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Dining Planner: Local roasters compete at CoffeeFest in Nashville, chocolate festival at Ren Fest

 
Cattle Dog Coffee Roasters owners James and Heather Cook have been tapped to compete in the cold brew category at CoffeeFest in Nashville, Tenn.
Cattle Dog Coffee Roasters owners James and Heather Cook have been tapped to compete in the cold brew category at CoffeeFest in Nashville, Tenn.
Published Feb. 22, 2017

What's the buzz: CoffeeFest

Florida has more than 70 coffee roasters and more than 200 coffee shops, even keeping Daddy Starbucks out of the mix. Two establishments in the state have been selected to participate in the cold-brew competition at CoffeeFest in Nashville, Tenn., March 17-19. Concord Coffee from Lakeland and Cattle Dog Coffee Roasters of Hernando in Citrus County are heading there to represent, competing against 22 other teams.

An opportunity for coffee professionals and enthusiasts to come together to learn about industry trends, products and workshops, CoffeeFest also features competitions for best espresso, cold brew and latte art. The three-day event draws nearly 2,000 attendees and ends up being a who's who of coffee enthusiasts.

Cattle Dog owners James and Heather Cook backed into coffee stardom in a way. The original owner, Steven Dorst, debuted the ambitious coffee house in 2007 but died two days after opening the doors. The Cooks saw the for-sale sign and James, a chef, took the plunge.

"The roasting side was new to me, but over the last nine years it's become a passion," James said. Last year, while traveling in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, they noticed that serious coffee places were focused on perfecting cold brewing, a technique that maximizes flavor and minimizes acids.

Cattle Dog offers single-origin coffees from more than 20 countries, more than 30 flavored coffees, decafs and blends. It was one of the first to start nitro coffee in Florida as well as one of the first to bottle its cold brew.

For the competition, the cold brew must be manufactured with just coffee and water, no flavorings or additives. Competitors can choose between "traditional still" or "nitrogen infused" cold brew. Judges make their decision based on flavor complexity, balance, mouth feel, body and aftertaste.

Let's hope both Concord Coffee and Cattle Dog bring home a win for Florida. For more information about Cattle Dog, visit cattledogcoffeeroasters.com.

Dream big: chocolate

The Bay Area Renaissance Festival, which runs through April 2, gets very focused this weekend. Yes, there are 100 merchants in the re-created 16th century village, along with armored jousting, 12 stages of entertainment and, you know, turkey legs, but this weekend is special. Held in Piper's Valley, the chocolate festival gets revved up with free samples from local chocolatiers, bakers and other sweet makers. All the better as high-octane preamble to the fencing competition, race for the rattle (this is a baby competition, for serious, and tiny participants get a free T-shirt) and the fudge fling held on the Wyldewood Stage, all culminating in a couples' pie-eating contest. You are not going home clean. Weekend hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 11315 N 46th St., behind the Museum of Science and Industry, Tampa. $20.95, $12.95 children. (813) 983-0111. bayarearenfest.com.