The Cappucino Revolution Learn More about Cappucino

By kathy jhones

A cappuccino is an Italian coffee drink. It is prepared with hot milk, espresso, and steamed-milk foam. It's name came from the Capuchin friars, probably because of the color of their attire, or to their appearance of having a white head with just a ring of brown hair.

Traditionally, a cappuccino is served in a porcelain cup, because it retains more heat than paper or glass. The foam on top insulates the drink and helps keep the liquid hot. Sometimes, the foam has cocoa, nutmeg, or cinnamon sprinkled on top.

A cappucino is similar to a caffe latte because both add frothed milk to espress. There are two main differences. First, a cappucino uses less milk that a latte which supposedly was invented to suit American tastes and is basically a cappucino with more milk. Secondly, the layer of foam may or may not be on lattes. There are some similarities in the usage: a wet cappuccino is basically the same as a short latte that just has more foam.

American coffee chains, such as Starbucks, may serve lattes and cappuccinos at identical sizes, and only distinguishing them by greater foam in the cappuccino.
The cappucino that is served in Europe is made up of about 150 ml of espresso an d180 ml of espresso. Most American chain serve cappucino as a twelve ounce drink, and
The first espresso machines were introduced at the beginning of the 20th century and used to make cappuccino.

The first patent was filed by Luigi Bezzera of Milan in 1901. By the early 1900s, the beverage was used in Italy, as the large espresso machines in cafe's and restaurants were improved, and they grew in popularity during and after World War II. The introduction of the modern, high-pressure espresso machine helped it grow. The cappuccino had developed into its current form by the 1950s.

Espresso coffee initially gained popularity in the United Kingdom, in the form of the cappuccino, due to the British custom of drinking coffee with milk. Also, the desire for a longer drink so the cafe's may serve as a destination, and the exotic texture of the beverage also helped the popularity. In Italy the cappuccino is is rarely drunk after 11am. It is seen as a morning drink.

The most important thing in preparing a cappuccino besides a shot of espresso, is the milk texture and temperature. When milk is steamed for a cappuccino, foam is created by introducing very tiny air bubbles into the milk. This gives the milk a velvety texture and sweetness. Cappuccino usually consists of an espresso, on hot foamed milk is poured, the result is a 2cm thick milk foam on top. Various mixtures are normally called cappuccino chiaro (white cappuccino, also known as a wet cappuccino) if they have more milk than normal, and cappuccino scuro (also called dark or dry cappucino)with less milk and more foam than usual.

Getting right ratio of foam requires close attention when steaming the milk, this makes the cappuccino one of the hardest espresso-based beverages to prepare. It is essential to remove all of the water from the nozzle left from previous steaming of the milk it into the milk.
Cappuccino was originally served in Europe, Australia, South Africa, South America and some of North America. Cappuccino was much popular with North Americans by the mid-1990s, when upscale coffee shops sprang up.

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