Every February 11th is observed as National Latte Day—a holiday that celebrates one of the most popular drinks not only in the United States but in countries all around the world. Latte is a shortened version of caffè latte, which just so happens to be Italian for “milk coffee.”

A name that somehow seems to underestimate itself. That’s because this isn’t just coffee with milk in it, but a beautifully crafted combination of coffee and milk that most people immediately love. This is why someone had the foresight to create this holiday and spread the word about this beverage.

The History Of National Latte Day

Combining coffee with milk has been common in Europe for over 400 years, so it’s really not possible to determine exactly when the latte was born. We do know that the term caffè e latte made it into English in 1867 when William Dean Howells wrote about it in his essay “Italian Journeys.”

With that being said, café latte really didn’t gain popularity in the U.S. until the 1980s. Still, it would take another three decades before someone would create National Latte Day in 2019.

Some Delicious Facts About Latte

Let’s check out a few of the facts that we’ve recently learned about a latte and would like to now share with everyone. We think everyone will enjoy these latte-based facts and may even learn something they didn’t know about these types of coffee.

• A latte is an espresso-based coffee drink made with steamed and foamed milk.
• Ordering a latte in Italy will result in a person getting a glass of milk because “latte” means milk.
• In Italy, a caffè latte is prepared at home for breakfast.
• The difference between a caffè latte and a cappuccino is that a cappuccino is made of a double shot of espresso and steamed milk with a thick layer of milk foam.

Observing National Latte Day

National Latte Day is best observed by visiting a coffee shop and enjoying a nice latte, or by making one at home. And thanks to the power of the Internet, there are about a thousand different latte recipes for people to enjoy. People can also choose to spread the word about this holiday using the hashtag #NationalLatteDay on social media.