Espresso Mundo

Coffee packaging and what is wrong and how it can be right.

2026-10-21T07:26:04.305-07:00

21/10/2026

Over the years purchasing coffee beans or ground in packs at different supermarkets or stores around the world one thing that I have continually noticed is the type of packaging used to keep the coffee as fresh as possible, packaging comes in all shapes, materials and set functions, materials such as aluminium foil, plastic and in cases paper with the two.

Starting Borough Roast my micro roast business I found it not difficult but frustrating that coffee packaging has not progressed as well as the coffee beans ethical approach themselves, Fair trade, Rainforest alliance, Cup of excellence, and many other.

Researching the raw packaging materials and how to best approach the ethical way to recycle these materials after they have been used, I was confronted with a wall of challenges.

All are not easily recyclable, either the mixed materials in the pack structure make it impossible to separate, valves used to help with the degassing of the coffee are not recyclable and have to go to the landfill, or (LDPE) low density polyethylene which is considered recyclable at home, however my local council doesn't accept the material as it doesn't have the facility to recycle it.

So where to now?

Lets go back a bit, no lets go back a long bit back to the 1990's back then I was a Barista at a popular café in Sydney and back then coffee packaging was kind of evolving with the time.

I remember clearly the coffee we used arriving in brown paper bags with a sticky tape as a seal no fancy materials in those days it was all about the coffee.

This particular coffee went on to become one of the most recognized coffee brands, loved by many.

Yes with time marketing took lead and the product evolved and so did the packaging, to my surprise on one delivery the product box had changed and the coffee beans were inside a poly plastic type bag, but still no valve.

So I was thinking how did the coffee degas? what was used?

It was simple, but before I go on lets discuss the material used for the bag, it got worse.

The previous paper bag was simply more ethical and could be recycled the new fancy one not, it was as I recall a tough bag, hard plastic not very friendly.

So here I am 11pm and going around in circles on the web looking for the perfect bag to sell my coffee at Borough Roast.

Every website I enter I' am face a great amount of products to sell your coffee in "Great" however most just don't seem to fit my purpose, either not 100% recyclable or not accepted at the local refuse centre.

So I was thinking what do I do? How can I ensure that my customers purchasing Borough Roast have no hassle with the disposal of the coffee pack.

Then I think I have found the solution!

A Compostable bag with out a Valve - (valves are made out of a certain plastic not accepted at the refuse centre so must go to land fill, not great) - Then how to degas the coffee as its packed shortly after roasting.

Well the solution the old pin prick on the bag! You see back in the 90's when coffee was delivered in the paper bags there was a tiny pin prick at the bottom of the bag, this tiny hole would allow the coffee bean gas to escape preventing the bag to explode.

With time and enough marketing the valve was introduced and a whole new industry was launched, you might disagree with my view and that is perfectly fine, however experience is what it is and results are what they are.

Going back to the supermarket coffee and the vast selection you will find in the shelves, the valves attached to the coffee bags at times these valves fail too, more that often I have held coffee bags with either beans or ground that are puffed up like a blow fish out of the water, that is the cause of the valve being faulty.

What is the difference benefit of the valve compared to the pin prick?

I would say unless you are storing your coffee for months without it being used maybe you have an advantage however once once the bag is open valve or no valve you have at least 7-10 days to appreciate the coffee as its best, from then onwards it will start to turn stale and loose all its aroma and with that its characteristics.

The pin prick will let out the gases but the question is how much air will enter that bag from that tiny hole? remembering that gas is coming out. Not much I would say and maybe none at all.

I recall the coffee in the paper bags at the café tasting the same as the one in the fancy bags, yes the bags looked better but the product was the same.

Remembering that manufacturers give the roasted coffee 12 month shelf life inside one of these bags, in my personal opining in a sealed bag coffee will reach its peak optimum after 10 days and will continue to 8-10 weeks maximum after this period even though its inside a sealed bag it will start to deteriorate quite quickly.

In conclusion, I have decided to use a fully compostable, biodegradable coffee bag (EN13432) for Borough Roast no plastic valve, no inner lining or mix of materials to go to a landfill we have enough there already.

I will be placing a simple tinny prick with a pin on the bottom of the bag to let the gas escape and this will be the approach up until I find a bag that is 100% recyclable at your home collection point.

Kings- Queens and Coffee Beans

2026-10-18T14:25:53.660-07:00

London is a fantastic place with a large mix of cultures that is reflected in its food and busy street markets the only draw back for us coffee lovers is the lack of quality espresso ,and as the UK is so close to the coffee loving Italians and other European countries I was left scratching my head as how this can happen in comparison, Australia is on the other side of the planet and takes its Coffee drinking very seriously but the British are a funny bunch if they happen to purchase a coffee and its not up to standard it not at all important its just the way it is.

