The original Viennese milky coffee was sweetened with cinnamon or chocolate and often decorated with whipped cream. The espresso machine was invented in Italy in the late 19th century, and cappuccinos started popping up on café menus in the 1930s. History of the CappuccinoĪlthough the name was first used in Vienna, Italy can take pride in inventing the modern-style cappuccino.
This is a cultural quirk not observed anywhere else. In Italy, cappuccino is exclusively a morning drink. 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.
