Caffeine queen does it again

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Heather Perry, the 25-year-old barrista from San Dimas, serves the world’s best espresso, at least according to the judges at the 2007 World Barista Championship that just concluded in Tokyo. That’s the good news. The not-so-good (but still far from bad) news is that Perry (shown left, in 2003), who works at her family’s Coffee Klatch Roasting, was rated only the world’s second-best barista overall (the competition also includes making milk drinks and designing custom drinks). James Hoffman of Britain won that title. Still, Perry’s second place is the highest finish ever for an American. In May, Perry also won her second American barista title, becoming the first champion ever to repeat -- she had previously won in 2003.

-- Russ Parsons