Coffee Classics: Cappuccino
The cappuccino’s origins are wrapped in warmth — both literal and emotional. It is said that early Venetian monks, wrapped in brown-and-white Capuchin robes, inspired the drink’s name when locals noticed the coffee’s milk-foam crown resembled their hoods.
But beyond legend, cappuccino became the morning heartbeat of Italy. In small neighbourhood cafés, the ritual is timeless: the hiss of the steam wand, the swirling aroma of freshly ground beans, and the gentle clink of porcelain against marble counters. A cappuccino is not just consumed — it is greeted, savoured, and acknowledged, like sunlight entering a window.
It represents the softness at the start of the day.
The moment when the world is still half-dreaming.
A cup that reminds you to begin gently.
Ingredients
18–20 g espresso (1 shot)
120–150 ml cold milk
Optional: cocoa powder
Equipment Needed
Espresso machine with steam wand
Milk pitcher
Burr grinder
Tamper
Cappuccino cup (150–180 ml)
Method
Pull a fresh espresso shot into a cappuccino cup.
Fill your milk pitcher one-third full with cold milk.
Submerge the steam wand just under the surface to stretch the milk.
Lower the wand and continue steaming to create microfoam with a silky sheen.
Swirl gently to integrate the foam.
Pour into the centre of the espresso, allowing the foam to rise naturally.
Optional: lightly dust with cocoa powder.
Notes
Milk texture matters more than latte art — aim for soft, velvety microfoam.
Best enjoyed before 11 AM in true Italian fashion.
Freshly steamed milk should look like wet paint when poured.
