Coffee is a beverage that offers countless sensory experiences, especially when paired with other foods.
There are two aspects that greatly interfere when we taste food: taste and flavor. Taste is the reaction perceived on the tongue that sometimes brings us comfort or discomfort. We can identify five reactions: sour, bitter, sweet, salty, and umami. Flavor, on the other hand, is the olfactory perception of food in the mouth.
Pairing is a technique to enhance the flavors of the ingredients present in both food and drink. It can be done intuitively, as the most important thing is to find a balance so that one does not compete with the other.
The partnership between coffee and food is very similar to wine, both by contrast and by similarity. To make a correct combination, first, it is necessary to know the sensory characteristics of the coffee and then decide whether to combine them by contrast or similarity, to then choose a food that has the appropriate characteristics for that choice.
To have more possibilities for sensory experiences, the ideal is for you to practice combinations and foods, because the more you taste and smell, the more repertoire you will have. This way, you will have more options for pairing food with coffee.
And you, what do you like to pair coffee with?