Last night, Sunday the 29th, a latte art competition was held at the Westfield Mall in Olympia. Put on by B&B, Mud Bay and Sertinos, the objective was double sided. All proceeds went to Grub, a non-profit centered around teaching at-risk youth urban gardening. There were multiple opportunities to donate and a goodly amount was collected. At the same time, the competition attracted the unsuspecting mall goer, drawing them into the complex and precise methods behind the every day latte. The MC didn’t have to do much to keep the crowd interested. Baristas from Batdorf, Sertinos, Mud Bay and Olympia Coffee Roasters poured beautiful designs and challenged themselves and each other. The mood was light and casual.
We loved that our equipment was used to set a stage for a general interaction between the espresso/barista world and what some would call the average “Starbucks customer”. Providing a welcoming environment seems to be the first step in educating the public about the art behind espresso and showing that there is more to our industry than a few corporate giants. We hope to see more of these events in our community and will do all we can to keep you informed of espresso happenings in the Olympia area.
-Clio