On Friday, I told you about the Mid Atlantic and Northeast Regional Barista Competition taking place in Cranberry, Pennyslvania, over the weekend. Since it was practically happening in my backyard, what kind of intrepid, always-in-the-know blogger would I be if I didn’t go and check it out first hand for you, dear reader? Besides, they promised dessert!

My husband Blake and I braved the hour-long drive yesterday afternoon and were met with an absolute treat: a fantastic competition, some great desserts, and, of course, lots and lots of coffee. Local bakeries and restaurants provided a dessert buffet and proceeds from it went to The Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. We enjoyed The Fig Tree’s muffins, crepes from the North Country Brewing Company, and some to-die-for carrot cake that I heard at least one guest say counted as her only serving of vegetables for the day. But the center of attention definitely went to Crazy Mocha’s hard-working baristas, who churned out hundreds of lattes and mochas to the thirsty spectators as the weekend stretched on.

Outside the barista competition. See the sign on the right?

Blake and I were lucky to watch one of Crazy Mocha’s own in action at the tale end of the competition. Pittsburgh barista Dana Waelde was the last to compete and she definitely represented her city well. Waelde deftly crafted three beverages in 14 minutes as the event’s cameras swirled around her while four judges and hundreds of audience members looked on.

Carrot cake from one of the local bakeries that we tried. In the foreground is one of local coffee shop Crazy Mocha's cups.

Waelde’s presentation included an espresso from four beans of her own blend, a delicious-looking cappuccino with a heart crafted into the foam, and a signature drink that blended honey, orange, almond milk, and a spicy chocolate and coffee she personally brought home from her travels in Italy. This was my first visit to a barista competition and I was greatly impressed by Waelde’s ability to perform gracefully under such intense scrutiny.

Direct to you from the grower

Just before Waelde performed, an audience question and answer session focused on direct trade coffee. We’ve talked a lot in this blog about fair trade coffee, so naturally my ears perked up (pardon the pun). According to the event’s emcee, fair trade is ancient history compared to the emerging advantages direct trade provides.

So, what exactly is direct trade? Very simply, it’s an effort similar to fair trade, but the coffee roaster works directly with the grower. As your 10th grade economics teacher told you: eliminate the middleman and everyone benefits. Growers have the advantage of earning a fair price for their crop, and roasters reap the benefits of working directly with their product’s grower. Also, where fair trade doesn’t always guarantee the crop’s integrity, direct trade demands beans of exceptional quality.

Intelligentsia seems to be on the spearhead of this movement and a website they’ve developed explains that the idea behind direct trade is to keep the “money chain” transparent. “We treat prices to the grower, to the mill, to the exporter, and to the importer as separate things, and everyone knows where the money goes. There are no hidden costs,” directtradecoffee.com, states.

Dessert, coffee, a little healthy competition, and a lesson worth learning more about – all in all, not a bad way to spend a Sunday afternoon. If you live in the Pittsburgh area, I hope you had a chance to explore this fantastic event. And if you don’t, keep your eyes peeled for similar events taking place in your region. It’s great fun for any coffee lover.

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