The great thing about coffees from all over the world is that they have so many complex flavors. While I am developing coffees for restaurants, resorts, spas, hotels, clubs, golf clubs, bakeries and coffee shops, I get to work with many of the best chefs from around the nation. Some of these chefs are James Beard award-winning chefs! One of the fun things I enjoy is matching coffee with desserts at these superb dining places. I know, it’s a fun part of my job! What’s not to like about eating desserts with the world’s best coffees? I mean, what is the last thing you remember about your meal? If you guessed your dessert, coffee, espresso, latte or cappuccino, you are correct!
So, to help all H.C. Valentine coffee fans decide which coffees to purchase with your awesome desserts, I have a recommendation list below! I hope you will enjoy trying all the artisan, micro-roasted specialty coffees from H.C. Valentine! Many of them which are organic, fair trade and Rain Forrest Alliance certified coffees. H.C. Valentine is committed to sustainable certified coffees. We currently purchase more than half of our coffees with sustainable certifications!
Below are the H.C. Valentine coffees, which you can purchase on www.hcvalentine.com, and the desserts to pair with each.
Blends
1. H.C. Valentine Signature Coffee – 33% RFA
Cakes and pies: cherry, black cherry, blackberry, blueberry, chocolate, seven-layered chocolate, chocolate bourbon pie, cherry and blueberry cheesecake
Cobbler: cherry, black cherry, blackberry and blueberry
Cookies: chocolate chip cookies
Pudding: chocolate pudding
2. Roast Masters African Savanna
Cakes and pies: strawberry pound cake and pie, apple pie, strawberry shortcake, apple crumb cake, lemon icebox pie, caramel apple pie, key lime pie and key lime cheesecake
Cobblers: peach, apple, cherry, blueberry
Pudding: banana pudding
3. Royal 150 – 33% RFA
Cakes and pies: caramel apple pie, caramel macchiato cheesecake, praline cheesecake, caramel praline turtle cheesecake, cherry pie, blueberry pie, raspberry pie, blackberry pie, double chocolate cake, chocolate crème pie and chocolate cheesecake
Cobblers: blackberry, raspberry and blueberry
Cookies: chocolate and chocolate chip
Pudding: chocolate
4. 100% Organic Caribbean
Cakes and pies: any cake or pie with raisins, molasses, spice and brown sugar
Cookies: any cookie with raisins, molasses and brown sugar
Pudding: rice pudding
5. Panama Volcan Beru
Cakes and pies: any chocolate cake, pie or cheesecake
Cobbler: all red fruit cobblers
Cookies: caramel cookies
6. 100% Organic Aztec
Cakes and pies: cheesecakes and pies that include dark chocolate
Cobbler: plum
Cookies: all chocolate cookies that use semi-sweet chocolate or chocolate chips
Pudding: bread pudding
7. 100% Organic Inca Decaf
This decaf coffee is free of a chemical taste that you get with most decafs. It is a medium to dark roast, so it will be enjoyable with almost all desserts!
8. 100% Organic Signature Espresso
This is a gold medal winning, unique 100% organic espresso. This acidic, bright-flavored espresso is enjoyable as a single or double shot. Its toasty, nutty, fruity, spicy and caramel taste will hold up in all lattes and cappuccinos! With all this complexity, it’s an enjoyable espresso that will complement all desserts that have nuts, fruit, spice and caramel in them!
Single Origin
9. 100% Fair Trade Organic Mayan Roast
Cakes and Pies: all citrus type cakes, cheesecakes and pies this coffee will also compliment any cake or pie that has nuts, pecans and cashews on the dessert
Cookies: peanut butter cookies, biscotti, Snickerdoodles
10. Kenya AA Flame Tree
Cakes and Pies: all cakes, cheesecakes and pies with peaches, apricots, nuts and caramel
11. 100% Organic Mexican
Cakes and pies: any pies that have milk chocolate, brown sugar, molasses and plums
Cookies: all chocolate and chocolate chip cookies
12. Ethiopian
Cakes and pies: all pies with milk chocolate
Cobbler: all fruit cobblers
13. Costa Rican Tarrazu
Cakes and pies: perfect for any cakes or pies that have cherries or black cherries
Cobbler: great with any dark fruit cobbler
Cookies: super with chocolate, honey or molasses flavored cookies 14. Guatemala Antigua - San Rafael Urias
Cakes and pies, cheesecakes included – all desserts that have black cherries, clove, nutmeg and spice will be unbelievable with this coffee