Classic Italian Cappuccino vs Classic American Hot Chocolate with Marshmallows

Both drinks are built on hot whole milk, yet they treat it very differently. The cappuccino steams cold milk into a glossy microfoam, likened to wet paint, and pours it over a single shot of espresso, so its flavor stays bold and slightly bitter beneath a light, airy cap; cocoa appears only as an optional dusting. The hot chocolate instead whisks cocoa, sugar and salt into a smooth paste, simmers it with milk and finishes it with vanilla, yielding a sweet, rich, chocolate-forward cup. Mini marshmallows melting on top add a gooey contrast the cappuccino's foam never aims for.