What is frappe coffee and how to make it

How did it appear and how to pronounce it correctly?

Frappe appeared as a result of a coincidence. In Thessaloniki, in 1957, at an exhibition of Nestle's instant cocoa-based children's drink, one of the workers decided to treat himself to coffee. He couldn’t find boiling water, so he simply used regular cold water, into which he poured the contents of a stick with powdered coffee granules. This is how the prototype of the modern drink appeared.

Pronounce the name frappe correctly, placing emphasis on the last vowel. This is due to the origin of the word (it came from French and is translated as “mixed” “whipped”), despite the fact that the recipe itself is Greek.

History of frappe coffee

In French, frappé means “broken.” This is how drinks with crushed ice, including coffee, were called back in the 19th century. For example, iced coffee with ice cream was called “frappe a la glace.” Gradually, the word frappé acquired another meaning - “chilled”.

But the drink that we know today as frappe was born on October 7, 1957 at the International Fair in Thessaloniki. The Nestle company presented chocolate powder there, which easily dissolved even in cold milk. During a break, an employee of the company, Dimitris Vakondios, tried to make coffee, but could not find boiling water anywhere. Desperate, Vacondios simply mixed Nescafe instant coffee and sugar in a shaker, poured cold water over it and shook it well. The result is cold coffee with a lush foam.

Perhaps if the exhibition had been held in some northern country, no one would have paid attention to what happened. But in Greece, soft drinks are vital. Coffee, which can be prepared quickly and does not require special refrigeration, is a real boon for both bartenders and visitors. In order to further reduce the temperature of the drink, crushed ice was added to it. The name for the new type of coffee was borrowed from the French.

Frappe recipe creator Dimitris Vacondios

The Nestle administration could not help but appreciate the prospects that were opening up. Thanks to advertising, frappe instantly became fashionable. This method of preparing instant coffee has become the main method in Greece. In 1979, frappe coffee was recognized as the national Greek drink.

There are 3 types of Greek frappe:

• glycos (glykós, γλυκός) – sweet: 2 tsp. coffee and 4 tsp. Sahara;
• metrios (métrios, μέτριος) – medium: 2 tsp. coffee and 2 tsp. Sahara;
• sketos (skétos, σκέτος) – simple: 2 tsp. sugar free coffee.

Classic Greek frappe is made exclusively from instant coffee. There are no more standards either in the choice of ingredients or in the method of preparation. Sometimes the frappe is shaken with ice, other times the shaken coffee cocktail is poured over ice cubes.

Frappe with water and milk is called frapógalo (φραπόγαλο, frapógalo). In Cyprus, only a little water is added to the frapogalo to whip up the foam, the rest of the liquid is milk, and the fattier the better. In some coffee shops, frappe or frapogalos are served with ice cream.

Frappe with milk

There is also an option when iced coffee is not whipped, but stirred with a spoon, which is why it acquires a slightly different texture. This type of coffee is called κουταλάτος (koutalatos) - “ship coffee”: the preparation method was invented by sailors.

Tourists who visited Greece also brought with them the recipe for their favorite coffee. But after the 2004 Olympic Games, frappe became popular all over the world. True, in different countries adjustments were made to the drink recipe:

• in Bulgaria, Coca-Cola is often used instead of water;
• in Serbia, frappe is called hladan nes and is served with milk, ice cream and whipped cream;
• In Denmark, water is replaced with cold milk.

Recently, frappe based on espresso (single or double) has gained popularity in Europe. In Italy, the word frappe is used to refer to a milkshake. Italians are not particularly fond of instant coffee. A drink similar to the Greek frappe, but based on natural coffee, is called granita al caffè in Italian.

In the northeastern states of the United States, where many immigrants from Italy live, the milkshake is called frappe (in English - “frapp”). In the 80s of the 20th century, the Coffee Connection coffee shop in Boston invented the Frappuccino drink, which is a milkshake mixed with coffee and crushed ice.

When Starbucks acquired Coffee Connection in 1994, it inherited the original recipe. Now coffee shops of this chain around the world serve Frappuccino - essentially the same frappe, but not with crushed ice, but with crushed ice. Starbucks also sells bottled Frappuccinos without ice. It is not Nescafe that is added to coffee drinks, but Via freeze-dried coffee, which is as close to natural in taste and aroma as possible.

What is added to the drink - interesting options

In addition to espresso, coffee contains small particles of ice, as well as various additional components:

• honey;
• cream;
• fruits;
• ice cream;
• chocolate;
• nuts, etc.

You can add spices, syrups, and alcoholic drinks to taste, varying the proportions based on personal preferences. Prepare the drink in a shaker, whipping it with a mixer or blender. The main thing is that you should get a stable foam, which is elegantly decorated as you choose.

An equally important condition for obtaining a real frappe is preparation immediately before use. You cannot mix the cocktail in advance, otherwise it will lose its “liveliness” and lose its taste.

