Dados do Trabalho

Título

“IS IT A MATCH?”: A STUDY ABOUT FOOD PAIRING WITH COFFEE BY BRAZILIANS

Introdução

Food pairing is a concept that has been attracting curiosity of researchers due to its complexity. Food is rarely consumed isolated, requiring the study of the sensory experience of the food-beverage combination. This study aims to investigate the perception of coffee by consumers when consumed alone and in combination with food.

Material e Métodos

The research was conducted by two stages. In the first, an online questionnaire, a free listing section leads to a discovery of foods most consumed with coffee by 300 brazilians from distincts regions. In the second step we conducted a projective mapping with the food listed in the previous stage with 48 participants selected from questionnaire applied. The selection criteria was being a resident of the states of São Paulo and Pernambuco, as they are representatives of the regions with the highest consumption of the coffee drink.

Resultados e Discussão

Free listening method revealed that brazilians have a greater preference for savory pairings, such as bread, cheese, toast and tapioca when pairing coffee, contrary to what was found in the literature. In projective mapping the results revealed that participants segmented products in order to harmonize with coffee, supported by harmonization through similarity and contrast but also through affection. The mapping showed that coffees brewed either in a cloth or in a filter were closely associated with family, nostalgia while more elaborate coffees were associated with moments of indulgence and leisure. Furthermore, faster coffees (such as espresso) were closely associated with faster foods (chocolate, cheese bread), while coffees that require more preparation time were more associated with more complex dishes.

Conclusão

The possibility of these associations and changes in the perception of coffee by a second product is a matter of interest; be it aromas, textures, basic flavors, or even other factors. Research addressing the harmonization of coffee with food, an emerging topic, and the correlation between sensory attributes provides valuable contributions to understand how the quality of a coffee can be manipulated to increase the sensorial character of the drink or even reduce it.