Coffee acts like fuel for many. A morning is not complete without sipping one’s favorite brew. However, coffee sometimes loves company, most especially during breakfast or afternoon (or even late evening) snacks.
Thanks to the myriad of cafes all around the metro, we often find a wide variety of the ideal companions with our daily caffeine fix. SunStar Lifestyle asks a young Cebuano baking and coffee enthusiast, for some perfect coffee partners. He is the perfect guy to ask as he oversees operations of a lifestyle café in an uptown mall in Cebu, where they sell various baked goodies.
Kingston Ralph Cheng, who will soon finish his degree in international studies at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, admits that he has always been an “entrepreneur” at heart ever since he was a little kid. He baked cookies and then sold them in the neighborhood or in school. A certified “foodie,” Kingston made sure he is ready for the grind in running the café. He joined baking courses in Thailand with his mom to hone his skills further. He started his studies in Australia during the pandemic so to keep his interest and motivation going, he watched a lot of online videos on baking and cooking. Together with his research and development team, they keep abreast with the new stuff in the industry as well.
So if you’re looking for something tasty with your coffee, here is a list of his suggestions:
Croissant. Deriving its name from its crescent shape (croissant, pronounced as khru-ah-son, is “crescent” in French) is a type of puff pastry, which is light and buttery. It is made of yeast-risen dough that is layered with butter and rolled. It undergoes a procedure called lamination, which involves folding of the dough, resulting in its flaky and fluffy character. Croissant options range from plain to the savory ones. Among the savories, ham and cheese are popular and are a perfect match for breakfast coffee. Kingston introduced to us another form of savory croissant — the pastrami and pesto croissant, which is a savory and flaky treat with peppery pastrami, Emmental cheese and pesto.
Kouign Amann. Pronounced as coon yah mahn, it is a round multi-layered cake made with bread dough and similar to puff pastry. This pastry originated in the Brittany region of France, which was known for its production of dairy products and butter. If you get to try this and love its uber-buttery taste, it’s because “kouign amann” means “butter cake” in the Breton language. Just like croissant, it comes in different flavors. But while it looks like a croissant cousin, kouign amanns are different since they are just made of flour, yeast, salt and water. Its layers are sprinkled with granulated sugar and sometimes nuts to add texture and flavor.
Tarts. Craving for something tasty but not too heavy, tarts are the best way to go. We usually envision them as little pies. These shortcrust pastries vary in their toppings, which carries the flavor of this baked dish. Fruit-based tarts with custard are great desserts or midday treats with coffee. For people who want to have a late breakfast, a loaded but healthy sandwich using ciabatta bread would be a great partner for coffee. Well, coffee is indeed a vital fuel to start a busy day or re-charge in the middle of it. What better way to boost its role than by taking it side-by-side with a delectable, baked treat. S