Cappuccino
In this article we will talk about all things cappuccino . . . what is a cappuccino, what is its history, and some interesting facts about it. We are Madres Espresso, serving the Greater Olympia Metro area with our flagship coffee stand on Cooper Point Road, and our newest coffee shop on Pacific Ave. Stop by and find out why Madres Espresso is rapidly becoming the best of the best coffee houses in Olympia.
What is a cappuccino?
A cappuccino is a popular coffee drink, popular around the world, that’s made by topping a shot of espresso with steamed milk and milk foam. Typically, it contains equal parts of each and is made up of about 1/3 espresso, 1/3 steamed milk, and 1/3 foamed milk. This produces the final product, a creamy, rich, and smooth taste and texture.
What is the origin of a cappuccino?
Cappuccinos first appeared in culinary history as the 'Kapuziner' in Viennese coffee houses in the 1700s. A description of the 'Kapuziner' from 1805 described it as "coffee with cream and sugar," and a description of the drink from 1850 adds "spices" to the recipe. Either way, these drinks had a brown color like the robes worn by the Capuchin ('Kapuzin') friars in Vienna, and this is where their name came from. (A similar drink of the time was known as the 'Franziskaner'; it was made with more milk and named after the lighter-brown robes of the Franciscan monks.) The word 'Capuchin' literally means cowl or hood in Italian, and it was a name given to the Capuchin monks for their hooded robes.
Although the name 'Kapuziner' was used in Vienna, the actual cappuccino was invented in Italy, and the name was adapted to become 'Cappuccino.' It was first made in the early 1900s, shortly after the popularization of the espresso machine in 1901. The first record of the cappuccino we found in literature was in the 1930s.
Like most modern espresso drinks, the cappuccino we know today found great popularity starting in the 1980s and yes, you guessed it, originating in the Seattle area.
A rose by any other name is still a rose.
By now, you should be asking yourself, what is the difference between a latte and a cappuccino, and that is a fair question. The answer is found in the creaminess. A true cappuccino is creamier than the traditional latte.
And, like all of the drinks we talk about on this site, other flavors can certainly be added to the cappuccino to meet the individual taste preference of customers. The “coffee” experience is individualized, and a topnotch barista can match individual preferences to a coffee concoction. In other words, a great coffee stand is a truly democratic shop, where freedom of taste is valued.
A final word about Madres Espresso
Madres Espresso is locally owned and operated, a fact we are very proud of. Our owner and our thirteen baristas call Olympia home, and as such we are serving our neighbors.
And neighbors do right by fellow neighbors. Stop in and say hi; get to know us. You will soon realize that nobody does customer service like Madres Espresso.
