By neticom in 18 de October de 2022

What is the Best Combination for Specialty Coffee – How to Combine Flavours

Specialty coffee is a drink so rich in flavour that you can combine it with various types of savoury foods and desserts. This is because special coffee has different sensory notes, according to the region where it was planted and all the treatment it underwent after harvesting. The combination between drink and food is very famous when it comes to wine. But today we are going to show you how it is possible to combine everyday foods with your specialty coffee, enhancing its qualities and creating a balance between flavours.

First of all, it is worth mentioning that there are two main types of harmonization: by similarity and by contrast. The sensory notes and the roasting profile of the specialty coffees will directly influence the type of harmonization desired. Matching by similarity is the use of strong foods with strong coffees or mild foods with mild coffees, by contrast, coffee with more acidity is used for fatty foods or a sweet coffee for savoury dishes. Below we list some examples for you to understand better.

Coffee & Cheese

Is there a better duo than coffee with cheese? The combination of coffee with cheese is one of the most famous. This is because the salty flavour of the cheese generates a balance in the acidity of some coffees and results in an incredible taste. For starters, we recommend saltier cheeses, such as parmesan cheese, pecorino, Grana Padano and provolone with more intense coffees. These coffees have a more developed roast profile, where they usually present notes of chocolate, nuts, etc.

If you like softer cheeses, such as gouda, edam, curd, mascarpone, cheddar, you can bet on softer coffees too, applying matching by similarity.

Coffee & Chocolate

First, you should pay attention to the type of chocolate that will be harmonized. For dark or semisweet chocolate, a combination by contrast is recommended: bet on coffees that have a more accentuated sweetness, in order to establish a balance between bitter and sweet.

To combine a very sweet chocolate, such as white or milk chocolate, it is also indicated to use a combination by contrast. It is recommended to use more intense coffees with more developed roasts.

These tips are super important when combining special coffee with foods that have an accentuated sweetness such as cookies, cakes, brownies, donuts, sweet pies, pudding and even ice cream.

 

Reference: Coffee and Joy Blog  (Coffee & Joy (coffeeandjoy.com.br)