☕ Cappuccino

Cappuccino is a coffee drink made of espresso and milk frothed with steam. By the Italian specification for certified cappuccino, it has 25 ml of espresso and 125 ml of steam-frothed milk in a cup of 150–160 ml; the milk is heated from 3–5 °C to about 55 °C. The classic cappuccino is white with a brown rim of varying thickness (Il Sole 24 Ore).

The origin of the name is uncertain. Il Sole 24 Ore gives two legends: in one, the friar Marco d'Aviano was in Vienna in 1683 and an innkeeper who saw him drinking coffee with milk exclaimed “Kapuziner!”; in the other, the drink descends from a Viennese mix of coffee, whipped cream and spices, later adapted in the Trieste area. The same article says we will never know the truth about the first cappuccino.

According to the USDA entry “Coffee, Cappuccino”, 100 g of the drink has 27 kcal, 1.7 g of protein, 1 g of fat, 2.8 g of carbohydrates, 65 mg of calcium and 36 mg of caffeine. In Italy cappuccino is a morning drink, served at breakfast, and never after 11 o'clock; foreigners often drink it after lunch or in the afternoon.

Cappuccino or latte, cappuccino or flat white? The reliable reference here is the Italian specification: 25 ml of espresso and 125 ml of steam-frothed milk in a 150–160 ml cup, the milk heated from 3–5 °C to about 55 °C, so espresso is about a sixth of the cup. The word “cappuccino” alone does not fix the cup size, as the USDA lists portions of 360, 480 and 600 g. When a menu offers a latte or a flat white, compare the volume of the cup and the amount of espresso, not just the name.

On a menu or a machine, look at the cup size as well as the name: the Italian specification is 150–160 ml, but portions sold abroad can be far larger. A classic cappuccino is white with a brown rim of varying thickness, and in Italy it is a breakfast drink. You will be served one at cafés, coffee bars and bakeries with a counter. Calories and caffeine scale with the portion, so a 360 g cup has about 97 kcal and 130 mg of caffeine.

Why it matters to you. The word “cappuccino” does not fix the size of the cup: the Italian specification is 150–160 ml, while the USDA entry lists portions of 360 g (small), 480 g (medium) and 600 g (large). The figures above are per 100 g, so a small 360 g cup has about 97 kcal and 130 mg of caffeine, and larger ones more. Look at the volume of the cup, not just the name of the drink.