We Australians love to complain and this is why I believe our espresso coffee industry is so strong ,we keep on the Barista's heels and make sure quality and consistence is number one. I have been here for nearly 1 year and it took me a few weeks to find a decent café where I could have a cup of coffee anywhere decent, its not just the bad coffee and service but also handing over the equivalent of $5 Aussie dollars for a cup that had less odds of being good than picking a winner on the Melbourne cup. The British are in love with chain stores and it was a surprise. Its the complete opposite to the Aussie market where we support the bloke in the corner shop here the multinational kick the little blokes around and eventually run them off the street. stores like Café Nero ,Costas, Prett, Paul, Baristas and off course Star Bucks make life very hard for small café business not only by paying a higher rent for locations but also by taking whole streets between themselves . Off course when I first arrived here I did try coffee at all the stores above, not only was I very dissatisfied with the quality of the beverages but the stores were full of people drinking the stuff. This gave me a clear indication of what the average Londoner -knew about espresso- Not much!. If you asked for an espresso at any of the stores above it would consist of 30-40mls of under extracted coffee with a blend consisting either with too much Robusta or something that was so weak with no body whatsoever it makes Illy taste like rocket fuel. Once I got so desperate for a good tasting coffee I ended up having coffee in a Turkish coffee house where the smoke was so thick from the shisha pipes it was hard to see your espresso cup least getting back up and finding the exit, the coffee at this bar was ok but I found it would have been an insult going back with a smoke mask and a bottle of eye drop solution. It was not until my lovely wife started her new job here in London that my coffee intake got so much better times two. While wondering around her work area trying to pick up the scent of a good double shot latte and in the process getting lost without a map did I stumbled or my horse to water (barista to coffee) instincts guided me to the front door of Monmouth coffee in Covent Garden. I could not believe that here in front of me was a tiny little shop where you have to do a yoga trick to accommodate yourself in one of their booths as the leg space is so small, let me give you a warning if you are taller than 6.3 feet be prepared to call the fire brigade to get you out of your seat, you are much better off taking a seat outside or drink the Italian way standing. Not only does this place roast their own house blend but as well as single origin, fair trade and organic type coffee. The baristas can make quite a good cup even though in more recent times the coffee has been quite inconsistent under extraction being the main problem in a particular time when I ordered a espresso I got only 15mls of coffee in the cup. As for the coffee itself it has its days being from very good to fair. Their house blend when correctly extracted has a very nice chocolate tone with just the right amount of acidity. Monmouth also sell roasted coffee beans by the kilo or grams but one draw back I saw was the way the coffee is stored for sale to the general public. I personally do not agree with the coffee beans display they have. Roasted coffee beans stored in a box with no lid and left to Mother Nature’s elements for such long hours is not healthy to their delicate flavours. Cold, heat ,dust ,humidity ,car fumes all take their toll and once a great coffee can deteriorate loose its character and become tasteless if not stored correctly. Apart from the lows this place scores it is a very good coffee that reflects the commitment of the master roaster and with a steady flow of high caliber Barista it will continue to supply the coffee loving people of this city with good espresso. Regarding my wife's employment I was going to tell you before, to my delight the company has a bean to cup machine fitted in their lunch room, using coffee roasted by a company that I have never heard of before {could be one of those repackaging jobs} but the coffee itself is not too bad 100% Arabica fair-trade, and how can you complain when its free and you are desperate. So my day had two winning situations. What a fantastic day, London got a lot better today.

2026-10-18T14:22:36.866-07:00

Coffee Industry Pioneer • Barista • Coffee Specialist • Café owner • Micro Roaster.

With more than 30 years in the coffee industry, Gus has lived through — and contributed to — some of the most important developments in modern coffee culture.

From the early espresso bars of Sydney, Australia, to the coffee scene of London and the international coffee industry, his career has been defined by craftsmanship, innovation and an enduring passion for great coffee.

Sydney — The Birth of the Flat White

In 1992, Gus was working at Moors in Sydney, Australia, a venue recognised as the birthplace of the Flat White.

Gus spent five years at Moors as Head Barista working 6 days a week with a much cherished Faema Tronic, the iconic burgundy, during a formative period in Sydney's rapidly developing espresso culture.

Gus together with a close group of passionate Sydney baristas, locally known as The Band Of Baristas, he became part of the grassroots movement that helped develop the techniques, culture and craftsmanship surrounding the Flat White. "He say's, we would all meetup jump in one of the guy's car and go out for coffee, the conversation would always be about coffee, espresso shots, dosing, tamping, milk texturing, latte art and the developing Flat White and how to perfect it, it was being tweaked constantly.

1994 — The Development of Coffee Art:

In 1994, Gus was involved in the emerging Sydney barista movement developing the early foundations of coffee art and milk presentation.

Working alongside fellow baristas, he helped develop the skills and craftsmanship behind milk texturing, pouring and presentation — techniques that would subsequently become an integral part of modern specialty coffee culture. " People would travel to have our coffee decorated with the most unusual patterns, "People would come and see us with news paper cuttings asking.. Is this the right café?

1992 — Flat White development

1994 — Coffee art development

Bringing the Flat White to London:

when Gus continued his career in the United Kingdom, he brought with him the grassroots knowledge, skills and craftsmanship developed during Sydney's early coffee movement. "Back then no one knew what a Flat White was, the coffee in London was awful.

While training team members at some of the best known UK café brands, developing a comprehensive coffee manual for a well known coffee roaster and attending industry events. It was not until at Puccino's Coffee in London, Gus established the Flat White, helping introduce the true Australian/Sydney approach to the UK coffee scene.

His work helped carry the Flat White beyond its Sydney roots, contributing to its evolution into the globally recognised coffee beverage it is today.

