The cappuccino a beautiful blend of strong espresso and rich frothy steamed milk has a timeless and enjoyable quality that makes it a delicious drink whenever and wherever you have one right? If you were in Italy however you might get a strange look or even a raised eyebrow if you ordered one after breakfast. This isn’t necessarily judgmental and it doesn’t have to be because you’re a tourist (although ordering one would almost certainly reveal that). Instead it’s more about concern for how the drink will affect the rest of your day.
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James Hoffmann | 2020-07-29 12:27:41 | 1,598,413 Views |
Why Italians Don't Drink Cappuccino After 11am
Italians take their coffee culture very seriously. Aside from preferring espresso over coffee and rejecting the idea of taking coffee to go Italian culture has developed a few rules about their caffeine consumption that outsiders might not notice. One of these rules is that you are not allowed to order a cappuccino after breakfast and certainly not after 12:00. The reason you will not see any self-respecting Italian ordering a cappuccino after this time is that the amount of milk in a cappuccino is said to impede digestion so it would be quite counterproductive to drink one with dinner (not to mention it would upset your stomach). While this knowledge is interesting it opens up a whole realm of Italian cuisine and explains why they have such a regulated eating and drinking culture.
In general Italians view dairy as something that slows down digestion and lingers in the stomach. This perspective makes cappuccinos especially appealing in the morning when Italians typically only eat a light breakfast alongside their caffeinated beverage. The milk in a cappuccino counteracts the strong acidity of drinking espresso on an empty stomach and provides a little extra energy from the fat content. While this is beneficial for a morning beverage it is not considered desirable in the afternoon and evening when larger heartier meals are common. Instead you can opt for a macchiato which has considerably less milk or if you’re visiting in the summer a delicious shakerato – the Italian version of iced coffee.
You can also choose to skip coffee altogether as coffee is not the only drink that meets these digestive rules. Italy offers a variety of drinks usually alcoholic that can be enjoyed as an aperitivo or digestivo meaning they are consumed before a meal to stimulate the appetite or after a meal to aid digestion. These range from bitter liqueurs such as Aperol or Campari to herbal tinctures such as Amaro Montenegro and sweet options such as the famous Italian limoncello. Of course espresso is still a good choice whether it is a ristretto or a long shot but don’t order a cappuccino.