If you want to upset an Italian, you may want to invite them to dinner. There you can dish out all kinds of culinary torture techniques that will leave your guest in tears. Squirt some ketchup on your spaghetti, drop some ice in your red wine, don’t forget to pick the toppings off your pizza and leave the base!

Oddly enough though, one of the biggest Italian food and drink faux pas is a bit less obnoxious. In fact, it’s a cultural norm in many other parts of the world. It involves putting milk in coffee.

Saying milk and coffee don’t go together may sound a bit odd when we’re talking about the country that pioneered the cappuccino. But as with many things in life it’s all about timing.

Milky Coffee is a Morning Thing

Italian coffee culture is pretty distinct, and one of its core tenants involves when you can add milk to a coffee. That’s a breakfast thing. Like a bowl of cereal. There are all types of tales circulating about why this is, with many claiming milk will “interfere with digestion” when combined with meals later in the day. But whatever the reasoning, it’s a set cultural precedent in many parts of Italy.

So can you actually order a cappuccino after noon? Of course you can, and most places will serve it to you. Though you may get any combination of funny looks, the barista trying to convince you to order something else, or a roundabout sense of disgust from the natives.

If you don’t care about any of that, order away. But if you want to blend in with the locals while vacationing in the boot you should probably order an espresso, down it at the bar, then leave as soon as possible.