From Barista to Café Owner

Gus went on to own and operate a number of Sydney espresso bars, including:

Queens Cafe — QVB, Sydney

2 Park Street Espresso Bar — Sydney

Rosso Cafe — Sydney

The Lobby Espresso — Sydney

At 2 Park st we used to make circa 1000 coffee per day, it was organized kaos. During peak rush we would grind a kilo of coffee per 30 min and at times I recall in 15 min, the equipment we used was pushed to its limits, coffee grinders blades would warp under the stress.

Across more than three decades, Gustavo estimates that he has personally made more than one million coffees charging up his followers with a hit of caffeine to tackle the Sydney hustle.

Industry Recognition:

People would travel and follow you wherever you opened a new store, it was always great to see all the customers from all walks of life, actors, cleaners, local business identities, famous book writers, politicians, bank traders we knew them by name and would chat about life every day.

Recognised as one of Sydney's leading baristas. Gus has also participated as a barista competition judge, assessing professional skills, technique and coffee preparation.

His career has included working with some of the world's largest and most recognised coffee organisations and brands:

Douwe Egberts • Nespresso • Starbucks • Costa Coffee • United Coffee / UCC • Nestlé • Vittoria Coffee • Andronicus Coffee • Lavazza • Segaffredo and Nespresso.

2011 — London Coffee Festival World Record:

In 2011, Gustavo was part of the Belle Baristas team at the London Coffee Festival that broke the world record for the most espresso coffees produced in one hour.

The team produced an extraordinary:12,005 ESPRESSOS IN ONE HOUR

The achievement required speed, precision, consistency and exceptional teamwork.

A Personal Journey.

After more than three decades in coffee, there is one thing that still makes Gus smile.

Seeing “Flat White” written on a café menu.

Whether walking through London, Paris, Germany, Spain, Taiwan, Japan or somewhere else in the world, seeing those two words on a coffee menu is a reminder of how far the drink has travelled from its early Sydney roots.

What started as part of a grassroots coffee culture in Sydney has become a coffee enjoyed by people around the world.

And for Gus, there is something very special about knowing that he was there during those early years — learning, developing, experimenting and helping bring the craftsmanship behind the Flat White to a wider audience.

“It still makes me smile when I see Flat White on a coffee menu around the world.”

Today

Today, through Borough Roast, Gus continues that journey.

Bringing together more than 30 years of experience as a barista, café owner, coffee specialist and industry professional, he continues to focus on quality, craftsmanship, sourcing, roasting and the development of exceptional coffee, He says.. " Watching people enjoy their coffee, their eyes light up when they have it, their feedback: I say, Its a great cup of coffee to you but a reputation to me and that is why I give my customers the best.

Gus:

30+ Years in Coffee | Barista | Coffee Specialist | Micro Roaster | Coffee Entrepreneur

1992 — Flat White

1994 — Coffee Art

2011 — World Record

Today — Borough Roast

Portugal ( Lisbon)

2011-05-14T16:37:00.000-07:00

2011

When Vasco Da Gama reached India and Pedro Alvares Cabral was the first European to reach Brazil, little did they know the far away land they encountered would become so important to us in the coffee industry.
Over 500 years later I was on my way to Portugal.

Waiting at the departure lounge at Stansted airport, I too felt I was going into uncharted territory, a place where I knew little about apart from Nata's and Portuguese rice flour muffins.

Landing in Lisbon, I was keen to get to the hotel, drop my bags and start exploring, but it was late and decided to get a good night sleep and star fresh the next morning.
The sun came up and ready I was, down to the lobby out the front door and....shops were closed, even the cafe across the street was not open, this could not be, this is Europe nothing is never closed!
Desperate for coffee and breakfast decided to make my way to Confiteria Nacional http://www.confeitarianacional.com/home.html
Now! this place has not only been trading for over 150 years but also has been in the hands of the same family since the day it first opened its doors back in 1829, so my guess was that it will be open, I was right.

I don't know about you, but when I enter a establishment that has been operating for a very long time, like this one, I get a mixture of excitement and nervousness.
Yep!!!, call me a wimp but its true, I guess that a lot of Coffee lovers out there would also get the same( like going to watch the final of your favourite sports team, hoping they would win)

Waiting for service I wondered, if the old furniture in places like this could talk, whisper you gossip of events gone by, who sat on this chair, who used this table?

I ordered a Cafe latte and Rice flower muffin from the large selection of pastries, both delicious, the coffee well made by a Female Barista, I could tell had lots of experience with the Faema she was operating , its nuttiness cutting through the full cream milk, the muffin freshly baked with that distinctive aroma of having been out of the oven for only a short while.
The little bell at the door warning staff that a customer has entered the cafe was busy that morning, and kept on ringing right up to when I was leaving. Happy that I had found what I went out for that morning, good coffee, good pastry and a fantastic start to my visit to Lisbon

The day was spent visiting the sights of Lisbon, The discoveries monument is a good walk to burn off the breakfast, the Strela Basilica an 18th century church was closed for maintenance, we were quite disappointed as the stained glass is a fantastic sight on a sunny day.

The remains of the convento do Carmo which was basically completely destroyed in the great earthquake of 1755 is also a place that must be visited while in Lisbon, we took a well deserved break sitting by a pillar, wondering about that day back in 1755.

