Books and Coffee pairing - an interesting experience to celebrate World Book Day

Hello everyone and happy World Book Day!

To honour this day I would like to share with you a very special and unique event I had recently the opportunity to attend: a Books and Coffee pairing.

Wait, what did you say? Matching books and coffee? Yes! Come along and enjoy this selection of coffees and books.

A Books and Coffee pairing event.

We all have heard about wine-pairing, the art of matching wine to a meal, or wine and cheese pairing, but this was the first time that I heard about a books and coffee pairing; needless to say that I immediately fell in love with the idea!

This unique and out of the box activity was organized by Tuuu Libreria (read below to find out more about this NGO project) and took place at one of the most emblematic cafeterias of Madrid, the Café Comercial, the place where since 1887 intellectuals, politicians and artists had been gathering together to enjoy the tertulias. On top of this, a professional barista was in charge of the coffees. Couldn’t it be more charming?

 About the Tertulia: Similar to a salon, the tertulia is a social gathering as well, though it is normally regularly scheduled in a public place such as a cafeteria and the topics of conversations are more focused on literature, arts and current affairs.   

The idea underneath this Books and Coffee pairing was quite simple: to match a proposed book to a specific type of coffee, looking for a connection between the coffee itself and the plot location or the author’s place of birth for the book.
 
Below you will find the list of the suggested book and coffee pairing; I hope you enjoy the experience as much as I did.

THE PAIRING

 
Flat White + The Shoes of the Fisherman.

Flat White Coffee by Café Comercial in Madrid

​Coffee: Flat White

 The Flat White coffee comes originally from Australia (and/ or New Zealand, depending on the source) and it consists basically on an espresso coffee topped with a foamed milk called microfoam that has a velvety texture and is formed by micro-bubbles; it is widely used for latte art. 

I was quite intrigued by this coffee, as I this was the first time I heard about it. If you are as curious as me, you can find additional information on the following links:

• A comprehensive explanation on the Flat White from Coffee Info.
• Another detailed description about the Flat White and the difference between a Flat White and a Latte, from the Coffee Hunter.
• UPDATE: As suggested by my reader Tara, Differences among Flat White, Cappucino and Latte from Kitchen Sanity. 

Book: The Shoes of the Fisherman

Regarding the book, The Shoes of the Fisherman is one of the most famous best sellers from the well-known Australian writer Morris West. Written in 1963, this book anticipated the election of a Slav Pope 15 years ahead of time.
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 Capuccino + The Talented Mr. Ripley.

Coffee: Capuccino

A Capuccino is one the Italian coffees par excellence. It consists on an espresso with hot milk and topped with milk foam. If you are a coffee lover, you know that the “recipe” is not as simple as it looks, and no other like the Italians can master this art. It was indeed in a little village in Italy where I had the pleasure to taste one of the best cappuccino I ever had.

Book: The Talented Mr. Ripley

And talking about Italy and coffees, The Talented Mr Ripley plot takes place in this lovely country, where the main characters indulge themselves in the dolce vita, which includes of course drinking coffee. Written in 1955 by Patricia Highsmith, this psychological thriller transport you to a time where ships where the main mean of transport between America and Europe and hand written letters the usual way to communicate. Isn’t it fascinating how much has the travel industry changed in the recent years?
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Caffè Americano + The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.

Caffé Americano by Café Comercial in Madrid

Coffee: Caffè Americano

A Caffè Americano is prepared by adding hot water to an espresso. Although it might appear to be quite simple to prepare, it is actually more delicate than it seems, as it is not just about adding water, but diluting water to the espresso with the right technique. 

You can find some more information regarding caffè Americano at the Coffee Info.

​Book: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

I remember, back at my childhood summer break, enjoying a nice time by reading about this swindler boy and dreaming on joining his adventures along the Mississippi River. Written by Mark Twain in 1876, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is a novel about the growing up of a young boy in the south states of the 19th century U. S.

William Faulkner considered Mark Twain, who also wrote The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in 1884, the “father of American literature”. 

​Additional Info:  
Would you like to know a bit more about this well-known American writer? You can check the following articles:

• A very interesting guide on his journeys and fictional world by the Bureau of International Information Programs.

•  A biography by the Folio Society, or this time-lined one by the PBS.
• An introspection on this literary icon ; some new perspectives on his life and work by The Women’s Institute of Houston and a review on his influence on American Literature.
  
  

Irish Coffee + The Picture of Dorian Gray.

