FOOD NEWS
The Strict Cappuccino Rule To Keep In Mind On Your Next Trip To Italy
By Christina Garcia
Italians love their coffee culture and often indulge in the beverage two to three times a day on average. While espresso, popularized in Italy after World War II, can typically be enjoyed throughout the day, a cappuccino, named because of its similarity in appearance to Capuchin friars, doesn’t follow the same rule — and for an interesting reason.
A true Italian would only take a cappuccino for breakfast, and ordering this combination of espresso and milk after about 11 a.m. would be considered odd. Since digestion is a central part of the Mediterranean country’s approach to food and health, Italians avoid cappuccinos late in the day, as milk is said to disturb digestion then, and their reasoning has a historical basis.
The Greek physician Galen theorized on food as medicine and created a philosophy that prioritized digestion, which may have influenced Italian cooks during the Middle Ages. He saw milk as dangerous to the liver and kidneys, and even though his theories have been roundly debunked, Italians often enjoy their cappuccinos only in the mornings.