One word, a few different drinks
The word frappe means different things depending on where you are, which is half the fun of the day. In Greece, a frappe is a frothy iced instant coffee shaken with water and ice. In much of the United States, a frappe means a blended, ice-cream-thick coffee drink, and in New England it can even mean a milkshake. National Frappe Day on October 7 celebrates the whole cold, frothy family.
The Greek original
The classic Greek frappe is beautifully simple and genuinely refreshing. Put a spoon or two of instant coffee, a little sugar, and a small splash of cold water in a jar or shaker and shake it hard until it builds a thick, tan foam. Pour that over a tall glass of ice, top with cold water, and add milk if you like. The magic is the foam, which comes entirely from shaking the instant coffee.
A handheld frother or a lidded jar does the job in seconds, and instant coffee, usually looked down on, is exactly the right tool here.
Shake it longer than you think; the foam should be thick enough to sit proudly on top of the ice.
The blended cafe version
The American coffee-shop frappe is a different animal: cold coffee or espresso blended with ice, milk, and sweetener until it is smooth and slushy, usually crowned with whipped cream. You can make a solid one at home by blending cooled strong coffee, milk, a spoon of sugar or syrup, and a generous handful of ice until there are no shards left.
Coffee ice cubes, made by freezing leftover coffee, are the pro move; they keep the drink cold and strong instead of watering it down as they melt.
Make it yours
Either style takes well to flavor. Add cocoa for a mocha, a little vanilla or caramel syrup, a dash of cinnamon, or a splash of your favorite milk. Decaf and instant both work fine, so you can enjoy one in the evening without a caffeine jolt.
A frappe is one of the cheapest cafe drinks to recreate at home, and once you have the technique the savings add up fast against a daily blended coffee habit. Celebrate October 7 by picking a style, the shaken Greek classic or the blended slushy version, and making one from scratch. It is a small skill that turns a hot afternoon and a jar of instant coffee into something genuinely good.
How to celebrate
- 1Shake the Greek classic
Put instant coffee, a little sugar, and a splash of cold water in a jar and shake hard until it builds a thick tan foam. Pour it over a tall glass of ice, top with water, and add milk if you like. The foam comes entirely from shaking, which is where instant coffee shines.
- 2Blend the cafe version
For the American slushy style, blend cooled strong coffee with ice, milk, and a spoon of sugar or syrup until there are no shards left. Freeze leftover coffee into ice cubes so it stays strong instead of watering down. Crown it with whipped cream.
- 3Flavor it your way
Either style takes cocoa for a mocha, a splash of vanilla or caramel syrup, or a dash of cinnamon. Decaf and instant both work fine, so you can enjoy one in the evening. A different milk changes the whole character of the drink.
- 4Save versus the cafe
A blended coffee habit adds up fast, and a homemade frappe costs a fraction. Once you own a frother or a blender the savings are immediate. Master the technique and a jar of instant coffee turns a hot afternoon into something good.