What is the best Cappuccino or Latte

Do you ever find yourself standing at the counter at your local coffee house pondering the difference between cappuccino and latte? Ever wondered how this hugely popular specialty coffee industry got started? Let’s take a look. 

The terms caffè and latte were first used in 1847 and later in 1867 they appeared in William Dean Howells essay "Italian Journeys". Latte means milk in Italian and the caffè version of this drink is an American invention. Caffè latte originated in Caffè Mediterraneum, a café in Berkeley, California and was brewed in its current form by Lino Meiorin for the first time. He added more milk to this otherwise strong cappuccino and called this new drink "caffè latte".

Cappuccino, in commercial form, was introduced at the beginning of 20th Century when the patented espresso machines were introduced by Luigi Bezzera of Milan in 1901. These machines made the cappuccino very popular in cafes and restaurants and the current form developed by the 1950s.

What, exactly, is a cappuccino? A cappuccino consists of 1/3 espresso, 1/3 milk and 1/3 foamed milk. The name, cappuccino, derives from the Italian word, Capuchin, which means “small cap.” It is traditionally served in Italy as a breakfast drink, but coffee aficionados now drink it any time of day. A cappuccino should also traditionally be no more than 6 fluid ounces. Coffee houses such as Starbucks serve “cappuccinos” in much larger sizes, however. Often times these larger drinks simply contain more milk instead of additional coffee, so that super grande may not be such a bargain after all. Variations of the cappuccino include an iced version with no foamed milk called Cappuccino Freddo and babyccino, a cappuccino with no coffee intended for small children. Chocolate is often added.

How to Make Latte Art?

How to Make Latte Art

Mastering latte art needs years of practice. You can still try out your inner coffee making skills to make latte art on the top of espresso with these latte art tips.
For one cup, pour enough milk in a steam pitcher or bowl. Turn the steam on and raise the steam wand near the top of milk. There should not be any bubbles and the milk should not stretch too much. Make the milk smooth and velvety instead of vigorous foam.
Raise the temperature to 80° F. Now place the steam wand aside but deep into the milk. The position must be laid, such that it can spin counter-clock wise.
While in motion, raise the temperature further to 150° F-160° F. Now remove the steam wand from the milk.
Now let the milk settle for few seconds, then swirl the milk vigorously. In case you observe any bubbles, just pound the pitcher to remove the bubbles to get a velvety texture.
Continue swirling for 20 - 30 seconds, even if while pouring the espresso.
Now start pouring the milk into the espresso to create different patterns, like flowers, hearts, ferns, etc. Try with simple flower designs by pouring milk to the bottom of the pitcher, leaving 2 - 3 cms away from the bottom.
Shake the pitcher back and forth to get the designs when the cup is half filled. When you do this, the flower will move forward and fill the top of the cup. Shake the cup gently with your wrist.
Once the foam reaches the top of the cup, start pouring the milk to get a white flower etched on the foam. Avoid sinking of the foam and design.
You can embellish the designs as per your choice, using stencils, milk foam and milk powder.


Latte Art Tools

Calories in Latte

What is Latte?
The modern caffe latte that we call only latte, originated in the San Francisco Bay Area. The credit of the innovation is given to Barista, Lino Meiorin. The cappuccinos made by Lino were so strong and powerful for the customers, that Lino decided to come up with a recipe of his own in order to dilute the strength of his cappuccinos. Lino introduced a new item to the menu by mixing warm steamed milk to the cappuccino, thereby reducing the strength of coffee and making the drink mild and enjoyable. This pleasurable drink that we today call the latte, was promoted and made famous by Caffe Mediterraneum, a very popular cafe in Berkeley, California.

Today, the original recipe of latte that was made by Lino Meiorin has undergone many innovations and changes, and the concept of diluting a strong beverage with milk has been used in other types of drinks. Many variants of latte have also originated in the recent past, however, the conventional latte is still enjoyed by many people across the world. The majority of latte calories are derived from the milk and sugar that is added to the drink.

Calories in Latte