweet espresso pours from two portafilters into the white Terra Keramik espresso cups	Sensory judges Four sensory judges savoring Chad's espresso	Pre-warming cups Chad pre-warms the cappuccino cups with hot water	Single action This time Chad uses one portafilter to pull the espresso into the Terra Keramik cappuccino cups



This one's for you Chad serves each cappuccino individually at the judges' table	Pouring latte art Under the watchful eyes of the sensory judges	Building signature drink Pouring the warm lingonberry sauce	The final product Rose-hip-dark-chocolate-dipped sugar cones filled with lingonberry sauce dripping into the espresso
Photos copyright by Poul Mark. Used with permission.

Tim Adams won the 2009 Queensland Barista Championship in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Adams used Terra Keramik espresso and cappuccino cups.

Adams is a barista trainer near Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.



Tim's setup Terra Keramik green cups to match the green Nuova Simonelli Aurelia espresso machine	Grinding and dosing Tim is loading up the espresso machine's portafilter	Sensory judges Four sensory judges tasting the espresso	Pulling shots Tim is handling two portafilters at the same time to prepare the cappuccino



Pouring latte art Building the four cappuccino with steamed milk	Works of art Tim's latte art framed by green Terra Keramik cappuccino cups	Signature drink The final phase of the competition, building the signature drink with several ingredients	Three-layered drink Raspberry liquorice infusion topped with a warm chocolate hazelnut mousse and finished off with a shot of espresso
Photos copyright by Josh Russell (no. 2-6, 8), Sam Liao (no. 1, 7). Used with permission.

David Makin won the 2008 Australia Barista Championship and qualified for the World Barista Championship in Copenhagen, Denmark. Makin competed with Terra Keramik espresso and cappuccino cups.

Makin is a barista at Veneziano Caffe in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, and a trainer at Makin Espresso. He won the Australian Barista Championship in 2006 and 2008, and won the Victoria Barista Championship five times.



David's setup	Warming up the cups	Ready to pull the shots	Grinding and dosing



Serving espresso	Preparing cappuccino	Latte art	David's signature drinks
Photos copyright by Sydney Low. Used with permission.

Craig Simon participated in the 2008 Australian Barista Championship, having previously competed in the 2008 Victoria Barista Championship in Melbourne, Australia. Simon used Terra Keramik espresso and cappuccino cups.

Simon is a barista trainer and sales representative at Veneziano Caffe in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.



Saucers	Warming up the cups	Pulling espresso shots	Craig's setup



Serving espresso	Sensory judges	Preparing cappuccino	Steaming milk



Pouring latte art	The final product	Serving cappuccino	Building signature drink
Photos copyright by Sydney Low. Used with permission.

Anne Cooper placed 4th at the 2008 Australian Barista Championship. Cooper chose to compete with Terra Keramik espresso and cappuccino cups.

Cooper is a barista in the Roasting Department of Di Bella Coffee in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. In addition to her national competition, Cooper won the Queensland Barista Championship for three consecutive years.



White and orange cups	Setting up	Grinding and dosing	Pulling espresso shots



Pouring latte art	Preparing cappuccino	Serving the judges	Anne's signature drinks
Photos copyright by Sydney Low. Used with permission.

Colter Jones, the 2006 Canadian national barista champion, competed in the 2007 World Barista Championship in Tokyo, Japan using Terra Keramik espresso and cappuccino cups.

Colter Jones was a first-time competitor at the World Barista Championship and finished an impressive 7th out of 45 competitors, missing the Final by a mere 1/2 point. He shares his experience in pictures and words.

Jones is the general manager of Caffè Artigiano on Hornby Street, Vancouver, Canada. Caffè Artigiano has five locations in Vancouver.



Backstage Laying out my supplies in the prep area. My entire setup was a very simple, yet classy, white with silver.	New gear Brand new Terra Keramik cups on top of a brand new machine. Doesn't get any better than that.	Preparation time I am steaming milk while my brother checks my cappuccinos' espresso base.	Pouring latte art I always strive for good delineation...the contrast of white microfoam surrounded by dark crema.



The finished product I personally like the pour in the top left hand corner.	On the world stage This is the most nervous time of the competition for me...	Up close and personal My cappuccinos were displayed on the big screen, and the crowd responded with loud cheers.	Sensory judges Serving my cappuccino round to the judges. Probably the best drinks that I prepared on this day.
Photos copyright by Barrett Jones. Used with permission.

Anthony Benda was a first-time competitor in the 2007 Canadian Barista Championship in Toronto, Canada. He qualified for the Final and placed 3rd overall. Benda used Terra Keramik espresso and cappuccino cups.

Anthony Benda is a a barista with Cáfe Santé Veritas in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. We have partnered with Benda to create recipes, tips and a video.

Latte Art in Black Cappuccino Cups by Anthony Benda

"It was a pleasure to work with Terra Keramik cups. The size and shape are ideal for pursuing that perfect espresso or cappuccino, and the feel of using a cup so carefully crafted is truly rewarding. It's a privilege to be associated with people as passionate about coffee as I am, thank you Terra Keramik!"

