Ireland the Home of Great Coffee!!
· Europe’s Best Barista is Irish
· Could the Mikadocino become our next great beverage?
· Ireland’s Alexandra Szabo Takes Silver at the World Championships
The Celtic Tiger is all but dead but some of its better characteristics have become embedded in Irish culture and top of that list is our relatively recently found appreciation for good coffee.
It’s not so long ago that the only beverage that could be found to assist drivers to refresh whilst on a country journey was the ubiquitous “milky tea from a flask” or the nasty instant coffee from a roadside pub. Thankfully those days are now past and with the opening of Applegreen’s Motorway Service Area’s on the M1 and M4, drivers can now stop for a top class coffee or tea or full meal. Drivers on the M1 are particularly well catered for as Europe’s finest Barista, Alexandra Szabo is to be found creating her coffee art at Costa, at the Applegreen, M1 Southbound Motor Way Service Area close to Lusk, Co Dublin.
Ireland’s champion Barista, Alexandra Szabo has already been declared the best Barista in Europe at the European Championships and now she is going on to represent Applegreen, Ireland and Europe in the Costa Coffee Barista of the Year Championships taking place in London on Wednesday, October 19th.
Alexandra is hugely passionate about her job and considers a Barista’s skills more of an art than a trade. Already a European champion, Alexandra will be tested on speed, consistency, quality passion and flair before being asked to serve a bespoke beverage of her own design at the Costa, World Championships. This signature drink is uniquely Irish inspired by the Mikado biscuit. Dubbed the Mikadocino, it has already become e a firm favorite of Alexandra’s regulars at the Applegreen Motorway Service Area’
As Alexandra says, “For me coffee is a passion and I’m lucky enough to work in a state of the art coffee bar at Applegreen. I went to the world championships win so I am a little disappointed with second place but a silver medal at world championships is not a disgrace”
Also commenting on Alexandra’ achievements to date and on her silver model at the World Championships in London, Joe Barrett, Operations Director at Applegreen said, “We were delighted that Alexandra was chosen to represent Applegreen, Ireland Europe in this world championship event and whilst she was pipped at the post for the world title we are very proud of her achivements”
