Our quest is never-ending when it comes to finding the best coffee, and a big part of the coffee experience for many of our readers relies on great milk.  So it was with this in mind we were delighted to be invited to the Australian Grand Dairy Awards for 2012. Katerina and I sacrificed the drudgery of drinking, and writing about coffee and replaced it with milk, and to be honest a fair amount of cheese, and a few coffee liqueurs.

We congratulate Lion Dairy & Drinks for winning the Milk category with their Original Pura milk product.  Well done to the team and thanks from a few hundred thousand MCR coffee drinkers around Melbourne.

Here is Kat giving the coffee liqueur a go!!

MCR have been invited to be an Official Media Partner at the Melbourne International Coffee Expo (M.I.C.E).  Taking place between 4 – 6 May 2012, at the Melbourne Showgrounds, the Expo will engage all spectrums of the coffee industry (from cafes to roasters to equipment).   Not only will the trade get to attend, but the doors will be open to all coffee lovers (general public) on 6 May.

The event will also host the AASCA Barista Championships, the RASV International Coffee Awards and many more.

“We are very excited to be a media partner of the Melbourne International Coffee Expo,” says Peter Christo, Director of MCR.  “It will provide the Australian Coffee Industry with an exciting event to showcase its best and bring together all its stakeholders.”

This is an event not to be missed.  For more information visit M.I.C.E

Office workers must have breathed a sigh of relief when Mothership landed near the new developments on Victoria Crescent about six months ago. No more trekking around the Abbotsford streets seeking a brew: now there is coffee right on their doorstep, courtesy of the shiny red San Remo machine that takes pride of place at Mothership. It sets the vibrant tone of this cafe: the big, open space is livened with splashes of red in plastic stools, the lights and the Mothership logo on the serving bench, while vintage airship and spaceship posters allude to the cafes name. Coffee, made with Dimattina beans, is served in red or black cups and is generally good: a short black might be tarry, smoky and intense, while a cafe latte can vary between creamily rich or slightly milky. A breakfast and lunch menu, a glass cabinet full of sweet treats, friendly staff, a relaxed vibe and free wi-fi access round out the Mothership package.

Details and vote for this cafe

Pour Kids cafe ticks all the boxes that make up an excellent cafe: smart decor, enticing menu with whimsically named dishes and sublime coffee. A bright yellow La Marzocco machine sets the colourful cheery tone, matched by coloured wooden chairs and prints and geometric-patterned wallpaper. Pour Kids is run by qualified chefs Ryan Storey and David Ballenger and the breakfast and lunch menu, with dishes such as Smash and Grab, The Lego and Three Bears Out Hunting, reflects their training and attention to detail. But the coffee is the true drawcard here, made with Axil beans and meticulous care and attention, especially if Ryan is behind the machine. A short black sings with smoky, intense flavour that softens sweetly on the palate, while a creamy cafe latte is simply superb and a delight to sip. Housed in two former shops (now joined together to make the one large space) just off Glenferrie Road and opposite Coles, Pour Kids is an excellent addition to the Malvern coffee scene and definitely worth seeking out.