Paige Knight - 23 / Sep / 2024

Coffee and Food Pairings for International Coffee Day

Brew with Blackstone’s this International Coffee Day by trying these coffee & food pairings. Learn about how to pair coffee with food and try some new recipes.

Each year, 1.62 billion pounds of coffee are roasted, brewed, and enjoyed in coffee shops, cafés, and homes throughout the United States. Coffee is a beloved pastime that knits communities together and, for some, constitutes an intricate art form. A decade ago, International Coffee Day was established as a way to celebrate and appreciate coffee roasters, coffee farmers, and coffee shops.

Celebrated annually on October 1st, International Coffee Day is the perfect day to spend learning about coffee. Sort of like types of knife steels and types of cookware, you could get a graduate degree in coffee and still have more to learn. This International Coffee Day, expand your knowledge by learning about coffee and food pairings, from which roasts go with certain foods to our favorite recipes to pair with different coffee brewing methods.

Coffee and Food Pairings

There’s nothing quite like the first sip of coffee in the morning. It fills you up with warmth, tantalizes your taste buds, and eases you into the day. You might think it can’t get better than that, but what if we told you that it can?

When done right, food can elevate your coffee drinking experience. Strategically pairing certain flavors with different coffee roasts and brewing methods can enhance your mornings and leave you full and energized for the day ahead. Let’s talk about some general coffee and food pairing guidelines.

Light Roast Coffee & Food Pairings: With a higher acidity level and bright, fruity notes, light roast coffee goes great with light, delicate, fruity foods. Some examples include delicate pastries, fresh fruit, and nut butters.
Medium Roast Coffee & Food Pairings: With a moderate acidity level and more depth to its flavor, medium roast coffee is the ultimate middle ground. With sweet and chocolatey flavor notes balanced by a touch of bitterness, this coffee goes well with everything from savory dishes, like quiche and bacon, to sweet delicacies, like banana bread and blueberry muffins.

A moka pot filled with ground coffee sits next to a shot of espresso. Both sit on a brown wooden tabletop covered in coffee beans.

^{Dark roast coffee goes well with hearty, robust foods, like seared steak and rich dessert.}

Dark Roast Coffee & Food Pairings: Dark roast coffee has a robust, smoky flavor that goes well with similarly bold foods. Rich desserts, like brownies and dark chocolate, and hearty, spicy meats, like chili, stews, and Indian cuisine all make ideal compliments to full-bodied dark roast coffee.

Our Top 4 Coffee & Food Pairings

We could go on and on with the laundry list of ideal food pairings for each type of coffee, but we’d likely be here all day. Instead, we’ve gathered some of our favorite recipes that pair well with different coffee brewing methods.

Pour-Over Coffee & Fruit Tart

The pour-over brewing method is ideal for those who really love the intricate flavors to be found in coffee. It’s great for pulling out subtle flavor notes, making it a great fit for light roast beans. The subtle fruity notes in this roast pair wonderfully with fruity pastries, and a fruit tart seemed an obvious compliment to pour-over coffee.

Ingredients

Instructions

1 cup (250g) all-purpose flour
½ cup (125g) unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
¾ cup (187g) powdered sugar
1 egg yolk
1 cup (236ml) heavy cream
1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
2 cups mixed berries
(Optional) fruit jam, for glazing

Make your dough
- Add your flour, cubed butter, and ¼ cup (62g) powdered sugar to a food processor.
- Gently pulse your ingredients together until your mixture has a coarse, crumb-like texture.
- Pour your mixture into a mixing bowl and add your egg yolk and 1 tablespoon (5ml) cold water.
- Use a hand mixer, a whisk, or your hands to mix your dough until it comes together.
- Wrap your dough in plastic wrap and allow it to chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Add your dough to your tart pan
- Preheat your oven to 375°F.
- Sprinkle some flour on a large cutting board and use a rolling pin to roll your dough out to a ¼” thickness.
- Fit your dough into a tart pan and trim any excess dough from the edges.
- Use a fork to prick the bottom of the crust and add pie weights.
Bake your crust
- Bake your crust in your preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, until it turns golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and allow it to cool completely.
Make your filling
- While your crust bakes, place a stainless steel bowl in the freezer for 15 minutes.
- Add your heavy cream, vanilla, and remaining ½ cup (125g) powdered sugar to your chilled bowl.
- Beat your mixture until stiff peaks form.
Assemble your tart
- Spread your filling evenly inside your cooled crust.
- Arrange your fresh berries on top of the filling.
(Optional) add a fruit jam glaze
- Heat your fruit jam in a small saucepan on medium heat until it begins to liquify.
- Remove from the heat and use a pastry brush to spread your jam glaze over the top of your tart.
Chill and serve
- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and serve with pour-over coffee.

A teal Le Creuset French press sits beside two teal coffee mugs and a tray with a pastry on a wooden table.