That afternoon it was decided to visit the Famous Pasteis De Belen which has been making their delicious custard tarts since 1837.
This place has to be visited, you can order your coffee and tart and wonder around the inside of this great cafe, at the back, there is a great glass wall that lets you view the kitchens with rows upon rows of freshly made (Nata) custard tarts waiting to be taken to the front of shop.

Espresso and Nata was my choice, the pastry light and flaky the filling warm and sweet which was easy to follow with another one or two tarts, you also get the choice of icing sugar, cinnamon or both shaken on top.
The coffee was very good, there was a persistence presence of robusta which not only gave it a massive caffeine boost but also a noticeable woodiness which was well received by the sweet Nata.

I enjoyed the experience of visiting Pasteis De Belen and hope to be back one day the Nata and coffee are just so good.

The next day was spent visiting the many sites of this city, the cafe at Portas do sol (Alfama) has to be on the list on a warm day, the view is fantastic, the Barista at this cafe must have one of the best views of any cafe I have ever been to, you can see for miles, blue ocean and blue sky.

The area of Alfama is fantastic with small streets waiting to reveal their hidden secrets, a cafe or interesting shops, and many restaurants, hop on the local trams and enjoy the ride.

The after noon was spent at the Castelo dos Mouros, were you can view the work of many generations that ruled this part of the world a long time ago, be ready for some heavy walking.

The last stop for the day was one of the local cafe at plaza do Rossio were the coffee was great and the food fantastic, you can sit back relax and watch the locals go about their day.

The day was coming to a close and the aeroplane was waiting to fly us back to London, Lisbon is a fantastic city that I plan one day to return

Obrigado Lisbon

Espresso Mundo - Destination Europe

2010-09-12T01:23:00.000-07:00

Espresso coffee is embedded in European Culture, its part of the daily lives of millions.
Every morning in many European cities, you see packed coffee bars were people from all walks of life and profession mingle and discuss life events, work issues and gossip over a cappuccino or espresso.

Men in suits, woman in designer brand clothe and high heels, builders, doctors, writers etc all enjoying their favorite brew.
During my travels to many of Europe coffee loving countries, I was very fortunate to experience this culture.
Over machiatto, Cortado, or cafe noir, I would watch and enjoy, the theatre.

The Barista on duty showing all the skill, passion and concentration that would remind me of a concert pianist or a tenor during their performance, his instrument of passion, the espresso machine consisting of metal and pipes, heat exchangers and boiler to name a few parts, a blend of traditional design and modern technology, as delicate as a grand piano, but also temparmental that requires the Barista to handle with great skill and control, in order to bring out the best - crema- aroma and flavours from the coffee just freshly ground and dosed into the portafilter basket.

I would like to share my coffee seeking, travelling experiences, together with the local gastronomy and history of the locations I have visited.

I believe this is the adventure, sometimes the places you visit take your heart and these have to be mentioned more in detail as they are icons, treasures to be shared by all who love coffee and food.

I have chosen Europe to start with, what better place? diverse - every country has its own style, methods and legends regarding coffee and food, as I have been based in the UK, working in the coffee industry and after all Europe is just across the Channel.

Sicily

Palermo, Mondello, Monreale and Cefalu

When the Airplane lands in Palermo people say there's a very special feeling about the place, it could be its relationship to the movie The Godfather, or the warm Mediterranean air, maybe the friendliness in its residents.
To me, its in the family, my grandmother was Sicilian, and I wanted to follow the roots, see were she was born and how the residents of the Island live.

Walking trough the streets of Palermo early in the morning, it does not take much time to find your self wanting to join the crowds and dive into one of the many espresso bars scattered all round, the best times are the early mornings when the Barista is perked up and the pastries on offer are still warm,"specially when you see the bakery van pull up outside the Cafe"

The mornings belong to the (Capucho) "Cappuccino to us" or the Cafe Latte, the pastry is served in a paper serviette(I think this is because it wont take you long to consume as they are so good), The atmosphere is busy and very loud, the coffee is just Fantastic!

Coffee in this Southern Italian island, is different, having been to Rome, Florence, Venice and other parts of Italy, I could not find espresso coffee like in Sicily.
Why? you might ask.

I believe its uniqueness and isolation has contributed a lot to this, like Australia, Sicily also has, over the many years developed its own rich culture that is reflected in its architecture, food, wine and yes Espresso Coffee.

The Sicilians like their coffee strong with a thick head of crema, most likely the result of a good percentage of Robusta in the blend, this coffee is nothing like I have tasted before, the watery thin crema of a 100% Arabica blend is not easy to come by in Sicily, instead you get a fantastic coating of oils left in the cup that I believe also is the cause of extremely fresh coffee

I asked why is coffee so good in Sicily, the reply I got was that as espresso coffee is such a big part of their daily lives, it has to be correct, like their wine and sea food.

I even tested a grandmother, who was in charge of the coffee machine in a local Cafe/restaurant, the coffee she made me was "perfect".

The Capuchin Catacombs. When I visited the Capuchin Friars Catacombs in Palermo, It was a very exciting time, over 400 years after their beginning I was finally to meet the people who the great Cappuccino was named after.
FYI this came by the colour of the Friars cape which is a shade of brown, the coffee and milk finish when the beverage is made has the same colour finish.