Irish coffee by Café Comercial in Madrid

Coffee: Irish Coffee

Don’t be fooled by its name, as an Irish Coffee is not really a coffee per se but a cocktail…. made of coffee and Irish whiskey, of course! . Add some sugar to sweeten it and some thick cream on top and voilà!

Created in the 40s to warm up a group of tourists stopped at an Irish airport due to bad weather conditions by just adding some Irish whiskey to the coffee, the Irish coffee is well known nowadays. May I suggest you to try this drink next time you visit an Irish pub? (It’s not all about Guinness after all ;)

 Craving for some more info about this cocktail based on coffee and Irish whiskey?  Foynes Flying Boat Museum explains the history behind this drink.

​Book: The Picture of Dorian Gray

Née in Dublin in the 19th century, Oscar Wilde is considered one of the most famous Irish playwright’s and intellectuals of the time. He was quite a prolific author and besides plays, he also published many poems, articles and essays. However, he only wrote one novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray (in 1890), about the downward spiral of a handsome man into the world of vanity and narcissism; while he keeps the same physical appearance, the effects of this journey are reflected on his portrait.  What an original plot!

​Frappé Coffee + Greek mythology.

Coffee: Frappé

A Frappé coffee or café frappé (not to be mistaken with the blended beverage of a famous coffee chain) comes from Greece, hence that it is also called Greek frappé. Take note that this is not a warm beverage, but a cold one, as cold water and ice cubes are added – Actually, frappé is a French word meaning chilled or iced. - The foamy appearance is achieved by mixing instant coffee, sugar and some water. The frappe is served on a tall glass with a straw.
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Wandering how frappe was created? Check this article from food journalist Daniel Young  and also this other one from Greek Reporter.
 
The popularity of the café frappe has trespassed borders, becoming a quite popular drink for the summer season. This has lead to different variations depending on the country; and in the U. S., for example, there is some controversy between a milk shake and a frappé, this article from Nosh On It explains the difference.  

Book: Greek Mythology

One cannot dissociate Greek mythology from Greece; after all it has had a great impact on the art, culture and literature of western culture, so what a better pairing to this refreshing beverage than a book on Greek mythology to learn more about their Gods, heroes and the origin of the world?
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Overall - Final thoughts

This was a one of a kind event for me and I am really happy that I had the opportunity to assist, as it was so original and unique. This idea of pairing is new (and fantastic!). The location couldn't have been better chosen — one of the most emblematic cafés in Madrid, where the atmosphere invites you to relax, enjoy your coffee and let you mind travel through the pages of your book.

To wrap up, this is the list of the coffees paired with their books: 

• Flat White + The Shoes of the Fisherman
• Capuccino + The Talented Mr. Ripley
• Caffè Americano + The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
• Irish Coffee + The Picture of Dorian Gray
• Frappé + Greek Mythology

About the event organizer - Tuuu Libreria.

Tuuu Libreria (could be translated as Yooour Bookshop) is a project of the Spanish NGO Youuu, where you decide the price of the books you want to bring back home. This project was inspired by The Book Thing of Baltimore, whose aim is “to put unwanted books into the hands of those who want them".

By collaborating with Tuuu Libreria, either by donating your own books or taking back home those ones you are interested in, not only you are facilitating and promoting the access to reading but also contributing to the delivery of books and school supplies to schools located in Madrid and in Central and South America, where new libraries are being built or the existing ones are in need of improvement by adding more books to their collection.

Do you any have books that you no longer fancy? Remember that instead of trashing them you can donate them to the nearest project of your like; be it The Book Thing of Baltimore or Tuuu Libreria. you could help other people that might be looking for those books (and who knows, perhaps you will find the book you were looking for).

Tuuu Libreria has two centres in Madrid (Chamberí and Salamanca neighbouhoods) and one in Barcelona. ​

Tuuu Libreria Locations: 

Madrid Chamberí
Calle Covarrubias 38 
Metro Bilbao | Alonso Martínez

Madrid Salamanca
Calle Padilla 78
Metro Diego de León | Lista

Barcelona
Calle Planeta 17
​Metro Fontana

Opening Hours: Monday - Sunday 12 to 8pm. (Bank holidays to be verified) 

​Now it's your turn: 

What do you think about this original pairing? Would you have made any other pairing? Have you tried any of the coffees? Are there any other books that you'd suggest for these coffees? Are you familiar with any of the books? Let me know!