Nothing beats starting the day with a great cup of coffee. While some prefer the rich, strong flavours of an espresso, others enjoy the unique taste of a well-made cappuccino.

On Friday (today), the world recognises 8th November as Cappuccino Day, and with coffee being one of the most popular beverages globally, WhosWho.mt speaks to COFFEE&strangers, Coffee Circus China and Lot61 about what it takes to make the perfect cappuccino, and whether they would drink it after lunch time.

What makes an expertly crafted classic cappuccino?

Chaoyi Zhang, owner of Coffee Circus China emphasises that a cappuccino needs to have thick, creamy foam with a glossy, milky surface, “composed by evenly distributed micro foams/bubbles.”

Building on this, COFFEE&strangers owner Deandra Gauci highlights that properly steamed and foamed milk makes the experience better, “but what most tend to ignore is the base of the drink.”

She shares that this boils down to variables such as choosing the correct taste profile of the espresso and properly extracting it.

“Milk based beverages tend to combine well when the base tastes more on the chocolatey and nutty side,” Ms Gauci adds.

She continues that a well extracted beverage refers to a properly balanced espresso that is not burnt or watery. “Having all three combined together will provide the end consumer with a finer tasting experience on the palate,” she said.

In agreement, Clayton Xuereb, Director of Lot61 shares that the perfect cappuccino depends on balance and technique, but also on the type of beans, country of origin and the way they are roasted.

“It starts with high-quality beans, roasted to perfection, freshly ground coffee and a perfect extraction for its espresso based and ideally whole milk for that creamy texture and taste balance.”

Furthermore, he highlights that milk needs to be steamed at just the right temperature and texture as if it’s too foamy or too flat it won’t feel like a true classic cappuccino and ruins the cup.

‘Watching how the base and milk combine together to create art is mind blowing’

Being behind the bar, making coffee all day must be exhausting. But, when passionate about coffee, does the magic of creating art ever fade?

They all agree that making coffee is always an enjoyable experience.

Mr Xuereb replies that there is a certain satisfaction in creating each one. “Whether it’s a quick cup or a carefully designed one, each cappuccino has its own little routine, and I find that rewarding even with the repetition. To me it’s a dance,” he says

“When I get the opportunity to work behind the bar it’s always a battle of who is going to prepare the daily beverages – everyone wants to work on the espresso machine,” Ms Gauci says.

She shares how advances in the preparation of drinks and in education have made the art of cappuccino-making more exciting over the years.

“Watching how the base and milk combine together to create art is mind blowing and is the most exciting moment – as you have almost unknowingly created something, in my case of course,” she continues.

Meanwhile Mr Zhang replies that not just as a barista but also as a coffee passionate, making cappuccino is always an enjoyable experience.

“We have to make sure every cappuccino is made with love and well presented to customers. There are no two identical cappuccinos in the world, so, every single one is unique just like us,” he states.

As said by Mr Zhang, cappuccinos come in various shapes and forms, with many cafés also feature a number of cappuccinos with fancy art. He remarks that many customers appreciate the efforts of doing intricate latte art. “We always observe some happy faces and comments,” he adds.

Ms Gauci notes that her standards in crafting the perfect cappuccino are high, given her experience and ongoing studies in the industry.

However, based on her observations, she notes that patrons are more intrigued with presentations and how the beverage tastes, rather than the patterns.

“In reality, patterns could potentially be more of a marketing tool. Sometimes you can have the most amazing patterns designed but the beverage base is of low quality or not properly extracted, thus your experience can be ruined,” Ms Gauci states.

On the other hand, Mr Xuereb notes that most customers that to appreciate art in their cappuccino even if its just in a subtle way. “Some customers love to snap a picture, while others might not comment but seem to enjoy the experience of a well-presented drink. It definitely adds to the overall feeling of having a crafted beverage rather than just a quick cup,” he continues.

An Italian tragedy:  To drink or not to drink cappuccino after lunch?

Italians are famously strict about their coffee habits, and one unbreakable rule is no cappuccino or any other milky coffee after lunch.

For Italians, a cappuccino after midday is almost unthinkable, a similar analogy to putting pineapple on pizza. This is because they believe that milky coffee after a meal is too heavy and interferes with digestion.

Instead, they opt for a quick espresso, which is more of a digestive aid than a dessert.

Asked about their views on this tradition, Ms Gauci comments that every country has its cultural ways of doing things while Mr Zhang reasoned that since its quite milky, he understands that it is more suitable for breakfast due to its milk component and digestive reasons.

Mr Xuereb on the other hand highlights the Italian tradition is a fun one and he understands where it comes from. Despite so, he argues that coffee is a personal experience.

“So, I believe in letting people enjoy it whenever they like. But yes, for some, cappuccino will always be a morning ritual, but it does not mean they will not come for another on in the afternoon,” he concludes.

Cheers!