^{French Press Coffee is perfect with rich, creamy foods and charcuterie.}

French Press Coffee & Creamy Cheese Danishes

The French press brewing method creates a bold, full-bodied flavor that’s ideal for rich, creamy foods. Everything from indulgent pastries to savory breakfast staples go great with French press coffee. One of our favorite French press coffee pairings in creamy cheese, like brie and camembert. This type of coffee would go great with a charcuterie board, but we love the idea of making your very own creamy cheese danishes.

Ingredients

Instructions

1 package of puff pastry, slightly thawed
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon (15ml) whole milk
8 oz cream cheese, softened
½ cup (125g) powdered sugar
1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
¼ cup (62g) granulated sugar

Prepare your dough
- Preheat your oven to 400°F.
- While your oven heats, take your puff pastry out of the freezer and allow it to thaw slightly for 30-45 minutes.
- Roll out your thawed puff pastry onto a floured cutting board.
- Cut your dough into equal-sized rectangles.
Make your filling
- In a medium bowl, add your cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla.
- Use a hand mixer or whisk to beat your ingredients until they’re smooth and creamy in texture.
Assemble your danishes
- Place a spoonful of cream cheese filling in the center of each of your puff pastry rectangles.
- Fold the corners of your rectangles over your filling to enclose it.
- Whisk together your egg yolks and milk in a small mixing bowl.
- Use a pastry brush to coat the tops of your danishes in the egg yolk mixture.
- Sprinkle granulated sugar over the tops of your danishes.
Bake your danishes
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place your danishes on your baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown and puffed.
Cool and serve with French press coffee.

Moka Pot Coffee & Huevos Rancheros

If you want to make espresso coffee without an espresso machine, the moka pot is your best friend. The moka pot brewing method makes a strong cup of coffee, and it’s perfect for your favorite dark roast beans. With dark roast coffee, it’s best to go bold, so we recommend pairing moka pot coffee with spicy Huevos Rancheros.

Ingredients

Instructions

Corn tortillas

4 eggs, fried
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 white onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
1 can (10 oz) Rotel tomatoes
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
Salt & pepper, to taste
Shredded cheese, avocado, sour cream, and pico de gallo, for topping

Heat your tortillas

Heat a skillet over medium heat.
Add your tortillas and cook on each side for 1 minute.
Set aside in a tortilla warmer.

Make your sauce

Heat a medium skillet over medium heat.
Add olive oil and minced garlic. Sauté for 30 seconds.
Add your chopped onion and bell pepper and cook, stirringoccasionally, for 5 minutes until softened.
Add your diced tomatoes, Rotel, chili powder, and cumin
Bring your sauce to a simmer and allow it to cook, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes.
Season with salt & pepper to taste.

Serve with fried eggs and toppings

Add your warmed tortillas to a plate and add your sauce on top.
Add fried eggs on top of your sauce, add your choice of toppings, and serve immediately with moka pot coffee.

^{Huevos Rancheros have a spicy, savory flavor that is the perfect compliment to dark roast coffee made in a moka pot.}

AeroPress Coffee & Nutty Breakfast Bars

The AeroPress brewing method is known for making crisp, strong coffee with distinct flavors, making it another candidate for lighter roast coffees. Because the AeroPress has a compact design that’s perfect for easy transport, AeroPress coffee drinkers are known for being busy, on-the-go, and outdoorsy. That’s why we recommend breakfast bars as the perfect to-go flavor pairing that compliments and elevates the AeroPress lifestyle.

Ingredients

Instructions

2 cups rolled oats
1 cup shredded coconut
½ cup almonds
½ cup cashews
½ cup sesame seeds
½ cup sunflower seeds
1 ½ cups peanut butter
16 oz honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

Prep your tools
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Combine your dry ingredients
- In a large bowl, add your oats, coconut, almonds, cashews, sesame seeds, and sunflower seeds.
- Use a whisk or spoon to stir and combine your ingredients.
Make your binder
- Add your peanut butter and honey to a microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup.
- Microwave for 1 minute.
- Add your vanilla extract and whisk to combine.
Coat your ingredients.
- Add your wet ingredients to your dry ingredients and mix to combine.
Bake your bars
- Pour your mixture onto your baking sheet and spread into a rectangle.
- Bake for 15 minutes, or until the edges turn golden brown.
Cool and slice
- Allow your bars to cool and firm up before taking a sharp knife and slicing into individual bars.
Serve with AeroPress coffee

Brew With Blackstone’s

At Blackstone’s of Beacon Hill, everyday is Coffee Day. Each day, you’ll find us in our Beacon Hill store educating customers, restocking our coffee section, and finding new coffee products to add to our inventory. Visit our website to browse our selection of coffee products, kitchenware, home decor, and gifts, and don’t forget to tag @blackstonesboston on Instagram with any of your International Coffee Day creations!