I can just see it
A coffee based beverage was made some time in the past in Italy, the finished drink would have the same shade of brown when finished and served, which would have looked to the customer like a miniature cape or habit.
The catacombs or Passageways were used as burial grounds for the Friars, later on the wealthy who wanted to be preserved for eternity in their best clothe.

No!- there was no espresso bar at the Catacombs, just a small church (by Italian standards) and a friendly Friar taking fees at the entrance to the Catacomb were they keep the Embalmed bodies of almost 8000 people lining the walls looking down on you while you pay a visit, its a very intimidating place specially as you walk the tunnel by your self.

After a some what dramatic experience...

It was not far to walk to the bus stop in order to visit our next attraction, but while waiting for the bus, I noticed a delivery van parked outside a patisserie, I had to investigate.
I had a look inside through the shop window and quickly signaled my wife to come over as there in front of me was the most beautiful tray of fresh ricotta cannoli I have ever seen.
It only took me a few seconds to make my choice and forget about the bus -cannolo di Ricotta e pistacchio per favore!

Wood fired roasted coffee Walk by a cafe and you will read (if you understand Italian)
"we serve wood fired roasted coffee" now that really stopped me in my tracks, I had to try it.

The cafe was nothing out of the ordinary, but the coffee was something different, out of all the coffee I had tried so far, this was the smoothest, It was soft with a slight tingle that made the experience most remembering.I wanted to return to this cafe for a second time, but time was tight. I would love to see the wood fired coffee roaster in action.

Over at the motel , I asked the front desk " I wanted to visit a Patisserie were I could get some Cannoli"(addiction hit my brain...)" the concierge recommended a patisserie by the harbour called Bar Rosanero located by Via Lincoln.

The next morning we made our way towards the harbour stopping at shops and visiting old churches along the way, we reached the patisserie after lunch.
The place was more of a large cafe, the atmosphere was local, very local.
"When two strangers walk into a local cafe full of regulars, its like a scene out of a wild west movie"- everyone turns and gives you the once over.
Placing my order at a both were the friendly owner will give you the order ticket, you then pass to the Barista who made my coffee with enthusiasm, the pastry are ordered at another counter with the same ticket, so hold on to it.

The coffee was great, intense, and earthy, the cannoli fantastic, crisp and fresh the ricotta not too overpowering sweet, I urge for people visiting Palermo to visit this Cafe Bar.

After that pleasant experience we walked the narrow streets for a few hours exploring the local shops & architecture of this city making our way to the town centre, then... I got a whiff of that unmistakable aroma, it did not take long until I found the source, a local coffee roaster doing his daily chore.

I went in, had a chat with the shop owner and purchased 2 bags of their local roast to try back in London, the roastery was nothing fancy 'but boy' did the aroma work its magic with the locals, it remind me of a local bakery, everybody were buying their fresh coffee beans, this Torrefazione is located in the Vicciria market
This coffee I would have to try when back home.

That Afternoon dinner time was getting close, I came across a Illi cafe in one of the posh malls Via Principe di Belmonte, were men wear dark glasses and tidy suits, drinking illy in Sicily was like soda pop ,it is quite refreshing I must say, then across from the illy store was another local cafe that caught my attention, Cafe Spinnato I had to go in.

The front bar was packed, the atmosphere was posh, people in suits, woman in dress and all looking a million Euros, the coffee was fantastic, rich and smooth that leaves room for a second cup.
"Fantastic day", good weather, great scenery, great food, friendly locals and excellent coffee.

Now I was ready for dinner.

Sicily has some amazing sea food, the fish and shellfish are caught locally sold at the markets, were local restaurant Chefs have the best pick of the catch.
Sicilians are also very fond of Pasta of all shapes and size and Couscous which was introduced by Northern African immigrants who settled on this island a long time ago, Couscous dishes are very popular in Trapani.
There are many restaurants throughout Palermo which serve very good traditional cooking

Pasta con Sardo ( Fresh Sardine Pasta with tomato & fennel)

Pasta Ricci (Sea urchin)

Fresh Seppioline in olive oil

The next morning we headed to Mondello a short bus ride from the main area of Palermo.
Mondello has lovely beaches that attracts tourists and locals over he summer months, we were there just after the high season so things were a Little quiet and cooler so there was no swimming.

Any how, we took a stroll along the soft sand beach and near by pier were fisherman can be seen mending their nets for hours in a state of trance, we had lunch at one of the many restaurants, were I had cactus pear (In season) for dessert for the first time, I had seen these fruit grow on Cactus trough out the outskirts of Palermo with their golden colour when ripe, chilled on a warm day these are perfect.

After lunch I wanted to explore the local cafe for a after lunch espresso, it did not take long to find a place.
It was at the end of the main road, a cafe were local fishermen and hardy locals would gather and discuss daily events.

We went in anyway looking for a espresso adventure, maybe another cannoli?

And what an adventure was to be found behind the bar, 4 group 85E La San Marco lever Espresso machine, first time I have seen one like this.
The coffee smooth rich & creamy "well" take a look at the photos, that's all I really have to say.

I was so happy to have found that place, it really blew me away, because we as Barista strive for perfection with every coffee made, the Barista at this cafe also did likewise, and with a pull of the lever performed his magic, this I have very rarely seen perfected so well on a lever machine.

