Cooking With Coffee

This is a guest post by Benjamin Castillo. Learn more about how you can guest post for Daily Shot Of Coffee.

Every day, in every corner of the globe, people start their day by drinking coffee. Many variations on this popular beverage have evolved over the years, raising the act of coffee consumption to an art form. People now drink iced coffees, mochas, cappuccinos and thousands of other varieties of this caffeine-driven energizer – and some people are even devoted to its decaffeinated cousins, which deliver the pleasing taste without the jolt. In fact, some people are so enamored with the many flavors of coffee, that they have begun using it in a wide variety of cooking recipes that are anything but ordinary.

Some people are initially put off by the idea of utilizing coffee in everything from sauces for meat to dessert, but an increasing number of chefs are finding new and inventive ways to include coffee in their list of go-to ingredients. According to chef Dawn Viola, coffee beans are either classified as Arabica or Robusta. Arabica beans are signified by a less-acidic flavor and are generally considered to make superior coffee. However Robusta beans come with a higher level of acidity and contain a higher caffeine content, making them a good choice for people who are looking for an extra energy boost from their coffee.

Coffee derived from either type of bean can be used in a wide variety of recipes. Coffee’s nutty, chocolaty or fruity undertones make it the ideal complement to a number of dishes. In fact, coffee experts have identified and categorized no less than 900 unique flavors that may be present in coffee. Most cooks recommend utilizing coffee in the same method that a spice would be used. Coffee’s naturally robust flavors require other accompanying strong flavors so that the coffee taste does not dominate the entire dish. Essentially, the coffee should enhance the dish’s flavor, rather than providing the main thrust of the overall taste.

Once the province only of chefs employed by exclusive eateries or those who attended online cooking schools, cooking with coffee has made its way to mainstream cookery as well. Thanks to celebrity chefs like Emeril Lagasse making it a part of their repertoire, more and more people who only cook for family or as a hobby are discovering the many ways coffee enhances the flavor of every dish from the appetizer to the entrée and, of course, dessert.

The idea of using coffee in desserts is hardly a new one. Most people are familiar with tiramisu and its use of coffee-based ingredients and many other dessert dishes have featured a coffee undertone over the years. Pairing the often bittersweet flavor of various coffees with the sweetness of desserts makes a natural and pleasing contrast, one that many people enjoy. Yet the more recent innovation of using coffee in savory dishes seems less intuitive. However, the complex flavors inherent in most coffees actually serve to bring out the flavor in meats. A coating of coffee and other spices also helps seal in juices and can also actually tenderize a cut of meat, making for a more succulent and tasty main course.

For instance, coffee can be an excellent spice for meat dishes like ham, game and beef. Use it in a marinade or add it to a gravy for a unique, distinctive flavor. Coffee has been used as part of a rub for various grilled meats and adds an interesting kick to any barbecue. Try using a dark, heavy roast for red meats while matching a lighter roast with more delicate dishes like chicken and fish. In many ways the use of coffee in cooking can be compared to the use of wine. Just as red wine goes hand in hand with red meat, so dark roasts go best with red or dark meat.

Cooking has long been an art form that begs for inspiration and creativity. Food goes through cycles of fashion much like clothing and interior design. Not long ago, bacon was the inspiration for cooks around the world. Now coffee is beginning to usurp bacon’s popularity as an unexpected pairing with thousands of innovative dishes. Even people who are able to resist coffee’s allure as a morning beverage have found themselves enamored of the possibilities coffee can provide to nearly any dish. Before long, diners in gourmet eateries around the world will probably be able to order a variety of dishes from a menu, with each course using coffee in some unique and heretofore unheard of way that tantalizes and awakens the palate.

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Benjamin Castillo didn’t learn to cook until he found himself on his own for food after college, when he embarked on a quest to master the family recipes he grew up with. As a writer and editor, he promotes culinary education in hopes of helping people discover the satisfaction of cooking healthy food with real ingredients.

Photo by emmerogers.

Category: Coffee Information