There are a huge variety of recipes for making iced coffee cocktails. Let's look at the most interesting and simple ones.

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Traditional version of the drink - how to prepare?

The classic frappe recipe involves the use of:

• coffee - 200 ml;
• milk - 150 ml;
• ice - at least 10 standard size cubes.

The prepared components are mixed and whipped with a blender. The finished cocktail is poured into a tall glass and decorated with a straw.

You can diversify the classic recipe with grated chocolate and ice cream. To do this, start the process by churning ice cream with milk, to which crushed ice and coffee are added. Decorate the cocktail with grated chocolate.

Classic Greek frappe recipe

Ingredients

1. High-quality instant coffee – 2-3 tsp.
2. Water – 15 ml
3. Ice in cubes - for shaker and for serving
4. Cold water – 200 ml (for serving)

Cooking method

1. Pour coffee into a shaker, add 15 ml of water and shake vigorously with ice for at least 15 seconds.
2. Pour through a strainer into a highball glass with ice and top up with cold water.
3. Insert straw and serve.

Cold espresso with milk and ice - preparation algorithm

A strong espresso frappe is easy to make. To reveal the taste of the drink, you can add milk mixture for ice cream and chocolate syrup. For the drink you will also need at least 200 ml of crushed ice, cold espresso, and whipped cream.

The process begins by mixing the ice cream mixture, cooled coffee, ice and chocolate syrup in a mixer or blender. The finished drink is poured into a tall glass and decorated with a top of cream and chocolate topping. The cocktail combines harmoniously with vanilla and coconut.

Caramel frappe with natural coffee

The ingredients are the same as in the previous case, additionally 25-30 ml of caramel syrup.

Recipe

1. Decorate the walls of a chilled glass with patterns (waves, curls) made from syrup.
2. Whisk coffee, sugar, milk, crushed ice and 20 ml of caramel syrup.
3. Pour the whipped mixture into a glass.

Pineapple and strawberry coffee - for hot weather

Pineapple frappe is made from ice cream, Drambuie liqueur, pineapple juice, and coffee. Start by mixing ice cream with pineapple juice and liqueur. Add cooled espresso coffee to the finished mixture, pour the cocktail into a suitable glass, and serve with a straw.

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Fresh frappe with mint and strawberry notes - harmony of taste

Mint strawberry iced coffee is also suitable for quenching thirst in hot weather. To prepare you will need a standard set of products:

• sugar;
• milk;
• coffee;
• ice.

Additionally, mint frappe involves the use of mint and fresh or frozen strawberries.

Mix the cocktail by beating all the ingredients with a blender with pre-cooled coffee. The finished drink is decorated with mint leaves and served with a thick straw that allows pieces of fruit to pass through.

A variation on the theme of a strawberry iced coffee cocktail will be a raspberry frappe. To prepare it, 250 ml of espresso will be enough; strawberries are replaced with raspberries. The cocktail is prepared as follows:

• crushed ice is poured into a tall glass;
• raspberries crushed in a blender are placed on top of the ice cushion;
• Coffee is carefully poured down the walls.

The finished drink is decorated with fresh raspberries, whipped cream, and chocolate chips.

Strawberry frappe

Strawberries, combined with ice, give a special taste to the coffee drink. All you need to do is whisk strawberries and milk and pour the contents into a glass with ice. It is added around the edges so as not to knock down the foam. You can add ice cream along with milk.

Another recipe suggests using strawberry puree instead of whole berries. Place the finished puree in a separate layer on top of the ice. The coffee is carefully poured on top. The drink has a pleasant strawberry flavor.

How to drink frappe correctly - useful tips for the uninitiated

The drink, like classic Greek coffee, has the same categories:

• metrios;
• sketos;
• glycos.

This means: medium sweet, black, sweet. Milk is not always and not always added to cocktails, so this point needs to be clarified when ordering a drink. Of course, you can drink coffee not only in hot weather, but throughout the year, enjoying the combinations of flavors.

In the process, the Greeks add cold water to the drink, sucking up the delicious foam noisily without any embarrassment.

In conclusion, we note that even as part of a frappe, coffee remains a caffeine-containing drink that must be limited in quantity. One or two cocktails a day for people who do not have health problems will be enough to invigorate and refresh without negative consequences for the body.

Frappe traditions

The Greeks developed a whole system that serves to drink coffee with maximum pleasure. The rules are unspoken, they are passed down from generation to generation.

• You should drink coffee very slowly.
• During the process, it is allowed to add cold water to warm it up.
• Drinkware: tall glass glasses.
• Be sure to use a straw.
• The straw is selected according to size, depending on the type of frappe: if it contains fruit, its size should be large.
• The coffee is drunk entirely, without leaving a single drop.
• Make coffee for breakfast or afternoon snack. This will give you vigor and charge you with energy for the whole working day. It is not recommended to drink frappe if you have colds, chronic diseases of the throat or nasopharynx. In the cold season, the drink will contribute to freezing, so it should not be consumed before going outside.

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