After an afternoon stroll along the beach, we made our way back to Palermo's centre, still with the memory of Mondello in our minds.

Upon arriving to the centre of Palermo the main road in the City was closed for a street carnival, with local Tarantella groups and their lively music being played to dancing locals who joined in the fun, so did we and spent the next few hours listening to the music.

We joined in the fun and explored the night market selling all types of local produce there was local wine, sausages and sweets tastings, who could resist that?

What a great day, Palermo is a very exciting city.

The next morning we decided to visit Monreale and its famous Twelfth century church up on the hill, it was a crowded bus ride as it was a rainy Sunday and church day for many people.
When we got here the views from that hill were breathtaking, the Church with its amazing mosaics was busy we stayed for the service and later decided to explore the town.

The amazing walls of the Cathedral

Monreale is quite picturesque, catering well for tourists, after a brief walk of the town, I went on the hunt for coffee.
As it was Sunday and the church service had finished cafe's and cake shops were packed, every one was buying cakes to take home and enjoy with family or friends, it must be a common thing to do on Sunday's afternoon.

Check out the crema

I finally got a espresso at a local cafe right near the church, and some gelato for my wife, The coffee was fantastic, the gelato, I only got to see...it must have been good!

We strolled around the town a little longer, then made our way to the bus stop so we could go back to Palermo, the day was still grey with rain clouds delivering their dose of precious water on our heads as we waited, I was not bothered as I could still taste that wonderful coffee flavours in my palate.

The following morning the weather had cleared, so we got up early and we made our way to the train station and go to Cefalu a short train ride from Palermo.

As the train weaves its way close to the sea, you finally get a glimpse of Cefalu and its cathedral.

Within minutes we were there, and decided to explore the town and shops hidden in the narrow roads that criss cross the hills.

We went to visit the eleventh century cathedral but it was closed for maintenance, we were hungry so decided to have lunch at the cafe opposite.

I had one of the best seafood soups ever at this restaurant, this dish was jam packed with all different types of locally caught fish, it was just so tasty and the fish so fresh

The white wine I had at this restaurant was a house version which was just amazing, the colour- aroma with a peachy character and a slight dry finish which went so well with the thick fish soup.

Actually I was so impressed with the wine, ''as I usually don't drink much white wine'' , that I asked the waiter were the wine was from, his reply was ''From the hills over that way'', I asked if I could see the bottle and he agreed to show me, I went into the bar and the wine did not come in a bottle but a large cask with no writing or other information what so ever, just a big white box.
I never found out were that wine was from as the owner was not around, but I do take my ''hat off'' to the wine maker that lives on those hills, this just shows the quality of the local produce, rich soil and that not all expensive wines are the best choice.

The soup was so well made

That wine - that wine.. and fresh sardine pasta

After lunch we then decided to visit the beach, now that was when I realized how deprived of the sea I have been in London, having lived by the sea side most of my life.

As soon as I saw the waves and the blue water I went across the road and purchased a pair of board shorts and headed back to the beach( forgot to buy a towel) I spent the next hour body surfing and had the best swim in a long time, blue clean warm water, lots of waves, and decent sunshine.

Cefalu beach

The clouds gathered once more and I called it a day(also stopped my wife from calling me back in) as I came back to the shore the heavens opened quite heavy, it was a great way to get the salt of your body
We called it a day.

It was a sad afternoon as the next day we had to go back to London, when we returned to Palermo we made the most of it strolling around the streets one more time and looking for some final goodies to take home.
We had a fantastic time in Palermo and its surrounding towns. Its been a great coffee and food adventure, being my first time here, I will return.
In the mean time I highly recommend you visit.

Voglio Rivederti Palermo.

KINGS QUEENS AND COFFEE BEANS.

2009-10-23T16:52:00.000-07:00

A look at the blossoming coffee culture developing in the UK.

Windsor

Part 1

England is regarded as a nation of tea drinkers as we all very well know.
Well before the days of the opium wars (1830’s) and the occupation of India (1750’s), the British had already perfected the art of tea drinking.
These days it's still a custom in the U.K to have afternoon tea, complete with silver ware, cucumber sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and rose petal jelly at one of the many posh hotels or tea houses in London.

Kings and queens have even appointed tea merchants to supply their royal needs with this most flavorsome and fragrant commodity in return for their royal seal of approval.

But times have changed, and so has the way the British enjoy their beverages, no longer is tea the king on the street.

Over the last few years there has been big changes in the UK regarding the way people have their hot beverages, and with these changes there are two new competitors in the island making their presence felt , and these two are loaded with the right fuel a busy city like London needs to get trough the day.
Their names are...

Coffea Arabica & coffea canephora Robusta. "When roasted and often combined they're widely known as espresso coffee".

It eventually had to happen, the Espresso revolution has finally arrived in Britain and everybody wants to be a part of it, Why not, when you are dealing with the second highest traded commodity on the planet after oil.
Britain's Coffee culture has the potential to be worth 100's of millions of pounds per year, and within a short period of 10 years has developed so fast , that there are now more than 10 different brands of high st chain stores competing for your morning Cappuccino, and Londoners cannot seem to get enough.

These chain stores have basically taken just about every high st corner, are more focused with market share, profits, annual turnover and keeping their share holders happy than providing a great cup of coffee, provide the average Londoner with anything from a 4 oz cup of espresso to a mega 16 - 20oz cup of milky, well can't call it coffee but basically milky solution.

