Fresh Cup Magazine, providing specialty coffee and tea professionals with unique insight into the trends, ideas, products and people that shape their world.
Issue link: http://freshcup.epubxp.com/i/90134
HAPPY COUPLES continued from page 43 Moore also likes the chocolate-cappuccino match. He says a dark chocolate truffle—perhaps one that features sea salt—can balance out the creaminess of the cappuccino. "The key to this particular match is that the truffle isn't overly sweet itself," he says. Bastin, meanwhile, favors snickerdoodles or chocolate-chip cookies, both of which, she says, complement the cappuccino in flavor as well as texture. And keep in mind, of course, that the flavor profile of a given cappuccino—or any other specialty drink—will depend sig- nificantly on the coffee a barista is pulling. AMERICANO Traditional Americano pairings might include the classic flourless chocolate cake or rich, buttery crois- sants. Bastin, meanwhile, likes to pair her Americanos with a chocolate-chip or berry scone. "Scones are dense but not overly sweet, which pairs nicely with the rich flavor but light texture of Americanos," she says. Moore says Americanos carrying a green apple or green grape taste are fun to pair with fresh sum- mer fruits, melon dishes, sorbets, and salads with a harmonic use of nuts and fruit tones. For those Americanos embracing the classically complex Kenyan profile, Moore isn't afraid to suggest a meat dish such as venison. You read that right: coffee and deer meat. "These types of Americanos will fight through that," he says, adding that bigger portion sizes of many meat dishes can often accompany a drink that often comes in eight- or 12-ounce forms. -$60,1( 7($ 6&21( ESPRESSO Moore of Dallis Bros. says espresso can be a dynamic drink given its great range of taste profiles. As a result, food pairings can go in many directions. For espressos with the more traditional leathery, dark-choc- olate-like body, Moore prefers food items carrying a peppery 44 Fresh Cup Magazine freshcup.com taste, such as a spicy curry dish. Even a nice brisket sandwich will do, he says. For espressos with a citrus-like taste, such as pink grapefruit or crisp tangerine, he recommends foods that share the citrus heritage—a chilled melon or squash soup, or a mixed berry tort. GREEN TEA Cynthia Fazekas of Adagio Teas, a tea wholesaler that also has three retail spots in the Chicago area, says green teas offer a taste range that moves from fruity to nutty to smoky to vegetal, though most are light bodied. As a result, she pairs green teas with lighter fare such as chicken or fish dishes, as well as citrus-tasting dress- ings and airy pastries. Golden Moon Tea presi- dent Marcus Stout says Chinese green teas, which are heated to stop the oxidation process, hold a mellow flavor with subtle sweetness. He notes that a quality jasmine green, with its flowery bouquet and honey finish, is well complemented by baked goods such as shortbread or poundcake. Dragonwell (aka Longjing), A quality jasmine green, with its flowery bouquet and honey finish, is well complemented by baked goods such as shortbread or poundcake. one of China's most infa- mous green teas, tends to offer a slightly sweet veg- etal aroma and a mellow, smooth, chestnut-like fla- vor alongside a lingering sweet finish. As such, Gold says, it pairs beautifully with fresh fruits, custards, seafood and nutty cheeses. Others, including Fazekas, like to pair Dragonwell with nut muf- fins, cheese or fruit platters, and buttery croissants. Smoky greens like gunpowder, Fazekas says, stand up well to deli meats, sharp cheeses, and hearty soups like minestrone or Yankee bean. When it comes to Japanese greens, tastes range from vegetal and crisp to toasty and smooth. "The more vegetal varieties like sencha pair well with soft cheeses, green lettuce salads and light brothy soups," Fazekas says. "Those with toasty notes, such as genmaicha, get along nicely with sesame-based