Another new Award for this year is the “Best Saturday Supplement” Award. This might have something to do with there not being any Saturday Supplements last year on account of my not having had the idea yet… The Saturday Supplement is a place where I can write about coffee, coffee-related events and places which I liked but which didn’t really fit into the category of a Coffee Spot. This Award recognises the best of this year’s Saturday Supplements.
Just so we’re clear on this, the Award is not about my writing (that would be far too self-serving). It’s about the actual subjects that I’m writing about, which include coffee festivals, magazines and coffee roasters, which makes the comparison a little tricky, but that’s my problem!
You can see the shortlist after the gallery.
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6There are six Saturday Supplements on the shortlist this year, all listed in order of publication.
I went to the London Coffee Festival with low expectations but came away suitably impressed. Since I write about cafes, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but found there was something for everyone from the UK Barista Championships through pop-up cafes, loads of coffee and more shiny espresso machines than you can shake a stick at!
The Caffé Culture Show is aimed more at the trade than the consumer, but I still found it fascinating. It was there that I learnt to love my Aeropress, discovered that there is such a thing as a waffle on a stick and was taught a valuable lesson from Matthew Algie Coffee about how different filter methods can have a profound impact on the taste of your coffee. Finally, I met Doctor Espresso in the flesh! I think I’ve only just recovered!
Another new innovation with the Saturday Supplement was to revisiting existing Coffee Spots. The first one I did was Bristol’s Small Street Espresso. It had only just opened when I first visited, but now is fully up and running.
Over the summer, my local Coffee Spot, Bar des Arts, teamed up with Horsham Coffee Roaster to launch a new coffee menu, featuring, for the first time in Guildford, pour-over coffee. I, of course, was there to document every step of the way with the Saturday Supplement.
2013 also saw the launch of a new, professional magazine, Caffeine Magazine, which has gone from strength to strength over the year. I say that not just because I’m now writing for it on a regular basis.
You’ll find me writing the city spotlights at the back. While my fellow correspondents get to go to the likes of Paris, I get to go to Newcastle. It’s a good job I like Newcastle so much!
Earlier on this year, I was asked to nominate various Coffee Spots for the Lunch Business Awards. As a reward, I got invited to the awards ceremony. I was particularly pleased when one of my nominees, Café Boscanova, won the award for Best Coffee Experience.
And the winner is Caffeine Magazine
Runners-up: London Coffee Festival 2013, Caffé Culture Show 2013
You can find all 20 of the 2013 Coffee Spot Awards here.
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