I've been having a love affair during breakfast. It took me by surprise, actually. We'd hung around together for years, dabbled a bit here and there, but one morning a few weeks ago it just clicked. I'm talking about avocado with eggs on toast. The egg yolk must be runny, the avocado salted. Two ingredients, delicious on their own, but revelatory together. This got me thinking: what other foods follow this pattern?
Cooking is usually not a duo affair—clearly, most recipes require more than two ingredients—but it's nice to know you can start with little, add little, and still come up with something great. Here are a few other food pair-ups I adore, in no particular order:
• Tahini and miso
• Ricotta and honey
• Arugula and pumpkin seeds
• Onions and mushrooms
• Brussels sprouts and parmesan
• Mint and maple syrup
• Beets and goat cheese
• Coffee and cream
• Fresh corn and tomatoes
What are your favorite pair-ups? Tell us what makes your tastebuds sing!
Related: Inspired Cheese Pairings From New York's Casellula Cheese and Wine Cafe
(Images: Left: Megan Gorgon; Right: Emma Christensen)

Martha Concrete Lam...

The silly answer:
Salt and pepper
The "my fiancee does this fantastically" answer:
Lemon and capers
The "I'm drooling right now thinking about it" answer:
Garlic and asparagus
@Mike_NJ, oooh yes. Garlic and asparagus. That is a must.
When I was a kid, my Dad grew awesome tomatoes & my Mom would slice them up and we'd dip them in mayo. I know, sounds kind of gross but it was so good! I haven't done that in years. With my garden tomatoes, I love good olive oil on them. Another good combo: mashed avocado and garlic (raw and minced or crushed). Not good for the breath but sooo tasty! Oh! And red wine & steak. All time fav!
Mint and maple syrup - I wouldn't have thought to combine those flavours, but it sounds amazing!
Hmmmm, some of my favourite combinations are:
- Garlic and any green vegetable (beans, bok choy, asparagus...)
- Smoked Paprika and Rosemary (goes well on chicken, turkey or potatoes)
- Ginger and Mint
Medjool dates and cashew butter. Asparagus and lemon. Blueberries and cinnamon.
Mmmm. Some two ingredient cheese pairings:
* Goat cheese and lemon
* Brie and raspberry jam
* Blue cheese and apples
Other things:
* Chocolate and peanuts (or peanut butter)
* Zucchini and almonds
Lime and cumin. Great with black beans, chicken, pork, avocados...
@AM838, I wouldn't have thought of it either, but there's a stand at my local farmer's market in Brooklyn that sells homemade Mint Maple Iced Tea, and it is absolutely one of the best and most refreshing drinks I have ever had. I'm trying to get and/or replicate the recipe.
Chilis and chocolate
Peanut butter and bananas
Mango and cayenne pepper
Brie and green apple
chocolate and almonds
white chocolate and coconut
Tomatoes and basil
Strawberries and mint
Milk and honey
Eggs and toast
Fig and bacon
I'll make it a threesome: roasted garlic, bacon and cheese.
Tomatoes and basil and cucumbers with mint or dill.
Worst pairing: fish and cheese!
Tomatoes and basil
Avocado and lemon
Dried apricots and Brazil nuts.
Walnuts and apples.
Crumpets and butter.
Cottage cheese and fresh peaches.
Cucumbers and cream cheese.
Tomatoes and mayonnaise. On toast is fine (with sea salt, and even basil) but on a rice cake is a revelation - the crunch of the rice cake with the salty creamy mayo and the fresh sweet tomatoes with the salt is everything I want and more.
Papaya and Pork. Savory + Sweet = Heavenly!!! http://7th-taste.com/2012/07/26/curried-papaya-pork-soup-with-roussanne/
I absolutely second the tomato + mayo combo! During summer as a kid, I would refuse all other nutrition other than tomato + mayo sandwiches (on white bread). Also, greens and vinegar - it's a clissic.
lime and mint
medjool dates and cashews
banana and walnuts
beef and bison burgers
my homemade olive oil mayo with any roasted vegetable
beets and balsamic
Wow, all of your pairings were familiar to me, except for mint and maple, that sounds like a fun one to try! The best ones to my mind are:
balsamic vinegar & tomatoes
peanut butter & banana
lemon & tahini
cheddar cheese & apple
Buttered popcorn and M&Ms
Banana & cinnamon
Butter & rosemary (especially with pork tenderloin)
Maple syrup & pecan
Eggs & truffle oil
Chocolate & bacon
Blueberry & vanilla
Tomatoes and basil
Peanut butter and honey
Eggs and chives
fennel and lemon
tomatoes and olive oil
dill and mint
root vegetables and honey
eggs and potatoes
Maple syrup and plain yogurt (so good!)
Pureed pinto beans with melted cheese (I could eat it forever!)
Fresh bread and real butter (duh)
Toasted english muffins with runny fried eggs (salted)
Raw apples and celery (especially in a vinaigrette)
Oranges and red onions (over greens with honey mustard vinaigrette)
zucchini with parmesan and olive oil (okay that's three)
apples and onions and cabbage (can't extricate them from each other)
sausage and peppers
peaches and heavy cream
And, for the finale, my most processed favorite - pretzel sticks with T. Marzetti ranch dip. It's so addictively amazing. Try it and you'll regret it because you won't be able to stop eating it!
Lavender and mint, especially in iced tea!
Lemon and tahini - amazing on any veggie and especially tuna
Fennel and lemon
Blueberry and ginger
Peaches and almonds
Eggs and truffle salt
Peaches and country ham
Oranges and pistachios
Dates and bacon
Rye bread and cheddar cheese (with an egg on top). Something about the rye bread is so much more delicious than egg and cheese on wheat toast, or an English muffin.
Almond butter & blueberries
Peanut butter & apple
Eggs & lemon thyme
Apple juice & sparkling water (known in Germany as Apfelschorle)
Croissants & jam
Embarrassing pleasure at Panera - combining herbal and black iced teas at the drinks station + 2 lemon wedges
I'm a southwest desert baby, so:
green chile and cheese
refried beans and cheese
cinnamon and sugar
watermelon and salt
banana and peanut butter
bitter greens and Parmesan
summer squash and tomato
pork and plums
funky cheese and jam
bread and salted butter
beets and rosemary
arugula and dark cherries
salt & pepper potato chips and sour cream
peaches and cream
mango and soy sauce
cucumbers and sambal