Coffee-based drinks are very common. Many of them look like milkshakes or desserts. However, others are in the form of beverages or cocktails, so today, I share my experience trying Aperol Spritz with coffee.
I have a special coffee shop to try different preparations. This place is more of a Coffee Bistró concept than a coffee shop. What is the difference? Coffee Bistró restaurants have simple preparations that are quick to prepare but with cooking techniques that make the food gourmet.
A few days ago, I had read in the menu the section on cold brews and I was curious to try several of them but to appreciate each one, you have to taste a cocktail in each visit. This way, I can get a complete impression of the drink.
My order was a cocktail called "Coffee's Aperol Spritz". When the drink arrived at the table it was very beautiful. The drink was served in a wine glass and had orange, ochre, and brown colors, elegant drink.
This drink had "Aperol", a bitter-tasting drink with citrus notes thanks to the ingredients with which it was made (rhubarb, gentian, cinchona, and orange among others). This cocktail also has sparkling wine, soda, and espresso. You can imagine beforehand that it is a very bitter drink.
"Coffee's Aperol Spritz is a drink categorized as an aperitif. It is a drink that serves to whet the appetite and then be able to order food. This cocktail has ice which makes it refreshing, and as the ice melts, the bitter taste is softened. Now came the biggest challenge to enjoy such a long drink. The challenge was to choose the right food so that the bitterness of the drink complimented the food.
To enjoy the combination of beverages and food to the fullest it is necessary to take some principles of the pairing technique. Pairing consists of complementing the flavors of the drink and the food or balancing them with each other. Based on these criteria, I played with the two predominant flavors in the drink to make a good selection for the food.
It's all a game of balancing the flavors we know. In this case, my cocktail had bitter and acid flavors so I had to choose a food that had fat and "Umami" ingredients. And what is umami? They are those ingredients that when they enter our mouth cause a sensation of "very delicious" and you can't stop eating them. I'm sure you already know what some of them are.
So, I ordered a burger with crispy chicken and fries. The fat from the frying of the fries, chicken, and the melted cheese balanced the bitter taste of my drink. The bacon, mushrooms, melted cheese, and ketchup provided the "Umami" flavor that completely complemented the taste of my "Coffee's Aperol Spritz".
My husband ordered a salmon salad. This salad has sour flavors like strawberries and yogurt dressing predominate in it. I experimented with trying some of this salad with my drink. It was a bit off-putting as the bitter taste of "Coffee's Aperol Spritz" is greatly intensified by the sour flavors. So I think I made a good choice with my burger 😅😅😅.
I will continue experimenting with this science of pairing coffee with other foods. Soon I will tell you about something I am about to do in this world of coffee. In the meantime, I toast with you for the life, love, and a wonderful future.
Consulted Reference: The Flavor Matrix
Thanks for reading. See you in a future post!
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