The Difference Between a Latte and a Cappuccino

| life | coffee |

update 6/11/24: I think its so funny that I used to think that Starbucks and Panera represented good coffee. I’ve become an even worse coffee snob than ever before.

I have been severely disappointed, disgusted, and even offended twice in the last week. It has come to my attention that 21st Century Baristas do not know the difference between a latte and a cappuccino and that is simply disturbing.

The first time that it happened was last friday. I was strolling on a cool fall evening in Dupont Circle when I stopped at Starbucks to grab something nice to drink. I ordered a grande cappuccino. It was made quickly and I left the store looking forward to drinking it.

I sat down on a bench, and was chatting with a friend, when I took my initial sip. What I expected and what I got were two extreme opposites. I was expecting a warm fluff of foam followed by the heavenly scent of fresh crushed espresso beans and then, and only then, the soothing taste of the delicious warm espresso milk mixture. What I got on the other hand, was a scalding hot serving of espresso and milk, with no foam to be seen. Initially I was shocked, confused “Did I order the right thing?” I thought to myself. Then I confirmed that I did - Strike One.

Then today I came to my local Panera bread to study, like I do quite often these days. Now let me start off by saying that my expectations from Panera bread are much lower than they are from Starbucks, so when I come in here to order a cappuccino I don’t really expect the best one that I have ever had. The first sign of trouble was when the Barista looked up instructions on how to make a cappuccino. Then she attempted to make one and did not do a very good job, I could see the frustration on her face when she realized that she had completely failed in her task. Strike 2.

I hope there will be no Strike 3, so I am putting this message out as a public service announcement. I hope all the Baristas out there are reading this. A latte and cappuccino are very similar but they are not the same thing.

Yes, I admit that they are very subtle differences. But to this coffee addict, they mean the world.

Thank you for reading! Share your thoughts with me on bluesky, mastodon, or via email.

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