Food Pairings with Coffee

Have you ever wondered if coffee can be paired with some of your delicious dishes? Yes, coffee can be combined with many different types of meals. The idea of pairing food and drink isn’t a new concept. Before now, food and various kinds of drinks have always gone hand in hand. For instance, people eat food regularly with a glass of wine right at the corner.

However, coffee and food are now the new norms because a lot of people are now discovering the benefits that this pairing offers in enhancing food flavors. This is why other than been just an excellent way to start the morning, coffee can be best enjoyed when paired with various tastes and flavors.

Due to this, coffee is currently a regular companion for foods, either dessert, breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Much more than just been paired with cakes and sweet treats, the best food to be paired with coffee is those that share similar flavors, which is why it is vital to understand your coffee flavor before pairing with any dish.

Things to Know when Pairing Coffee with Foods

When trying to pair food and coffee, it is essential to understand that coffee has different characteristics and aroma. While some have the sharp citrus taste of lemon; in contrast, others taste like cherry. This is why you must take time to understand the key characteristics of your coffee before pairing with any type of food.

Here are a few things to consider when pairing coffee and food.

Find the flavor: Before you start, it is vital to identify your coffee of choice’s dominant flavor, which will largely depend on the coffee origin. If you are unsure of the flavor, you can brew your coffee to get the real flavor. After discovering your coffee flavor, it will quite easy to pair with the food you love, which could be sweet, sour, bitter, or salty. Sometimes the flavors are more pronounced while other times, they may be subtle.
Pair like with like: It is also vital to start by pairing the same food and coffee flavor together. Then try the combination out. Once you become comfortable with the flavors, you may consider matching complementary flavors.
Know your coffee types: Also, you must take time to understand the coffee you have before pairing with the right food.
Pay attention to your coffee acidity: Coffee acidity level is significant when pairing coffee with foods. It is vital to ensure that you purchase only high-quality and roasted coffee to get the best result.
Know your coffee complexity: Some coffee has intense flavors such as dark chocolate, while others have complex flavors. For instance, Bolivia coffee has a citrus taste, while Sumatran Coffee has complex flavor profiles, which could be sweet and earthy. Knowing their complexity helps you create a balance.

Coffee Pairing with Various Types of Foods

As stated above, coffee can be paired with different types of foods. Some of these pairings could be in the following forms.

Coffee and Sweet Foods

It is impossible to create a sweet pairing of coffee and any food without mentioning chocolates. Rich desserts such as chocolate cake and brownies can be combines with roasted coffee while lighter milk chocolate can go with any coffee.

Brownies: Full-bodied coffees blend well with dark chocolate brownies.
Chocolate cakes: Dark roasted coffee can be paired with chocolate cake, while white chocolate mousse cake is delicious with Arabica coffees.
Chocolate-Dipped Fruit: African coffees can be paired well with this type of chocolate fruit.
Dark Chocolate: Dark chocolate is paired with Indonesian, Brazilian and dark roasted coffees
Milk chocolates: Milk Chocolates can be paired with all types of coffee
White chocolates: These types of chocolate pairs well with Colombian, and Yemeni coffees.

In addition, fresh fruits such as berries can be paired with sweet and healthy coffees. However, you must be careful not to overdo it. Other fruits that pair with coffee include the following.

Stonefruits: Fruits like peaches, plums, and apricots can also blend well with Haitian coffees.
Tarts: Fruit tarts blend excellently well with dark-roasted Costa Rican coffees.

Baked foods can also be paired excellently well with coffee. Whether you choose to bake them yourself or buy some from a grocery store, here are some baked foods that blend with coffee.

Biscotti: One of the best foods to enjoy with coffee is biscotti which comes in different flavors and have a variety of taste.
Caramel Flan: Salty sweet flavor works well with Colombian coffee
Cinnamon Buns: Cinnamon Buns can be paired with Guatemalan coffee
Coffee Bread: Coffee Bread can be paired with any coffee
Croissants: Croissant can be paired with full-flavored coffee
Doughnuts: Doughnuts can be paired with different varieties of coffee, especially the smooth, sweet Costa Rican coffee.
Muffins: Like doughnuts, most muffins work with most coffees.
Shortbread: The buttery taste of shortbread can be paired with delicious Costa Rican or Brazilian coffees.

Coffee and Savoury Foods

Coffee also blends excellently well with savory foods. Especially the Central American coffees and the Colombian coffees. When paired with savory foods, coffee helps to activate your taste buds with the bitterness flavor. Savory foods that can be paired with coffee include the following:

Meat: Beef, Pork, and Lamb can all pair well with dark roasted coffee. In addition, roasted chicken can be paired with fruitier tones, while the sausage is excellent for medium roast coffee.
Diary: The rich taste and flavor of coffee also blends with and bring out the creamy taste of different cheeses. Of course, the diary is also used as an additive to coffee.
Brandy: Coffee can also be consumed with spirits like brandy and grappa.
Peanut Chicken: Peanut Chicken can be paired with a Sumatra cup, which complements the taste and brings out its nutty components.
Pizza: Pizza can also be comboed with a glass of coffee. Coffee and Pizza and a perfect match made in heaven because the bold taste of coffee enhances the cheesy taste of the pizza.
Pineapple Ham: Pineapple Ham can also be paired with African Coffee. When there is a food component in the meal, then it is better paired with Kenyan or Ethiopian roast.

Best Breakfast Foods to Blend with Coffee

Generally, here are the best foods to blend with coffee. A lot of people enjoy a glass of coffee at breakfast. However, only a few know that coffee can be combined with other variety of foods that can be served at breakfast. Some of these foods include

Crepes: Bold Pacific Island Coffee can be paired with chocolate crepes or pair savory crepes.
Eggs or Sausage: Costa Rican Coffee can be paired with American style breakfast
Omelets: Indonesia coffee can be paired with omelets
Oatmeal: Oatmeals should be paired with light roast Kona or Nicaraguan coffee
Pancakes: Pancakes pairs perfectly well with Kona and Nicaraguan coffee due to their flavors
Quiche: Pacific Island coffee has full, savory flavors and pairs well with Pacific Island coffees.
Wheat Toast: Colombian, Guatemalan, and Brazilian coffees can be blended simply with wheat toast.

Conclusion

Coffee pairings with food is now the new norm and a great way to enjoy the flavor of your foods. As described above, there are various ways to pair your coffee with food. However, you must start by understanding your coffee flavor before blending with the right meal.