Coffee can be combined with many foods. Coffee is not only a great way to start the day, it is also best enjoyed in combination with different flavors and aromas.
Because of this, coffee is now a common accompaniment to meals, be it dessert, breakfast, lunch or dinner.
In some countries you even get a small portion of cookies or biscuits when you order a coffee. Because for some cultures it is difficult to imagine drinking coffee without a side dish.
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Recommendations for pairing with coffee
It is essential that coffee has different properties and aromas.
Find the taste
Before you start your search, it is important to determine the predominant taste of the coffee. This makes it easier to combine with other foods. Flavors such as sweet, sour, bitter or salty offer a multitude of combinations. Sometimes the flavors are more pronounced, sometimes they are more subtle.
Get to know the types of coffee
You should take the time to get to know your coffee better before pairing it with various foods.
Knowing the complexity of coffee
Some types of coffee have an intense aroma, such as B. dark chocolate, while others have a complex aroma. For example, Bolivian coffee has a citrus aroma , while Sumatran coffee has complex flavor profiles that can range from sweet to earthy.
Combination of coffee with similar flavors
Flavor pairing begins with tasting the components separately. From there, you can consider which flavors support and accentuate each other and which don’t.
Don’t be afraid to pair food and coffee based on what they have in common. For example, dark roasts and espressos often bring hints of chocolate, which pairs well with a slice of keto chocolate cake.
Once you are familiar with the flavors, you can consider combining complementary flavors together.
Pay attention to the acidity of the coffee
The acidity of the coffee is important for pairing with food. It is important to ensure that you only buy high-quality, roasted coffee for the best result.
Tasting frequently
As with other skills, the same applies here: practice makes perfect. Doing regular coffee tastings will help you better understand the flavor profile of each type of coffee, making it easier to pair with food.
Contrast can also be crucial
Opposites also support each other, as combining opposite flavor profiles can produce delicious results. A light roast with a light acidity can pair well with a sweet dessert.
Coffee and sweet foods
Desserts like chocolate cake and brownies can be paired with dark coffees, while lighter milk chocolate can pair with any coffee. Below are some sweet foods that go great with coffee.
- Brownies: Full-bodied coffees pair well with dark chocolate brownies.
- Chocolate cake goes well with dark roasted coffee, and Arabica coffee with white chocolate mousse.
- Dark Chocolate: Dark chocolate pairs well with Indonesian, Brazilian, and dark coffee roasts.
- Milk chocolate: Milk chocolate can be combined with all types of coffee.
- White Chocolates: These types of chocolate pair well with Colombian and Yemeni coffees.
In addition, fresh fruits can be combined with sweet and healthy types of coffee. However, be careful not to overdo it. Some fruits that go well with coffee are peaches, plums, and apricots. Even the coffee could be part of the dessert!
Coffee and baked goods
Baked goods can also go very well with coffee. Here are some baked goods from them.
- Biscotti: One of the best foods to have with coffee is biscotti , which comes in a variety of flavors and tastes very diverse.
- Cinnamon Rolls: Cinnamon rolls can be combined with coffee from Guatemala.
- Coffee bread: Coffee bread can be combined with any coffee.
- Croissants: The croissant can be paired with a strongly flavored coffee.
- Donuts: Donuts can be paired with different types of coffee, especially mild coffee.
- Muffins: Like donuts, most muffins go well with most coffees.
Coffee and savory foods
Coffee also goes very well with savory foods. Combined with salty foods, coffee helps activate the taste buds through the bitter taste. Salty foods that can be paired with coffee are as follows
- Meat: Beef, pork, and lamb pair well with dark roast coffee. Additionally, roast chicken pairs well with fruitier tones, while charcuterie pairs well with medium-roasted coffee.
- Cheese: The rich flavor and aroma of coffee also matches and enhances the creamy flavor of various cheeses.
- Pizza: Pizza can also be paired with a cup of coffee. Coffee and pizza go perfectly together, because the intense flavor of the coffee enhances the cheese flavor of the pizza.
- Pancakes: Pacific Island coffee can be paired with chocolate pancakes or savory pancakes.
- Oatmeal: Oatmeal should be paired with lightly roasted Kona or Nicaraguan coffee.
- Wheat Toast: Colombian, Guatemalan, and Brazilian coffees can be blended with wheat toast.
Pairing by coffee style
Espressos and americanos
Spicy
Bagels are among the foods typically associated with coffee and coffee shops. Because bagels come in many variations and are a practical size to combine with breakfast coffee.
Breakfast dishes seem made for black coffee. Bacon or bacon go very well with it, as does yoghurt.
Sweet
Bitter espresso tastes best with a bar of dark chocolate and some nuts like almonds and cashews. This is a very powerful combination, ideal for taking a break and relaxing.
Sweet donuts are also a great combination as they contrast their sweetness with the subtle bitterness of the coffee. In other words, they complement each other very well.
Cappuccino
Tasty
Among the savory options, cappuccino goes very well with a French croissant or French toast .
Sweet
Vanilla ice cream and tiramisu are the best companions for cappuccino. Vanilla ice cream is the safest option when it comes to pairing with coffee, but you can always experiment.
Tiramisu, on the other hand, is an ideal dessert as the combination of coffee and chocolate puts it on par with ice cream and is the ideal accompaniment to cappuccino.
Macchiato
You can serve good bread with plenty of jam with your macchiato.
Crepes filled with strawberry and kiwi slices and topped with whipped cream are also a good choice.
Ristretto
This drink goes well with a bite like a piece of dark chocolate or a granola bar.
Frappe
Frappe is already a good addition to food, but you can always upgrade it a bit. Freshly baked brownies make the frappe melt in your mouth, and the blend of coffee, melted ice, and brownie makes for a snug feeling.
Frappe also goes really well with biscuits. For example, Oreos or shortbread cookies.
Iced coffee
Iced coffee goes really well with anything bread related, like sandwiches and toast.
It also goes well with most fast food dishes. Iced coffee is usually a very good choice when you’re short on time, as there’s no need to reheat coffee or milk, and it goes with almost anything.
Mochaccino
This drink goes great with a slice of carrot cake or a muffin or cupcake, preferably a blueberry muffin.
An iced mochaccino tastes best with a donut or a chocolate cake.
Milk coffee
Sweet:
For a regular latte, you can try a chocolate cake or brownie. Coffee and chocolate are two natural allies that enhance each other’s flavors.
It’s common to dip a piece of brownie in the latte because they complement each other so well. Chocolate chip cookies are also a good pairing with a latte.
However, the traditional accompaniment to a latte has always been bread and butter.
Some places serve a hot latte with a piece of cheese thrown in, which is then eaten with a fork and some bread.
Spicy:
Croissandwich marketed by the Burger King chain is one of the best options to complement the milk coffee.
A less popular variant is the rosemary and garlic focaccia. This bread is similar to pizza bread, but without the tomato sauce, and is a popular cafeteria food in some parts of the world .
Conclusion
Pairing coffee and food is now the new norm and a great way to enjoy the taste of food. As described above, there are different ways to pair coffee with food. However, you should first know the taste of your coffee before mixing it with the right foods.
You don’t have to enjoy your coffee drink with the same side dish every day. The combination of coffee and croissant works and is popular in cafes, but it doesn’t have to be the only one you try.
Pairing coffees from different regions and origins with certain foods also enhances the enjoyment of both, and it’s well worth spending the time and effort to experiment with different combinations.
In short, there are countless ways to combine coffee and food. You will find delicious combinations that make the overall experience better than enjoying each part individually. Coffee and food simply belong together.
