Cappuccino Know-It-All

On 8 November every year

we are celebrating Cappuccino Day together with cappuccino lovers all over the world. The basic requirement for celebrating this day is lots of freshly made cappuccinos. Is that enough? We think we should know everything, really everything, about cappuccino on this day.

Would you also like to become a cappuccino know-it-all and amaze your acquaintances, friends and work colleagues with your (better) knowledge on Cappuccino Day? Then the following tidbits of knowledge are made for you!

A proper cappuccino definitely only needs a single espresso.

And yet large coffee chains often serve cappuccinos with two espressos. How does that work? A cappuccino with two espressos is not a cappuccino, maybe a flat white, but only maybe.

A cappuccino consists of one espresso and two parts milk (often referred to as one espresso, one part liquid milk foam and one part solid milk foam, although this definition is disputed). The solid milk foam protrudes slightly over the edge of the cup. With a flat white, two espressos or a generous ristretto are combined with a finer-pored milk foam. This milk foam has no liquid part and ends at the edge of the cup, hence the name Flat White. Incidentally, the milk foam for the flat white is more difficult to make than the milk foam for cappuccinos and is less suitable for works of art.

Flat white? Comes from Australia and has been around since the 50s. Also popular here since the 80s. Is a cappuccino with two espressos already a flat white? The experts argue about that.

The first cappuccino was not prepared in Italy as early as the 17th century

and therefore did not enter Viennese coffee culture after the Battle of Kahlenberg. This legend can occasionally be found. It is documented that Capuchins have been served in Viennese coffee houses since 1805 and that this Capuchin was further developed into a cappuccino in Italy. The Kapuziner is a small mocha with a little cream, which gives the coffee the colour of a capuchin cowl or the hood of these cowls. The name of the cappuccino in Italy is said to have originated from this very hood. Cappuccino is the diminutive of the Italian word for hood (cappuccio).

The plural of cappuccino is cappuccinos in German

Quick facts about the cappuccino

A cappuccino with cream is a melange with whipped cream and never a cappuccino.
The cappuccino would never have become a fashionable drink without the invention of the espresso machine. Because only strong, beautifully extracted and fine-pored espressos make a tasty cappuccino.
Cappuccinos first became popular thanks to the large coffee chains. They are available in different sizes, with different types of milk, flavoured with syrup, etc. There are no limits to creativity. There are no limits to creativity.

And in France?

In France, neither the law on the protection of the French language known as the "Loi Toubon" nor any other legal basis prohibits the use of the term cappuccino. Nevertheless, the cappuccino is still exotic in France. Not surprising given the many café specialities:

un café - espresso
un café serré - highly concentrated espresso
un café noisette - espresso with milk
un café allongé - diluted espresso
un double expresso - double espresso
un (café) crème - coffee with milk
un café americain - diluted large black coffee, similar to a filter coffee
un café viennois - coffee with whipped cream
un Irish coffee - coffee, cane sugar, cream, whiskey
un café gourmand - espresso with three little sweet things.

Even more quick tips

Cocoa powder and cappuccino are only available north of the Alps. In Italy, cappuccino fans would never adulterate the cappuccino flavour with cocoa. Malicious tongues claim that cocoa makes up for badly brewed espresso and milk that has been heated too hot. But as I said, only evil tongues.
In Austria, the cappuccino has not been able to assert itself against the many coffee specialities. Not surprising given the choice.
Depending on the definition and source, a cappuccino consists of 33% espresso, milk foam and hot milk. Or 25-40 ml espresso, 140-160 ml milk foam and 55-65 ml hot milk. Ask your barista for exact quantities.
Cappuccino only works with a balanced Arabica/Robusta espresso roast that is not too acidic.

Ever heard of the Car-puccino?

This is a converted VW Scirocco that is fuelled with coffee grounds. This vehicle was developed by a team from the British BBC programme "Bang Goes the Theory". For every mile, the Car-puccino needs coffee grounds from at least 56 cappuccinos. You can find out more about this vehicle here.

And last but not least, a word about the cappuccino effect!

This is the acoustic phenomenon that occurs immediately after stirring a cup of cappuccino. If you tap the cup with the spoon several times in succession, the pitch rises audibly within the first few seconds. This effect can be repeated after stirring again as long as there is still milk foam. The phenomenon was scientifically described by Frank Crawford in 1982. Incidentally, the effect is known in English as the "hot chocolate effect". Why? Because the air bubbles in the liquid caused by the stirring drastically reduce the speed of sound. The pitch in turn depends on the speed of sound. You can find out more about this effect on Wikipedia.