Coffee accompaniments from four different Coffee Cultures
From eggs with bacon, to croissants and traditional delicacies, to coffee everything is allowed.
It is a fact that you do not need much to enjoy a good coffee - from the ritual of Italian Espresso, which is always drunk straight and upright, to Greek coffee, which was accompanied at best by a Turkish delight or a nut, coffee is a a drink that is often enjoyed plain. At the same time, however, it is a drink that many of us have associated with various favorite snacks - another with a croissant or a cake, otherwise a pie, and some even as part of a rich breakfast.
There is of course no answer as to what is the best side dish for coffee - but looking at four separate coffee cultures and the corresponding side dishes they suggest, we can get ideas to make our own mug a unique experience.
Coffee accompaniments from four different Coffee Cultures
Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania: from mandazi to croissants
Although they are strong players in the coffee market, countries such as Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania have not developed their own coffee culture until recently. In urban areas of Kenya, such as Nairobi, the classic coffee accompaniments are no different from their European counterparts, with croissants being the most popular. In contrast, in the rural areas of these countries, coffee was ideally combined with a traditional delicacy, mandazi, a type of sweet, fried bread that resembles a (extremely simple) donut. "What to accompany your coffee with is largely a matter of geography, but also of education and economics," notes Pete Gakuo, a Kenyan gastronomy journalist.
Colombia: fine Arabica with ... melted cheese!
Colombia is one of the largest coffee producers in the world and the largest power in Arabica - and if until recently locals were content with instant coffee Tinto, their taste has refined over time and they have become more demanding. The traditional side dishes for coffee in Colombia differ significantly from what we are used to: bunuelo (pancakes with cheese), pan de bono (cheese bread), almojabanos (corn tortillas with cheese) and guava cakes. Although the presence of melted cheese on the western palates can be impressive, in Colombia it is a very popular combination, since there is also the relevant drink, Café Con Queso, which is nothing but coffee with melted cheese!
USA: The sweeter, the better
It is known that the United States of America has one of the most unhealthy diets in the world, with sugar being present everywhere and several times excessive in quantity. Perhaps this explains the habit of Americans to combine coffee almost exclusively with sweet desserts: cookies, croissants, cakes, tartlets, donuts, they are all beloved and very popular. In many cases, the combination of coffee and dessert is in itself a traditional dish: the special coffee at the Café Du Monde in New Orleans is always served with beignet, the typical donuts of the American South. "It's a matter of chemistry, the amino acids and aromas of the Maillard reaction bring roasting, they look for sugars," says Mehmet Sogan, a California roaster.
Australia: another version of the British Breakfast
Australia prides itself on being the father of a world-famous drink: Flat White, the Australian version of Cappuccino, is one of the most popular cups of the Instagram era, in part because of its ability for easy latte art. . Coffee accessories in Australia are plentiful and rich, with strong British influences: fried eggs, bacon, sausages, toast, but also lighter options such as avocado and salmon, are the usual coffee accompaniments, and not just for breakfast, but also for any time of the day.
The next time you press the coffee maker button, ask yourself: do you prefer a croissant, a sweet dessert, eggs with bacon or maybe ... melted cheese?