Standards in Coffee making have been thrown out the door, within these stores, and it’s very rare to have a wonderful espresso experience when purchasing a product.
Apart from the poor quality coffee made within the walls of these stores, when purchasing espresso to take home either in bean or ground form the product is often very old and quite stale that no amount of clever fancy packaging will help its identity.

It is a sad fact that London’s population or for that matter the UK's had to have their coffee culture beginnings like this and it’s also the unfortunate love affair with brands that exhibits the UK’s coffee culture to flourish.

Apart from the big chain stores, there are also the independent stores, owned and operated by small business people, there are 100’s of these!
But just like the bigger stores their coffee quality and skills are very poor.
From my observations customers are not aware what a good cup of coffee is or should taste like.
Customers just take anything that is given to them, even worst Barista’s are so badly trained they too don't have an idea about producing a fantastic tasting / looking coffee.

So we end up with a situation were the customer believes that what they just purchased is a perfectly made and tasting coffee.
Customer not knowledgeable + Barista badly trained = Very bad coffee experience.

Even supermarkets have joined this flourishing coffee culture. When I visited the coffee isle at my local supermarket the equivalent to Coles supermarket in Australia - while doing my weekly shopping, I was totally amazed at the amount of coffee available

Part 2:

Bath

In the old days when you bought coffee from your local supermarket it was a choice of either Continental blend , Italian Roast or French roast , these days you have Mocha Kenya , Brazil Santos , Ethiopian Harrar and Colombian Antigua to name a few. Then there are the multinationals companies and smaller local coffee roasting companies with their selections of blended coffee and single origin coffee.

The super market itself also has a wide selection of self branded espresso coffee.

Then you have the choice of adding to your selection: Fair-trade, Organically grown or Rainforest alliance, ohh and lets not forget Decaffeinated coffee.

There are so many choices available to the average person to choose from these days that picking the right coffee to complement your wonderful dinner party, morning cuppa or if you are opening a espresso bar is very confusing, you have to either be very knowledgeable about the product, consult a coffee expert in the case of opening a espresso bar or allocate at least 15 minutes towards research while shopping to read the informative labels on the packaging before making your choice.

But unfortunately there's is a problem among all this hype, excitement and development and it's quite hard to say this because the UK’s coffee industry has so much to give.

With the current Barista Champion currently a British, a well established coffee school in London and the annual Café Culture expo
And it’s hard to say this….

"London's coffee culture is a shame"

I'm an Australian living in this great city called London and I love this place, it makes Sydney look like Canberra at rush hour. London is not only a fantastically large city but its also very multicultural and cultural with fantastic theaters and Art Galleries, great restaurants, bars and... Yes...Cafe's.

The reason for writing this article is that I find myself in an island that is just so close to the espresso loving Italians that left wondering why, why is coffee here so bad.
In a city the size of London it takes time and effort to find a café with decent quality coffee and finding an excellent one is even harder, but there are some, Yes there are!

After much research and many, many cafes visited I finally found the answer to London's low [standard espresso ... 1: Not only are barista's in this country poorly trained, but they don't care about the industry and are lazy.
2: There are far too many coffee Chain stores that only care about market share and stock market prices.

3: The industry is far too young but has grown way too fast, Baristas are badly paid and there is also a lack of experienced people in the industry that can pass on their knowledge to the apprentice Barista.

I know what you all must be thinking.

"Go back home"! "How dare you"! "What do you know"!

I am on a quest to educate as many people as possible while here in London regarding coffee (Not that horrible instant stuff) but espresso coffee ...Real coffee!

One critical point is, people in this country must first know how to differentiate what is good quality and poor quality coffee, they also have to know what they are ordering and Barista's need to know how to prepare these drinks correctly.
During my research when I spoke to a few experienced Barista working in London, they all spoke of the frustration when dealing with customers that truly don't have a clue when ordering espresso coffee.
One of the examples is the classic cappuccino scene "it goes like this".
A customer would order a cappuccino.
You proudly make it perfectly, you take it to the customer and he/she say's "but I ordered a cappuccino"!
You kindly explain to him/her that there on the table is a fine example of a perfectly made coffee.
Then you get... "I would like my cappuccino with no troth just a splash of milk and no chocolate".

Hugh.......???!!!

Now do you understand what I mean by an uneducated coffee culture?

But then to be fair some customers in London do know about coffee and some terminology, its just they don't care when an espresso based coffee is correctly made or not, they just put up with it even though they are paying over £2 pounds for a cafe latte. They know that they will get a bad coffee just about everywhere and It’s because of this anything will do attitude, coffee culture in the UK will not develop like other established ones.
This is where my self and I believe many other committed Barista's in this country, for example 3 members of my team at AWOC (Andronicas world of coffee) would like to make a difference and set a bench mark for others to follow, by making espresso coffee the way it should be. Customers will not only be experiencing perfectly made and tasting coffee but will most importantly be part of a new beginning in a cultural revolution, that will give the multinationals a wakeup call to pickup their( beans).
You might be thinking "Ok then how can you prove this will work."

I can proudly inform you that a coffee culture has been developed and is established solidly in another island and I am proud to have been a part of it, I will explain more.

