Taupo becomes coffee paradise

By CHRIS BRAMWELL in Taupo
You could be fooled into thinking a Coffee Festival is only about coffee, but visit the Taste Buds stand at the second Wild Bean New Zealand Coffee Festival & Awards in Taupo and you will be tempted with delicious treats to accompany that latte.

Cafe owner Georgina Church went to the festival last year and walked out with a new coffee machine and supplier.
She said the festival was the perfect one-stop shop for cafe owners, and this year she decided to be part of it.
"We are going to set up a wee cafe down there complete with cafe frontage, it will be lots of fun. We are going to be serving full cafe food, and all our homemade chocolates and goodies too," Ms Church said.
Coffee roasters, baristas and enthusiasts will all follow the smell of freshly ground beans to Taupo's Great lake Centre from tomorrow to immerse themselves in the coffee-scented paradise.
About 6000 coffee lovers are expected to taste freshly roasted coffees from many of the country's leading coffee roasters over the course of the three-day event.
Live music from Gahu and Charlotte Johansen will accompany flat white sipping during the daytime, while in the evenings the Biscuit and Coffee theatre show will entertain.
A judging panel, headed by leading international coffee judge and former executive director of the World Barista Championships, Instaurator, will taste more than 100 coffees entered by the coffee roasting companies.
This year Instaurator is also joined by two other overseas judges who will complement a number of New Zealand roasters who will also be judges.
A highlight of this year's festival will be the national finals of the New Zealand Barista Awards.
Nine coffee wizards from around the country, including Taupo's own Michelle Rutherford, will compete to be named New Zealand's best barista, earning a place in the 2006 World Championships to be held in Bern, Switzerland.
The festival will also include seminars on everything from how to prepare the perfect espresso at home, to latte art for baristas presented by master roaster Justin Metcalf, recently placed third in the World Latte Art Championships. until Sunday.