I heard chocolate and milk go better together, but what about coffee?

Food and drinks are often paired with each other, beer goes with peanuts, Oreos go with milk, so what should you pair with coffee?

The taste of gourmet food can complement coffee, highlight or contrast a unique aroma or taste in coffee, or even enhance the texture and taste of coffee.

Looking around the world, different countries have different understandings of the pairing of coffee and food. In today’s article, we will look at the world and see how coffee and food should be paired.

Africa

Ethiopian coffee ceremony: a classic combination of sweet and salty

Ethiopia is a country with diverse landforms and many ethnic groups. Its coffee beans grow in different regions. Coffee is the only thing that can make more than 80 ethnic groups worship it. Only about 40% of Ethiopian coffee is exported, and the rest is used in various ceremonies. For example, at weddings, people will make porridge made of coffee beans, coffee berries, butter and salt; a medicine made of coffee, honey and various herbs to drive away bad luck; and a tea made of coffee leaves and coffee to entertain guests. But the most important thing is the ceremony of drinking coffee.

The Ethiopian Buna (coffee) ceremony is a lengthy process, taking about 1.5 hours on average, which is performed daily and is intended to lead to a conclusion, which could be a marriage proposal or the resolution of a family conflict.

The first thing is to roast the coffee beans. When the coffee beans are roasted, women (often dressed up) put the coffee beans into a pot so that everyone can smell the aroma of the coffee beans. Then they start to brew the coffee.

The first cup in the ceremony is called ABOL, which is the most important cup and the hardest to drink. If you are resolving a conflict, you must bravely drink this cup and state your point of view.

The second cup is called Tona, which is boiled with water again, and the taste is still strong. If the other party accepts his point of view, he will drink it up. If the other party does not drink it, there will be no third cup.

The third cup is called Baraka. It symbolizes joy when things are resolved and the conclusion is satisfactory. Often the younger generation is invited to drink this cup.

In Ethiopia, you can refuse to attend a wedding, but you can never refuse to attend a coffee ceremony. Being invited to a coffee ceremony is a sign of being recognized and accepted by the locals.

Sweet and salty have been people's favorite flavor combination since ancient times. In fact, after research, scientists have found that if the taste of two foods is similar or complementary, people's food experience will be enhanced. Therefore, whether it is sweet coffee or salty peanuts or popcorn, the combination of the two will make people unforgettable.

Europe

Netherlands

In other European countries, coffee and food are paired in a variety of ways. In the Netherlands, people prefer to drink coffee while eating waffles. Waffles, also known as waffles, lattice cakes, checkered cakes, and embossed egg cakes, are a type of baked cake that originated in Belgium and are baked on a special baking tray. Therefore, the Netherlands, which is next to Belgium, also likes to eat waffles. The most classic way to eat waffles is to place the waffle on the mouth of the coffee cup, so that the biscuit becomes softer and fully absorbs the aroma of coffee. The Dutch also believe that this method can be used to judge the quality of the waffle. If the edge of the biscuit becomes bent or too loose, the quality of the waffle cannot be called top-notch.

Sweden

Swedish "Fika" coffee with cinnamon buns

The Swedes even created a new word for the combination of coffee and food: "Fika". The word "Fika" cannot be translated directly. The closest translation may be "a short coffee break", but this is different from an ordinary coffee break. When drinking coffee, you must eat some delicious desserts, bread, or chocolate. Of course, the Swedes' favorite is the local specialty - cinnamon rolls (Kanelbullar), which is a classic food commonly seen at Swedish coffee parties. In the golden age of home baking, coffee parties often turned into carnivals, with people eating yeasted sweet bread, small cookies, stuffed bread, puff pastry and cakes without restraint.

Brazil, Japan

Coffee houses are not only found in Europe and the Middle East. Brazil is the world's largest coffee producer, accounting for nearly 1/3 of the world's total coffee production. Japan is the world's third largest coffee importer. The United States is famous for its free drip coffee and fast food. It is said that more than 90% of Blue Mountain coffee is monopolized by the Japanese. Do you think the Japanese know how to drink coffee?

New Zealand, Australia

One third of espresso, two thirds of boiled milk, and a little bit of swirling foam make up the unique style of "Flat White".

New Zealand is credited with creating the "flat white," a coffee brewed with less milk, using textured milk rather than frothed milk.

The flat white is currently enjoying a resurgence in popularity in the UK and US, not only to meet the needs of large numbers of New Zealanders and Australians travelling overseas, but also because many of them have opened cafes in cities such as London and New York.

Although we say that coffee culture originated in the Middle East and fully developed in Europe, in the era of globalization, coffee has already spread all over the world. Every country has its own unique coffee culture, whether in Asia or North America. Currently, coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the world, and the most interesting thing is to explore how local people around the world pair coffee with food.

The increasing popularity of coffee shop culture has brought endless possibilities for pairing food with coffee. As long as you dare to discover and try, whether it is sweet desserts or salty snacks, or the rich aroma of cinnamon, they can make the taste of coffee more unique and make your coffee experience more perfect.