Coffee Pairing

It used to be you had two choices when it came to coffee: decaf or regular. Now there’s a world of possibilities--literally. Let's take a look at the major growing regions of the world and what kind of a flavor profile you can expect from each area's beans:

Latin America: Central and South America, including coffees from Colombia, Costa Rica, Panama, Mexico, and Guatemala. Latin American coffees are known for being well-balanced with bright, tangy notes. These coffees also fare well iced--bright and tangy translates to a very refreshing quality when cold.

• Body: light to medium
• Acidity: medium to high
• Flavor Pairings: breakfast breads, muffins, citrus fruits, blueberries, apples, nuts

Try these recipes for pairing with Latin American coffees:

Africa/Arabia: Africa, Middle East, and Arabia. Arabian coffees have berry- and wine-like characteristics--some with spice and cocoa notes, while African beans tend to have a citrus flavor with floral elements.

• Body: medium to full
• Acidity: medium
• Flavor Pairings: berries, citrus fruits, raisins, currants, cinnamon, cardamom, chocolate

Try these recipes for pairing with coffees from Africa and Arabia:

Asia/Pacific: Asia and Indonesia, including coffees from the Pacific islands. Coffees from this region are enjoyed for their robust, earthy characteristics. Many have flower-like or herbal notes to them.

• Body: Full
• Acidity: low
• Flavor Pairings: cinnamon, cheese, butter, caramel, maple, toffee, herbs

Try these recipes for pairing with coffees from Asia and the Pacific:

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