Guest Post: 6 Coffees to Pair with Thanksgiving Dessert

I KNOW.  

Thanksgiving is over.  And we are moving on to Christmas.  But you know what? 

Christmas has desserts, too.

Without further adieu, I give you a TCN (The Coffee Nomad) contributor, Emma from San Francisco.  She has been a long time follower of The Coffee Nomad and reached out to me when she wanted to get her own blog up and running.  She is a barista at Saint Frank Coffee in S.F. and knows a thing or two about coffee.

Cheers.


6 Coffees to Pair with Thanksgiving Dessert

by: Emmeline Wang
her blog: www.emmmeetscoffee.com
her Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emmmeetscoffee/

Coffee is a beverage that naturally brings people together. There is an intimate magic in how coffee acts as a social glue, maintaining conversations and conviviality even as the night winds down. Especially on food-centered holidays, it can also assist in perking everyone up if they’re feeling lethargic, which is extra helpful for those who have long drives home. 

This year, when you set out the Thanksgiving dessert spread, instead of serving coffee made from generic beans, try a single origin coffee, harvested from one specific farm in a specific region. Single origin beans are lauded for their tangible tasting notes – like fine wines, they’re known for showcasing the terroir of a growing region. Careful processing and expert roasting techniques coax out these flavors, which pair beautifully with food, especially sweets.   

 

Below, find my recommendations of six single origin coffees that showcase and possess what I look for in holiday offerings: balance, comforting tasting notes, and approachability, suitable for everyone around the table to enjoy.

Peixoto Coffee

Brazil Peixoto Yellow Catucai
(Chandler, Arizona)

Tasting notes: Hazelnut, macadamia nut cream, fresh Belgian milk chocolate

Pair with: Pumpkin pie

Recently lauded as Phoenix Magazine’s “2016 Best of the Valley” and New Times “Best of Phoenix Winner,” the Peixoto family certainly goes beyond Fair Trade and even Direct Trade practices. The Peixoto Yellow Catucai comes directly from the family’s own farm in Brazil, and this coffee has earned the prestigious “Cup of Excellence Finalist” award. 

AkA Coffee

Guatemala La Bella Pacamara
(Oakland, California)

Tasting notes: Baked stone fruit, tangerine, rhubarb

Pair with: Cheesecake

The rebranded AkA Coffee (formerly Supersonic) released the first of their coffee lineup with La Bella Pacamaraa Guatemalan washed process coffee from the region of Nuevo Oriente. With its vibrant and fruity flavors, it is highly recommended to pair this coffee with something creamy, like a cheesecake.

 

Algorithm Coffee Co.

Kenya Nyeri Peaberry
(Berkeley, California)

Tasting notes: Bing cherry and strawberries, with a clean floral finish

Pair with: Ice cream

I find the peaberry variety of coffee to be the cutest little beans ever! Algorithm Coffee Co. has done some outstanding work with its most recent offering: Kenya Nyeri PeaberryGrown in rich, volcanic loam in the mountainous region of Nyeri County in Kenya, these beans are soaked twice and washed with spring water, resulting in remarkably clean flavors.

Brandywine Coffee Roasters

Guatemala Huehuetenango Finca El Diamante
(Wilmington, Delaware)

Tasting notes: Honey, kiwi, and dried cherries

Pair with: Gingersnaps

With cool custom screen printed coffee bags and a wide range of offerings, these guys are killing the micro roasting coffee game! The Guatemala Huehuetenango Finca El Diamantejust released in late October, brings an explosion of juiciness accompanied by a smooth mouth feel.

 

Takeflight Coffee

Honduras Tanahiri
(Los Angeles, California)

Tasting notes: Red apple, cocoa nibs, baking spices

Pair with: Pecan pie

Deaton Pigot, the founder of Takeflight Coffee, is combining “three contemporary roasting traditions (Australian, Nordic, and American),” and infusing them into the heart of the company. The Honduras Tanahiri is harvested by husband and wife team, Marysabel Caballero and Moises Herrara of Finca El Puente. These well known and respected coffee producers are dedicated to harvesting and processing only the ripest coffee cherries. 

Dapper and Wise Roasters

Guatemala El Tambor
(Beaverton, Oregon)

Tasting Notes: Wheat toast, graham cracker, hazelnut

Pair with: Cranberry cobbler

Hailing from one of the nation’s specialty coffee destinations, Dapper and Wise Coffee’s Gautemala El Tambor reminds me of the warm feelings of cheer that Thanksgiving brings. Grown at 1,675 meters above sea level (masl), the El Tambor expresses pure flavors. This coffee will especially energize you for breakfast before running the Thanksgiving Turkey Trot.


Have you tried any exceptional coffees lately? Let me know in the comments!