Cappuccino

In Italy, cappuccino is strictly a morning ritual, typically enjoyed before 11 AM with a pastry. It's filling and offers sustained energy. Outside Italy, it's a popular afternoon treat to savor the layers of espresso, milk, and foam.

The name derives from the Capuchin friars (Order of Friars Minor Capuchin), established in the 16th century. Their brown robes and shaved heads (resembling the white foam circle surrounded by a brown coffee ring) inspired the name. The drink evolved from the 18th-century Viennese "Kapuziner" (coffee with cream and sugar). It wasn't until the 1950s in Italy, with the widespread use of high-pressure espresso machines and steam wands, that the modern cappuccino—defined by its specific texture of frothed milk—was standardized. It became an icon of the "Dolce Vita" era and later a global breakfast staple.