Savour the Flavour : Your guide to Coffee & Food pairing …
You might be more familiar with wine pairing than you are coffee pairing, but seen as its a little uncouth to drink wine with every meal and snack, here’s our guide to pairing your coffee with your food.
Pairing food with single-origin coffees can really enhance your experience by complementing or contrasting each coffee's unique flavour profile.
Let’s take a look at these pairings of various single-origin coffees, using their common tasting notes as a guide:
1. Ethiopian Coffee
Tasting Notes: Bright acidity, floral, citrus, berry-like flavours, often with a tea-like body
Food Pairings
Fruits: Citrus fruits like oranges or berries (blueberries, raspberries)
Pastries: Lemon or berry scones, almond croissants
Desserts: Citrus tarts, berry compote with vanilla ice cream
Savoury: Light salads with citrus vinaigrette, chèvre cheese
2. Colombian Coffee
Tasting Notes: Balanced, with bright acidity, caramel sweetness, nutty and chocolatey notes
Food Pairings
Fruits: Apples, pears, and bananas
Baked Goods: Chocolate chip cookies, walnut brownies, cinnamon rolls
Desserts: Caramel flan, toffee, milk chocolate
Savoury: Grilled chicken, nutty cheeses like Gruyère
3. Kenyan Coffee
Tasting Notes: High acidity, juicy and fruity, with notes of blackcurrant, grape, tomato, and citrus
Food Pairings
Fruits: Blackcurrants, grapes, and citrus fruits
Pastries: Fruit tarts, lemon bars, shortbread cookies
Desserts: Dark chocolate, berry coulis
Savoury: Tomato-based dishes, aged cheeses, and tangy goat cheese
4. Guatemalan Coffee
Tasting Notes: Complex, with notes of chocolate, nutty undertones, and sometimes a hint of spice
Food Pairings
Fruits: Dark fruits like plums, cherries, and figs
Baked Goods: Chocolate muffins, pecan pie, cinnamon bread
Desserts: Dark chocolate truffles, spiced cakes
Savoury: Barbecued meats, spicy dishes, Manchego cheese
5. Costa Rican Coffee
Tasting Notes: Bright acidity, sweet, citrus, honey, and chocolate notes
Food Pairings
Fruits: Stone fruits like peaches and apricots
Pastries: Almond pastries, honey cakes
Desserts: Honey-glazed treats, white chocolate
Savoury: Grilled seafood, light salads with fruit, soft cheeses like Brie
6. Brazilian Coffee
Tasting Notes: Low acidity, rich and nutty, with chocolate and caramel notes
Food Pairings
Nuts: Almonds, hazelnuts, pecans
Baked Goods: Pecan pie, chocolate cake, banana bread
Desserts: Milk chocolate, caramel pudding, dulce de leche
Savoury: Roasted meats, hearty stews, and aged cheddar
7. Yemeni Coffee
Tasting Notes: Deep, complex with chocolate, spice, dried fruit, and wine-like acidity
Food Pairings
Fruits: Dried fruits like dates and figs
Pastries: Spiced cakes, baklava, biscotti
Desserts: Dark chocolate, spiced desserts
Savoury: Middle Eastern dishes, lamb, and feta cheese
8. Sumatran Coffee
Tasting Notes: Earthy, full-bodied, low acidity, with herbal, spicy, and sometimes tobacco-like flavours
Food Pairings
Nuts: Walnuts, pecans, and hazelnuts
Pastries Gingerbread, molasses cookies, oatmeal cookies
Desserts: Spiced desserts, dark chocolate, and caramel
Savoury: Hearty dishes like beef stew, mushrooms, and smoky cheeses
These pairings are intended to either complement the coffee's natural flavours or provide a pleasant contrast. The key is to balance the intensity of the coffee with the food so that neither overwhelms the other.
We’d love to hear if you’d tried any of these out, or if you have some of your own!
Follow this link to find the perfect brew method for each flavour…