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Most people have an understanding that wine and food pair very well together, but did you know that there are food and beverage pairings for almost any type of drink you can think of… including coffee!
It makes sense that coffee would pair well with certain foods since it’s usually consumed during breakfast or after dinner, but do you know there are certain types and styles of coffee that pair better with certain types of food?
Let’s take a look at what makes a good food and coffee pairing and what you can do to your meals to ensure you’re getting the best possible flavors.
Food and Coffee Pairings
When it comes to pairing coffee with foods, breakfast food is where you’re going to find the best flavors. Coffee is typically known as a breakfast food, so some of these pairings make perfect sense, but others may surprise you.
Donuts / Coffee Cake / Pastries
The sweetness of a glazed donut, the deliciousness of a fresh coffee cake, or your favorite muffin are all great foods to pair with your morning cup of coffee.
These types of breakfast staples are typically found hanging out together whether you’re visiting your favorite diner, the local donut shop, or waking up in a hotel room. There’s no better combination of food and coffee than these delicious morning treats.
Fruit
While it may not seem like the most obvious food to pair with your coffee, fruit can balance out your cup of joe in a great way.
Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, peaches, apricots, and even plums, lend themselves as the perfect companion to your cup of coffee.
Since berries and other fruits tend to be on the sweeter side, you’ll get the best experience when pairing these with a sweeter coffee.
Scrambled Eggs
Scrambled eggs can be as simple or as complex as you want, but however you decide to cook them, a nice warm cup of coffee always goes well.
Eggs are a great way to start your day and pairing them with a cup of coffee will give you that extra boost you need to get moving.
Cheese
Cheese is often thought of as a great food to pair with wine, but not many people are up for a glass of wine with their breakfast. In which case, coffee can be a great beverage to pair with harder cheeses like swiss and cheddar.
You can even pair coffee with a nice bowl of cottage cheese if you’d like.
We would, however, recommend staying away from softer cheeses with your coffee, as they can become overwhelmed by a strong coffee. But mixing a little cheddar cheese with your scrambled eggs and coffee is a great way to get off on the right foot.
Chocolate
Chocolate, whether it’s dark chocolate, milk chocolate, or white chocolate all pairs very well with a cup of coffee. The one thing you’ll want to remember though is to pair the sweeter chocolates with a lighter, sweeter tasting coffee. This will help the flavors compliment each other instead of drowning each other out.
Dark chocolate tends to be less sweet than traditional milk chocolate and white chocolate, so a darker coffee with a bit more bite to it would pair very better with dark chocolate than with milk chocolate.
The Key to Food and Coffee Pairings
You can scour the internet and read articles about coffee and food pairing suggestions until you’re blue in the face, but what it really comes down to is what tastes good to you.
If you like drinking coffee in the morning and you like eating eggs for breakfast, then experiment with different types of coffee while enjoying your food. If it tastes good to you, great, if not, try a different blend or a different type of coffee next time.
Not everyone has the same tastes when it comes to food or coffee, so it’s important to listen to your own palate. You can use our suggestions, or other suggestions, as a guide on where to start, but ultimately, you’re going to need to figure out what you like through trial and error.
With the right food and coffee pairing though, you can start every day with a full belly and that jolt of energy you need to conquer your to-do list!
