The Specialty Coffee Association of America (www.scaa.org) holds an annual Barista championship, and the winner this year is from Los Angeles. In fact, of the top six in the final results, five of them were from California! Do we know our coffee, or what? ;-) The contest itself consisted of the baristas' making 12 coffee drinks: 4 each of espressos, cappuccinos, and their own concoctions - in 15 minutes! Wouldn't it be nice if the baristas at our favorite coffeehouses could make them that fast?

The winner of the national competition received a trophy, a thousand dollars, AND an all-expense-paid trip to the WORLD championship to be held in Copenghagen, Denmark, from June 19 to 22, 2008. Who would have thought that making coffee could be so lucrative?