What Is Cappuccino?
Many people confuse this coffee drink with a caffe
latte, another form of Italian coffee found at most coffee houses in
America. The main difference between the two is that a caffe latte has twice
the amount of milk (usually whole milk, but one can order it with 2 percent
or even skim) and no milk foam.
The milk foam that floats on top of a cappuccino is what distinguishes it
from most other coffee drinks, in fact. Served traditionally in a porcelain
cup, the foam acts as an insulator and keeps the drink hotter longer.
Additionally, the porcelain acts as another heat retainer. Paper and glass
cups tend to allow the heat to seep out faster.
A cappuccino starts out with a shot of
espresso. The barista then steams the milk, which is the second most
important ingredient. If the texture and temperature of the milk is wrong,
the drink won't be as good as it should be.
When the milk is properly steamed, it will be velvety and sweet. The barista
will then float one centimeter of the foamed milk on top of the espresso. If
one prefers their cappuccino to have more or less milk, the order would be
for a wet or dry cappuccino, respectively.
Until the mid 1990s, Americans didn't really enjoy cappuccino. Whether it
was because people didn't know what the drink was or because it wasn't quite
cool enough to drink isn't known. However, when upscale coffee houses
started sprouting up en masse, more and more people began ordering the
beverage.
Traditionally, cappuccinos in Italy are served with breakfast. Typically
speaking, Italians exclusively drink them in the morning, although in other
countries it is customary to drink them after dinner. Hopefully, now that
you've learned the question to "what is cappuccino", you'll be able to
impress your friends with the new found knowledge.
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