Anthony Benda
Cáfe Santé Veritas


Photos copyright by Liz Clayton. Used with permission.

Nick Cho, one of the leading baristi in the United States, competed in the Semi-finals of the 2007 US Barista Championship in Long Beach, California using Terra Keramik espresso and cappuccino cups.

Nick Cho’s performance was captured in pictures and words by Beata Siwinski and Mark Prince of CoffeeGeek.com.

Cho is the owner of Murky Coffee, with cafes in Washington, DC and Arlington, VA. He is also a Director of the Specialty Coffee Association of America.



Array of cups Nick Cho's choice of cups are the amazing Terra Keramik cups. As a backup, he bought a set of Illy crystal nude cups.	Handmade art The Terra Keramik cups are dripping white porcelain with platinum highlights on the handles and edges.	Just before the start Nick Cho cleaning his station in the last seconds before his official start to the 2007 US Barista Championship.	Into the competition Cho is loading up the espresso machine's portafilter with some pretty sweet technique.



The face of concentration Cho used the middle group, which in this competition was providing some baristi with trouble. He looks quite intense, examining the shots.	Watching the workflow Cho watches the flow of espresso as he steams the milk for his cappuccino round, which is being built into the white Terra Keramik cups.	Double action With the Terra Keramik cups lined up to receive espresso, Cho is handling two portafilters at the same time, getting them loaded and ready to pour.	Concentration Cho's latte art skills are quite good, and his concentration on the free pour, in mid air, is quite intense.



Steaming milk As the sensory judges look on, Cho is steaming the milk for the second of his two pours for his cappuccino round.	Building signature drink Cho is preparing ingredients for the final part of his competition, building the signature drink, a recipe he invented himself.	Complex signatures The professional setup used by Cho during his signature drink build. The shot glasses, dual knock boxes, tamper, dual grinder, all very deep!	Sensory judges The four sensory judges are evaluating the elements that have gone into Cho's signature drink presentation, rounding out his competition.
Photos copyright by Beata Siwinski. Used with permission.

Peter Middlecamp was a first-time competitor in the 2007 US Barista Championship and qualified for the Final. Many consider him a barista to watch in future competitions. Middlecamp chose to compete with Terra Keramik espresso and cappuccino cups.

Middlecamp is co-owner of Black Sheep Coffee Café in South St. Paul, MN. We have partnered with Middlecamp to create recipes, tips and a video.

We asked Middlecamp to provide feedback about the Terra Keramik cups. His response brings their function and design to life in poetic fashion.

"As Baristas and lovers of espresso, we search for that perfect shot, that perfect pour, that perfect sip. To me Terra Keramik searches for perfection in this same way, one cup at a time. Each cup is hand crafted with skill and intense passion. They are hand painted and signed, glazed with no cadmium or lead whatever, and triple fired for durability. They are each rimmed and signed with Platinum, a classic kiss of Sun and Moon."

				"As a competitor I search for that which will help me reveal and protect the ethereal qualities of my espresso. Terra cups are of the perfect size and shape to serve traditional beverages of the highest quality. They are dense and retain heat extremely well. The handle feels natural in the hand, and more importantly - the rim is perfect against the lips. So few things actually touch our lips in life, coffee truly is and can be a love affair."

"My first impression was visual. The rim and the platinum dipped handle call out from across the bar. The second thing you will notice is the weight. Balanced, thick, and extraordinarily dense. They seem to be made with an ancient skill, but decorated with the vibrant colors of our gardens, our kitchens, our mornings, and moods. They are an excellent fusion of classic style and cutting edge function. These are cups to be given to dignitaries in cedar boxes. This is the cup from which to drink the first morning of your honeymoon. These are the vessels for the most sought after, most fleeting, most vibrant elixir of our time." Peter Middlecamp, Co-Owner Black Sheep Coffee Café
Photos copyright by Peter Middlecamp. Used with permission.

Matt Milleto is Director of the American Barista & Coffee School in Portland, OR. Milletto placed third in the Millrock Latte Art Competition at Coffee Fest Atlanta in 2007 and is a certified barista competition judge for USBC regional competitions.

Mark Prince is the Owner and Chief Editor of CoffeeGeek.com, the largest online coffee community, and Creative Director of WebMotif, a web development service firm. He is also a certified barista competition judge for USBC and WBC competitions.

Prince captures the beauty of the Terra Keramik cups through the camera lens in stunning fashion. Espresso from some of the world's finest roasters being pulled into Terra Keramik espresso cups on one of the world's most unique espresso machines - a highly customized, one of a kind La Marzocco Linea that he owns.

Latte art skills

The face of concentration

Building signature drinks

Keeping the drinks warm

Photos copyright by Simon James. Used with permission.

"I am very impressed with the quality and design of Terra Keramik's espresso and cappuccino cups. When a barista focuses on making the best espresso beverages possible, what better way to serve a drink than in beautiful, handcrafted ceramics. Any barista competitor will understand the value of a quality presentation for espresso based beverages. I highly recommend having a set of Terra Keramik cups on hand when you want to deliver the best looking and tasting product."

Matt Milletto, Director
American Barista & Coffee School