Part 3

Here in London you can purchase lots of imported Australian and New Zealand products; Fosters beer and Bluebird chips are high on the list of the average Aussie / kiwi living in London , but the one thing myself as a coffee specialists (and I am sure many other coffee loving Australians and New Zealanders living here would agree) believe is the biggest export we could have given England is the Barista.

Yes ladies and gentleman It's only when you are living in a foreign country, that you realize a very important part of your day is truly missing , when that skillfully made cafe latte you purchased every morning on your way to work prepared by your favorite city Barista, made with silky textured milk is no where to be found. Instead you have to take your chances with chain stores and corner shops either fitted with fully automatic coffee machines or a top of the line espresso machine operated by poorly trained employees.
The end result is not just a cup of coffee made very poorly but often just plain awful.

We take our espresso coffee making very seriously in Australia and New Zealand a Barista would never be caught under extracting or over extracting a shot of coffee and wiping a portafilter basket after every shot and texturing milk correctly is as natural to a Barista as remembering your name and your favorite coffee. All this happens after an apprentice Barista learns the trade for over a year with maximum supervision performed by a senior professional barista. Every coffee an apprentice Barista makes within this time is basically X rayed before its received by the customer, any irregularities in the coffee or textured milk and the coffee gets discarded.
As well as learning to prepare great coffee they are shown proper espresso machine maintenance , a clean espresso machine not only looks great and makes fantastic coffee but it shows the professionalism and commitment to the industry the Barista operating it has, keen Barista's will also take part in training sessions at reputable academies to polish up their skills, while there not only will they learn about coffee preparation but will also be participating in tasting of single origin coffee beans and learn about fair-trade and how coffee is cultivated and processed.

A well trained Barista is such a great asset to the café they are employed by and in such great demand that they're regularly being poached by other establishments offering bigger financial packages, for this reason café owners are always on the look out for head hunters and guard their Barista's with great enthusiasm.
One of the great benefits of a well trained professional Barista is that the customer will benefit not only by having a fantastic coffee experience, but will be correctly educated when inquiring about the product or its industry, in fact the Barista becomes something like a member of the family to some, were life long friendships are made.

This is what Barista’s need to be seen doing here in the UK ..

England's coffee culture is very young even though people in this country have been drinking coffee for a long time, records suggest at least 400 years it actually looks like it has been very slow to change, even tough there are establishments that have been operating for over 100 years. In all this time even with better high technical machines and a multinational coffee company in every corner the quality of espresso coffee served in cafe's is quite poor.

Part 4

In comparison Australia was discovered just over 230 years ago.
Coffee culture in Australia did not take off until the early 1990's when Cafe latte, flat white, Ristretto and the word Barista ( in the early 90’s I remember café employers advertising for a cappuccino maker) were starting to become part of the Australian vocabulary... before this it was a bit rough I admit.

By the early 90's Australia was starting, with the commitment and dedication of a few keen barista's in the city of Sydney and othe mayor cities the monumental task of changing the way espresso was prepared and revolutionize the industry, it didn't happen over night 'believe me' but it did modernize the industry to such a level that old fashion cafe's felt they were being left behind, and started hiring new generation Barista's.

Eventually old fashion style coffee (slapping) "a term used to describe poor espresso making skills " was history, replaced by a professional Barista with modern equipment.
Soon old rundown cafe's were producing fantastic coffee and more than doubling their turnover, coffee art was virtually unknown in Australia, but this same group lead by a well known Australian Barista introduced it to the people and it was received with such delight that customers would come and order their favorite coffee together with their favorite art sketched on it.

Barista's were placed into the spot light and made regular appearances in local and national newspaper's with many of them becoming household names .
This was the turning point for the modern Australian espresso coffee industry and I believe the same transformation can happen in the UK.

I must also state..

Australians can also thank quite a few people for their contribution to espresso coffee down under; coffee plants arrived with the first fleet in1788 and flourished well in the warm NSW climate. (For a while) Everyone …. We were growing coffee well before most parts of the world… by the mid to late 1800’s coffee was then being cultivated very successfully and enjoyed , I assume. The first coffee roasting company started production in the early 19 hundreds or earlier while the first espresso machine was introduced to the country in the early 1950, this machine was so popular that it encouraged the development of an Australian made espresso machine called Boema. In those days it would take months for a espresso machine to reach Australia from Italy so two friends decided to build their own and cut the waiting time for customers, This company has developed into an Australian espresso culture icon.

http://www.boema.com.au/Default.aspx?tabid=57

Most immigrants would pack light when relocating to Australia but Italians used to pack 2 group Faema and Gaggia commercial espresso machines as part of their luggage. Espresso coffee was even introduced in the town of cooma in the snowy mountains where a vibrant coffee culture developed in the mid 1950's caused by the European immigrants hired to work in the Snowy river hydro electric scheme.
I believe one of the espresso machines is in a museum in Sydney.
(It would be great to fire it up and make a few espresso,wonder if it still works)
Imagined driving trough the snowy mountains, in the alpine region of New South Wales Australia in the 1950's and you would stop for a milk shake, but instead found a fully fitted Italian café where the owners could speak very little English.
Now do I believe we can start to understand were the roots of our espresso culture begun , that developed into our own unique and vibrant industry.

To be continued...