Coffee
Coffee is prepared from roasted seeds, commonly called coffee beans, of the coffee plant. Today, coffee is one of the most popular beverages worldwide. Coffee is the second-most-traded physical commodity in the world, ranking second only to petroleum.
Coffee was first consumed in the 9th century, when it was discovered in the highlands of Ethiopia.[2] From there, it spread to Egypt and Yemen, and by the 15th century had reached Azerbaijan, Persia, Turkey, and northern Africa. From the Muslim world, coffee spread to Italy, then to the rest of Europe, Indonesia and the Americas.[3]
Coffee berries, which contain the coffee bean, are produced by several species of small evergreen bush of the genus Coffea. The two most commonly grown species are Coffea canephora (also known as Coffea robusta) and Coffea arabica. These are cultivated in Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Africa. Once ripe, coffee berries are picked, processed, and dried. The seeds are then roasted, undergoing several physical and chemical changes. They are roasted to varying degrees, depending on the desired flavor. They are then ground and brewed to create coffee. Coffee can be prepared and presented in a variety of ways.
Espresso
Café espresso or espresso is a concentrated coffee beverage brewed by forcing steam or hot water under pressure through finely ground coffee.
Espresso was developed in Milan, Italy in the early 20th century, but up until the mid-1940s it was a beverage produced solely with steam pressure. The invention of the spring piston lever machine and its subsequent commercial success changed espresso into the beverage as it is known today.
The defining characteristics of espresso include a thicker consistency than drip coffee, a higher amount of dissolved solids than drip coffee per relative volume, and a serving size that is usually measured in shots, which are between around 1 fluid ounce in size. The most distinguishing characteristic is "crema," a reddish-brown foam that floats on the surface and is composed of vegetable oils, proteins and sugars.
As a result of the high-pressure brewing process, all of the flavors and chemicals in a typical cup of coffee are concentrated. For this reason, espresso lends itself to becoming the base for other drinks, such as lattes, cappuccino, macchiato and mochas.
While there can be significant variation, on a per-volume basis, espresso contains approximately three times the caffeine content of regular brewed coffee Compared on the basis of usual serving sizes, a 1 fluid ounce shot of espresso has about half the caffeine of a standard 6 fluid ounce cup of American-style coffee.
Cappuccino
Cappuccino is a coffee-based drink prepared with espresso and steamed-milk foam. A cappuccino differs from a caffè latte in that it is prepared with much less steamed or textured milk than the caffè latte with the total of espresso and milk/foam making up between approximately 5 and 6 fluid ounces. A cappuccino is traditionally served in a porcelain cup, which has far better heat-retention characteristics than glass or paper. The foam on top of the cappuccino acts as an insulator and helps retain the heat of the liquid, allowing it to stay hotter longer.
Cappuccino takes its name from the order of Franciscan Minor friars, named "Cappuccini" from their custom of wearing a hood with their habit ("cappuccio" means hood in Italian). Actually the color of the drink is very similar to the color of Capuchin habit. The espresso coffee machine used to make cappuccino was invented in Italy, with the first patent being filed by Luigi Bezzera in 1901.
The beverage was used in Italy by the early 1900s, and grew in popularity as the large espresso machines in cafés and restaurants were improved during and after World War II . The cappuccino had developed into its current form by the 1950s.
Besides a shot of espresso, the most important element in preparing a cappuccino is the texture and temperature of the milk. When a barista steams the milk for a cappuccino, microfoam is created by introducing very tiny bubbles of air into the milk, giving the milk a velvety texture and sweetness. The traditional cappuccino consists of an espresso, on which the barista pours the hot foamed milk.. Variations of the mixtures are usually called cappuccino chiaro (light cappuccino, also known as a wet cappuccino) with more milk than normal, and cappuccino scuro (dark cappuccino, also known as a dry cappuccino) with less milk than normal.
Attaining the correct ratio of foam requires close attention be paid while steaming the milk, thus making the cappuccino one of the most difficult espresso-based beverages to make properly. Moreover, a skilled barista may obtain artistic shapes while pouring the milk on the top of the espresso coffee.
Latte
In Italian, latte is simply the word for milk. What in English-speaking countries is now called a latte is shorthand for "caffelatte" or "caffellatte" The long Italian form literally means "coffee and milk. Caffelatte is today part of the defined international coffee menu, which also includes cappuccino and espresso.
The origin of the espresso-based caffe latte came from Caffe Mediterraneum in Berkeley, California—created by then owner Lino Meiorin in 1959. Customers were not used to the strong flavor of a traditional Italian cappuccino and would ask Lino for more milk. Speaking in Italian, Lino would tell the barista to put more latte (milk) in their cup. Eventually he put a larger drink on the menu with the same amount of espresso but more steamed milk, and called it a caffe latte. It was originally served in a bowl, but switched to a pint beer glass. Today lattes are often served in a wide mouth cup in order to show off hearts, rosettas and other latte art designs.”