The drink’s origins are likely Austrian, said Andy Smith, a culinary historian at the New School. It went mainstream with the rise of Starbucks, which Howard Schultz bought and began expanding (along with the sizing of cappuccino) in the late 1980s. “They should be given some credit,” Mr. Smith said.
Perhaps the best cappuccino is made without the fancy barista work or other trappings. “For perfection,” Mr. Batali said, “see the Italian roadside version of fast food, the Autogrill.”
Correction: October 2, 2015
An article on Page D12 today about what comprises a cappuccino misidentifies the institution with which Andy Smith, a culinary historian, is affiliated. He works at the New School, not at New York University.