5 Coffee Pairings to Try at Calgary’s Cafes

5 Coffee Pairings to Try at Calgary’s Cafes Next time you want a sweet treat with your coffee, consider the tasting notes to make the most of the experience. By Nicole Halloran February 17, 2015 Photograph courtesy of Phil & Sebastian When thinking about food pairings, it’s easy to get…

5 Coffee Pairings to Try at Calgary’s Cafes

Next time you want a sweet treat with your coffee, consider the tasting notes to make the most of the experience.

Photograph courtesy of Phil & Sebastian

When thinking about food pairings, it’s easy to get lost in the world of wine and beer, and thinking about which tasty beverage would best accompany a meal. The perfect pairing will bring the taste of both your food and beverage to a level you never thought possible, as your palate responds to the matching flavour notes.

But if you could get those taste sensations throughout the entire day, why wouldn’t you? Consider coffee pairings. Chances are, you’re drinking a cup (or two, or three) a day anyway, and pairing it with the right food will only make it more enjoyable.

Here are five local coffee shops and the perfect pairings to help you and your mouth make the most of the experience.

Analog Cafe

Fratello Coffee’s aromatic selection of coffees leaves an endless number of options for complementing the perfect sweet treat. The wonderful thing about Analog’s location in the Calgary Farmers’ Market is its proximity to some of the best sweets in town. The floral aromas and sweet lemon taste in Fratello’s Nicaraguan Finca Limoncillo will bring out the flavour in a hand-filled lemon curd doughnut from Jelly Modern Doughnuts, just a few aisles over. We recommend you get the coffee first in order to avoid devouring the entire doughnut on the walk over.

Analog Cafe, 730 17 Ave. S.W., 403-265-2112, fratellocofffe.com/analog-cafe, @fratelloanalog

Caffe Rosso

This hip little cafe in Ramsay has a tempting display of baked goods and sweets, which makes it hard to choose just one. But for those interested in coffee pairing, try combining the Tambaya C roast from Kenya with the popular scone made with blueberries, raspberries and white chocolate. The tasting notes of coconut and raspberry in the coffee will bring out the berries in the scone.

Caffe Rosso, 803 24 Ave. S.E., 403-971-1800, rossocoffeeroasters.com

Gravity Espresso & Wine Bar

Grabbing a cup of coffee and a quick breakfast in the morning doesn’t have to mean sacrificing good flavours. Gravity’s brewed coffee, when made with Phil & Sebastian’s Asgori/Ethiopia beans, goes wonderfully with the yogurt parfait made with granola and berries. The milk, honey and peach tasting notes in the coffee will bring out the delicious sweetness of the homemade granola.

Gravity Espresso & Wine Bar, 909 10 St. S.E., 403-457-0967, cafegravity.com, @cafegravity

Higher Ground Cafe

At this Kensington hotspot, you can find a wide selection of organic and ethically sourced beans from around the world. The medium-dark roast from Columbia is full of flavours, including roasted hazelnuts and cocoa. Pair it with a rich, decadent chocolate croissant and your taste buds will thank you.

1126 Kensington Rd. N.W., 403-270-3780, highergroundcafe.ca, @highergcafe

Phil & Sebastian

Phil & Sebastian’s head chef Leslie Morrow has the perfect solution for new coffee drinkers, or anyone who enjoys buttery pastries. Anyone who normally uses sugar and cream to subdue the acidity of coffee should try coating their tongue with the creamy maple butter tart to help alleviate the bitterness. Take your coffee pairing knowledge to the next level at one of Phil & Sebastian’s chocolate and coffee tasting classes, run by Morrow. The next one takes place on Feb. 24.

Phil & Sebastian, 2043 33 Ave. S.W., 403-686-1221, philsebastian.com, @philandseb

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