Can You Pair Coffee With Cheese?!

Most people do not think of coffee while they have a cheese purchase in mind. As a matter of fact, these are things that do not seem like they go together at all.

However, most people might be pleasantly surprised to discover that both of these items can be paired up; if a person knows how to properly arrange these items. What type of coffee can pair well with cheese?

Keep reading to discover coffee and cheese pairings that actually work:

Why Aren’t Coffee And Cheese Naturally Compatible?

The problem with coffee and cheese is that they are not compatible foods at their core. Coffee is a strong, robust drink made from coffee beans. The flavor is usually rich, strong, and deep.

Coffee has a bitter taste that can be tart, and can even taste similar to dirt. People put creamers, milk, sugar, and other condiments in their coffees to reduce the strong taste that the drink has on its own.

coffee with cheese and snacks

Cheese is a food that is savory and rich. It is not usually an overly sweet or bitter tasting food, but it falls somewhere in the middle.

Some cheeses have a strong flavor, while others are more sweet and nutty. Still, cheeses are not necessarily the best foods to pair with coffee.

Coffee and most cheeses are not compatible, because they simply do not have complimenting tastes. One of the reasons why coffee is frequently drunk with pastries is because it cancels out their sweetness.

Have you ever noticed why people tend to drink black coffee with cinnamon rolls, or sugary, sweet donuts? That is because the strong, bitter taste of the coffee balances out the sweetness provided by many desserts.

What Cheeses Go With Coffee?

When you pair coffee with cheese, you must pair a sweet tasting cheese with a bitter, or semi-bitter tasting coffee blend. Gouda cheese is one type of cheese that can take on a strong cup of coffee.

Gouda is an aged cheese that has a sweet flavor to it. This cheese is normally aged for many months, or even years. It has a flavor that resembles a sweet, salty caramel.

Piave Vecchio is another type of cheese that can be paired well with coffee. It has a flavor that foodies consider slightly sweet, with a fruity appeal. Some say that it even has a nutty taste. Piave Vecchio is also an aged cheese.

Barely Buzzed is a type of cheese that has been made with a finely ground coffee crust. This covering helps to enhance the flavoring of the cheese by giving it a slightly floral taste.

This cheese is often eaten with fruits, and some light pastries and breads. Barely Buzzed goes well with coffee because it is partially made with the grounds.

Ricotta cheese is often used in many Italian pasta-based dishes. However, ricotta is also useful for semi-sweet dishes as well.

Ricotta can be combined with jams, or served with chocolate to create a unique chocolate and cheese pairing. You can then eat this type of cheese and chocolate mix with a tasty cup of Joe.

ricotta snack

Gjetost is a Norwegian piece of cheese that has the flavor and appearance of a hard piece of caramel. It is cooked in such a way that the milk sugars caramelize.

Once this happens, the cheese naturally takes on a sweetened flavor that is hard to deny. People in Norway often eat this type of cheese for breakfast, with a cup of coffee.

Finally, there is Fenacho. This type of cheese is derived from goat’s milk. It has a butterscotch and maple taste to it. The taste is derived from fenugreek seeds that naturally have flavors that resemble a butterscotch and maple combo. This blend of maple and butterscotch works well with coffee.

Conclusion

The list that was presented here should make it easier for you to pair coffee and cheese. You might have to search for a while to discover which cheeses and coffees work best as a pair.

Once you obtain that information, you will then be able to enjoy some of the best tasting pairings that the world has to offer.