No one in the world hasn't heard of Cappuccino, a type of coffee drink prepared with espresso, hot milk, and steamed milk foam. You may have enjoyed Cappuccino many times, but have you ever wondered about the origin and history of this delicious drink?

The name "Cappuccino"

To most people, the word "Cappuccino" refers first and foremost to what is probably the most popular Italian coffee. But "Cappuccino" itself is much older and has entirely un-food-related origins.

In Italian, Cappuccino literally means "little hood" or something that covers the head, which perfectly describes the luscious head of foamed milk that sits atop the drink's espresso base.

However, the drink has its name not from the hood but from the Capuchin friars: the color of the espresso mixed with frothed milk is similar to that of the hooded robes worn by monks and nuns of the Capuchin order.

The Capuchin friars are members of the larger Franciscan orders of monks, and their order was founded in the 16th century in Italy. They were renowned for their missionary work among the poor, as well as their dedication to extreme austerity, poverty, and simplicity.

The Capuchins were also renowned for their dress - they wear a simple brown robe that includes a long, pointed hood that hangs down the back so that they were given this moniker – Capuchin monks, or "Cappuccini" in Italian. When expertly poured so that a circle of white is perfectly encircled by the darker coffee, the design on a traditional Cappuccino is called a monk's head, for the iconic brown hooded cowls and shaved heads of these monks is a pretty close human resemblance to the ring of crema and white foam that tops the classic beverage.

The word Cappuccino also means capuchin monkeys. In the late 18th century, the monkeys were given the name "capuchin" after the monks, because their coloring vaguely resembles the hoods Capuchin monks wear.

Kapuziner: the first version of Cappuccino

Cappuccino comes from the coffee beverage "Kapuziner", which appeared for the first time in the Viennese coffee houses in the 1700s. In 1805, Kapuziner was described in a Wörterbuch (dictionary) as "coffee with cream and sugar", and it was mentioned again in writings in the 1850s, described as "coffee with cream, spices, and sugar". Kapuziner spread soon throughout Central Europe and thus also in the Italian-speaking parts of the Habsburg monarchy.

The invention of the Cappuccino in Italy

Even though in Vienna the name Kapuziner already existed, the actual Cappuccino was invented in Italy, adapting the name to what we know today. It was first made in the early 1900s, shortly after the popularization of the espresso machine in 1901. But it only appeared on records in the 1930's - photographs from that time depicted the drink resembling "Viennese", a coffee topped with whipped cream sprinkled with cinnamon or chocolate shavings.

Soon Cappuccino became popular in cafes and restaurants across the country. At that time, espresso machines were complicated and bulky, so they were limited to specialized cafes and were operated solely by baristas. People would sit around in these specialized cafes for hours, enjoying their drinks over long conversation and reading.

Age of crema

Espresso machines were improved and simplified after World War II, and Cappuccino was thus redefined. As the new coffee machines could create a higher pressure, leading to a finer grind and the now-classic crema – Italians launched the so-called "Age of Crema". With the popularization of espresso machines, people started making Cappuccino with espresso instead of standard coffee. In this form, Cappuccino has been known around the world from that moment on.

Welcomed by the whole world

In Britain, espresso coffee initially gained popularity in the form of the Cappuccino, for the Brits were already accustomed to drinking coffee with milk by that time, but the distinct texture and the cafe culture of the Cappuccino set it apart from regular coffee with milk.

Later, the drink moved to Australia, South America, and elsewhere in Europe. It was not until the 1980's that Cappuccino was introduced to the United States. Cappuccino spread alongside espresso in Italian American neighborhoods, such as Boston's North End, New York's Little Italy, and San Francisco's North Beach. Due to the large coffeehouse chain Starbucks, Cappuccino finally appeared elsewhere in the world.