Marrone-Puglia explained that coffee was first consumed in 1645 in Venice before spreading across Europe to become "the beverage of the intellectuals, the friend of the literati, scientists and poets, because it helps clarify ideas and accelerates thinking processes." Besides illuminating the basis for the long-standing academic love of coffee, Marrone-Puglia also employed her expertise on Italian culture to reveal the fundamentals of the cafe standard. Ideally composed of equal parts espresso, milk and foam, the drink should be presented in a cup and saucer. Above all, Marrone-Puglia said, the perfect cappuccino can be recognized "by its look and subtle, smooth taste." Eschewing any consideration of the cafe's general ambiance, I examined four establishments to uncover the best cappuccino Princeton has to offer.
4. Starbucks Coffee: Short Cappuccino, $2.68 with tax
The eight-ounce short size at the chain cafe is off the menu and best corresponds to the five- to six-ounce World Barista Championship standard. Unfortunately, that does not mean the short cappuccino is a great or even good cup of coffee. Made in less than 10 seconds, the drink came served in a small and stained paper cup. The foam, which made up far too much of the cappuccino, was full of air bubbles and lacked the appropriately frothy texture. Though it failed on an aesthetic level, its taste was even worse, with a strongly bitter and burnt complexion. The drink illustrated how little personal care Starbucks puts into its coffee, and the mechanical nature of its conception was felt profoundly in the disappointing final product. But, as the barista pointed out, you get your caffeine kick.
3. Chez Alice: Small Cappuccino, $2.94 with tax
Of the coffees tested, only Chez Alice fulfilled the appropriate 1:1:1 ratio between espresso, milk and foam described by Professor Marrone-Puglia - in the end, though, this only made the drink's shortcomings all the more disappointing. Chez Alice improves on Starbucks' paperware with a clean, though very large, mug. The foam was again unattractively riddled with air pockets and was buried in the container instead of subtly rising a few millimeters over the edge. The perfect amount of milk and foam made for a pleasant creamy texture that was counterbalanced by an overpoweringly bitter and smoky flavor. Given the charms of its texture, perhaps the establishment could be a contender if it used a higher-quality coffee. Yet the taste, coupled with the excessively bubbly foam, ensured that this cappuccino was a distant third.
2. Small World Coffee: Small Cappuccino, $2.95 with tax
Professor Marrone-Puglia pointed to this cappuccino as the best in Princeton. After sampling the coffee, I am not surprised that this neighborhood coffee institution has so many acolytes. First, it came pleasantly in a cup and saucer combination that was clean, without any spillage. Compared to Starbucks, the admirably smooth foam was much less prevalent, and the beverage approached a more balanced ratio between espresso and milk. While the bitterness was much reduced, there remained an unpleasantly acidic tinge in the drink's aftertaste. Often, Small World will include a design in the foam that testifies to the skill of the barista. My late-night cappuccino included no such ornamentation, highlighting that not all Small World baristas are made of the same stuff. The generally strong presentation and improved taste make this cappuccino a great - though still not perfect - choice for the discerning coffee connoisseur.
1. The Little Chef Pastry Shop: Cappuccino, $2.60 with tax (Pictured)
With apologies to Professor Marrone-Puglia, the best cappuccino available near campus is produced not in any cafe but in a neighborhood pastry shop. Slowly poured by the store's owner and resident baker Edwige Fils-Aime, the excellent drink proves that Fils-Aime's talents extend far outside the realm of baking. Served in an elegant white cup and saucer that featured a tapering design, Fils-Aime made the drink into an aesthetic experience. Though the foam featured no design, it crested slightly above the rim of the cup and was surprisingly frothy without being full of large air pockets. Happily, it tasted even better than it looked, with an effortlessly smooth but pronounced espresso aroma. Fils-Aime combined a graceful appearance with a refined taste that stood far above his more java-focused competitors' drinks. For those who want more from their coffee than a caffeine jolt, The Little Chef is a must.
Overall
In terms of both quality and price, the comparison dramatically reveals that there is no better cappuccino in the town of Princeton than that served at the hidden gem that is The Little Chef Pastry Shop.
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