“Wake up and smell the cappuccino!” ~ The Dorfman Archives
The two years I spent in Italy in the 1970s somehow marked the best
times of my life. I was a student in a small town in Umbria, (Perugia, where
they make all those wonderful sweets that all the not so wonderful ones make
things to the teeth, but who cares). There I learned more about living
every day from what I have been able to deduce from any version of Dante’s Inferno and / or
Paradiso. The ways of the world are universal; the human element
uniting us all with a common thread. Italian men, however, represent
One particular work in progress I will call Peacock Syndrome. I wish
Recognize that this condition is often found in men of all ethnicities.
background, beliefs and nationalities too, but to a lesser extent
degrees. (Women, Italian and not, have other problems). My point
will be illustrated with a picture that hopefully you won’t need a
a thousand words or ignite the cosmopolitan masculine world against
I.
I will never forget a February morning in Perugia when I spied from my
hot hangers a young Italian sipping an espresso in a cafe in the
the main street of the city, Corso Vanucci. (Maybe it was really antifreeze that
he was drinking. Who knows?) Anyway, it was a memorable sight because
was sitting directly in front of me, but OUTSIDE, despite the freezing
temperatures and biting winds that ripped the tablecloth.
Still, the handsome devil was not wearing a coat. His shirt was open to
waist like August high. Was it not the proud peacock that showed
so that the women who passed by could not fail to notice the crowd of virile
hairs (peacock feathers) that had frozen on your chest? That image has
never left me, nor my love for Italian culture and cappuccino, which
frothy milk and espresso confectionery topped with whipped cream and
sprinkled with cinnamon!
My adventures in this charming city were not limited to Italian men,
although I experienced the Dolce Vita in my own way. Me
The feeling of lack of time originated here, where I tried my first cappuccino.
about three weeks before having to return to America. La Lateria (dairy
shop) was hidden behind a small narrow street (street) that I discovered
one day completely by accident. To make matters worse, it was for the best
cappuccino I’ve ever had in my life. The cream was delicious and often had
two or three cappuccinos in one sitting just to drink some more. I
I even commented to a fellow student that I would have done just as well
stick the content directly on my hips and thighs instead of
drinking it, since that was where he was going anyway!
Where did this wonderful drink come from? Coffee originated in the
Ottoman Empire and was first introduced to the West by Italian merchants.
At first, his advisers urged Pope Clement VII to consider this
infidels’ favorite drink a threat. However, after testing it,
succumbed to a prerogative women have relied on for years:
changed his mind. Pope Clement baptized the delicious drink,
making it an acceptable Christian drink. No one knows for sure
exactly where the cappuccino came from, but there are some
suspicions. The most popular belief is that the drink gets its name from
the robes and hood of the capuchin monk’s habit. How is that, you say?
Well, keep reading.
The order of Capuchin friars played an important role in the restoration
Catholicism to the Europe of the Reformation. Its Italian name comes from the long,
pointed hood or cappuccino, derived from capuccio, which means hood.
Capuchin was later used as the name (first recorded in English in 1785)
for a type of monkey with a tuft of black hair resembling a hood. The first use of the
The word cappuccino in English was recorded in 1948. Whether or not
The exquisite drink that was invented by the Capuchin monks is unknown. That
However, it is a fact that an espresso cappuccino and
Steamed milk leaves a brown ring along the rim of the cup much like
edge of the monk’s hood. (Does this mean that there is still hope for the ring
around my bathtub to make me famous?)
Have you ever wondered exactly how Cappuccino is made? Well the
The base of any cappuccino worth its salt (or ground) is a strong blend of
Espresso with added milk or frothy cream covered with chocolate
dust. The correct proportions are 1/3 espresso, 2/3 foam. To produce
foam, fill a small pitcher 1/3 full with fresh milk. Insert the espresso
foaming arm of the machine just below the surface and turn on the steam,
gradually lowering the jug but keeping the arm in place. Add half of the
Froth in the espresso and sprinkle with cocoa powder or grated.
chocolate. Add the rest of the foam and top with more cocoa. (If you do
correct, the process may never finish).
Cappuccino is more than a coffee, a flavor or a process. Now one
you can find chocolate cappuccino cookies and even lollipops that they can offer
A real cappuccino experience even for the little ones! If you are the
elegant or simple drink, with chocolate or cinnamon experience even for
Small children! Whether you drink the fancy or plain drink, with chocolate or
cinnamon or simply cocoa powder, cappuccino is a delight that
it should be enjoyed often. It is unique to Italian culinary culture and
I can’t help but force even the least imaginative among us to
contemplate misty Roman afternoons and at least one balsamic bistro
night!
Courtesy of Dream Ship Coffees, Teas y Tesoros
Classic almond cappuccino
2 ounces cold milk
2 oz. hot espresso 1/2 oz. Almond syrup (orgeat)
Ground nutmeg for sprinkling
Steam the syrup and milk together and let it rest.
Prepare the espresso and pour it into 6 oz. Bowl.
Gently add the hot steamed milk until the cup is about 2/3 full.
Place the light foam on top of the hot cappuccino to form a spout.
and sprinkle with nutmeg.