Coffee’s usual pairings with sugar and cream has been now stretched beyond a cup of espresso to mousse, souffle, tiramisu and cakes. Nevertheless, the new element that has been added to a gourmand’s list is what the Chicago Tribune reports as the restoration of Southern American tradition of introducing coffee into the gravy with ham. Briefly, it is introduction of coffee as marinades on steak, as a spice rub, braising sauce, as a dry garnish or as a succulent sauce over desserts.
Facts provide that the mild flavor of coffee does not interfere with other flavors but brings out the natural flavors and enhances the color of the meat. However, there is robustness in coffee, yet the chefs can give the caffeine kick in the most sophisticated way to the diners in gourmet BBQ sauces, and the best example can be the Espresso dessert and cappuccino pudding by leading molecular gastronomist, Ferran Adria.
