From the streets of Vienna to the supermarket store outside your house, let’s trace the journey of cappuccino through the years.
Have you ever wondered from where the hot cup of cappuccino that currently rests in your hand, came from? The cappuccino gained popularity as a beverage in the United States, only in the 1980s. As a result, some individuals assumed that the cappuccino is a new and recent brew. However, the story of the origination of this drink is hundreds of years old. This drink, has been relished by generations in Italy and continental Europe for from ages, much before it became a popular drink trend in the United States.
The History Of Coffee
Coffee drinking in Europe was originally based on the Ottoman technique of preparation. Water and coffee beans were brought to a boil, with sugar added occasionally. This bore similarity to the way modern Turkish coffee is prepared. By the late 1700s, the British and French had begun to filter their coffee beans. Boiling coffee was eventually replaced by filtered and brewed coffee. The term 'cappuccino' first appeared about this time (though it was not used to describe the drink as we know it, now).
Enter Cappuccino
Cappuccinos first appeared in Viennese coffee shops in the 1700s as the 'Kapuziner.' The 'Kapuziner' was defined as, ‘coffee with cream and sugar,’ according to an 1805 description, and spices were added to this recipe around 1850. Did you know that the brown colour of the drink was inspired by the robes worn by the Capuchin ('Kapuzin') friars in Vienna? The name 'Capuchin' was given to the Capuchin monks for their hooded robes, and it means 'cowl or hood' in Italian. Interestingly, a drink comparable to the cappuccino was called the 'Franziskaner,' which was brewed with additional milk and named after the Franciscan monks' lighter-brown robes.
Despite the fact that the word 'Kapuziner' was used in Vienna, the cappuccino was invented in Italy, and the drink’s name was changed to 'Cappuccino.' It was created in the early 1900s, shortly after the espresso machine became famous in 1901. The first record of cappuccino was discovered in the 1930s.
Cappuccini (as they are known in Italy) became increasingly popular in cafes and restaurants around the country. Espresso machines were complicated and bulky at the time, thus they were only found in specialised cafés and were only managed by baristas. It was common in Italian coffee culture to spend hours at these speciality cafes, sipping espresso, cappuccinos, cafe lattes, and other beverages while conversing and reading. According to photos from the time, cappuccinos were served in the "Viennese" style, which meant they were topped with whipped cream and cinnamon or chocolate shavings.
Tracing The Journey Of Cappuccino Around The Globe
Cappuccinos first gained popularity in continental Europe and the United Kingdom. (The cappuccino was, in fact, the first popularised kind of espresso in England.) It grew popular quickly since the British were already used to drinking coffee with milk at the time, but the cappuccino's particular texture and cafe culture distinguished it from regular coffee with milk.) Later, the drink made its way to Australia, South America, and Europe. It then began to spread to America in the 1980s, owing to its promotion in coffee shops (which had previously been more like diners with a black coffee on offer). Cappuccinos, lattes, and other similar drinks became popular in the United States in the 1990s, thanks to the emergence of cafe culture (and higher-priced drinks that corresponded to longer usage of a coffee shop seat).
The Popularity Of Cappuccino Today
Coffee culture exploded in popularity in the 1990s, allowing coffee aficionados to purchase drinks at cafés and restaurants all around the world. More recently, global coffee businesses have aided in the spread of cappuccino and various espresso versions. All thanks to the widespread popularity of Cappuccino, there is now a wide range of high-quality brands to pick from. The saga of the cappuccino is an interesting one, and as you sip on your coffee today, think of how it’s reached your cup and saucer, after travelling the entire world.