If you’ve ever entered a coffee shop, anywhere in the world, you might have come across a Frappe. This delicious, cold drink is amazing on a hot summer’s day. It is sweet, milky and frothy and so easy to make! As we travelled around Greece and her neighbours we saw this drink everywhere! After trying few, it was easy to see why so many people enjoy a frappe in the Balkans.
The origins of the frappe
Although the name is French, and means ‘beaten’, the Frappe was first invented in Greece in 1957. The story goes that a Nescafe employee was at a coffee convention in the summer. After failing to find any boiling water, he blended his instant coffee powder with cold water and ice and the Frappe was born.
The traditional Greek Frappe has only 4 ingredients – instant coffee, water, ice and sugar. Some places also add cream or chocolate. There are 3 variations of sweetness in the Greek Frappe. These are: glykós (sweet – two teaspoons of coffee and four teaspoons of sugar); métrios (medium – two teaspoons of coffee and two teaspoons of sugar); and skétos (plain – two teaspoons of coffee and no sugar). It is often served with a straw as the top foam can be bitter. This delicious, cold beverage is available in almost every café across Greece and the Balkans.
The Frappe is thought to have gained popularity in Western countries after the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. They were even written about in an article in the Los Angeles Times as they had been so popular with tourists.
How we discovered frappes
The first time we came across a frappe was in Corfu. In the summer, the temperature can reach 40°C so sitting down for a cold drink is a regular occurrence. On our first day exploring the island, we wander through the narrow streets of the old town. Passing by small shops selling jewellery, souvenirs and fruit juice, there is so much to take in. The narrow streets are busy as crowds of people make their way from one end to the other. The mid-day sun is becoming unbearable, so we stop at a café with outdoor, shaded seating.
With no prior knowledge of what a frappe actually is, we order one each and find out. After about 5 or 10 minutes, the server returns with two tall glasses filled with a milky, iced coffee. Condensation is already forming on the outside of the chilled glass as the ice clinks together musically. This is going to be good!
The strong, Greek sun is determined to reach us through the parasol and the shade does little to decrease the temperature. Before drinking, we must pause to take some photos of this mysterious beverage. Now we are ready. Picking up the cold, wet glass, drinking through the bitter foam, an icy, sweet liquid is reached. We feel cooler and refreshed already!
We sit in the shade enjoying our frappes for a little longer before moving on to explore more of Corfu.
Frappe in the Balkans
On the same trip, we also visit Albania, North Macedonia and Serbia. Each with an abundance of frappes available in cafes and the sachets and tubs were found in every supermarket. We tried so many varieties of frappe in the Balkans and we brought a LOT of sachets home with us.
If you are able to find the Frappe sachets in your local supermarket, definitely pick some up next time and give them a go. You can also find it on AMAZON. All you need to do is add water and ice and stir like mad for a few seconds. The liquid will froth, due to the way the coffee is spray dried, and milk and sugar are already included in the mixture.
How to make a frappe
If, like us, it is harder to find in your area, or you enjoy making things from scratch, try this recipe.
You can use a blender, or something else that will crush the ice, or you can just use ice cubes and pour the mixture over the top. A handheld milk frother is enough to create the foam.
You will need the following ingredients –
- 200ml strong instant coffee, chilled
- 50ml whole milk (or water)
- 1-3 tsp sugar syrup (normal sugar works too but it doesn’t dissolve as easily)
- Ice cubes
- Ice cream or whipped cream to serve (optional)
There are only 2 simple steps to follow –
- Pour the coffee and the milk into a blender with 2 or 3 handfuls of ice cubes and blend. Add the sugar to taste. More can be added at the end if you like your coffee sweet
- Blend until foamy and the ice is broken into an icy slush. Pour into a tall glass. If you like, you can add a scoop of ice cream or some whipped cream to the top
- Bonus step – if it’s the evening, or you have any other excuse, the addition of Baileys or Kahlúa really takes it up a notch
What next?
Inspired by Balkan food and drink? Total coffee addict? You might want to take a look at our recipe for making delicious BOSNIAN COFFEE
Maybe you’re thinking of trying a frappe in the Balkans? Check out our Balkan FAQs page for loads of information on the area.
Have you tried this recipe at home or in the Balkans? Let us know by dropping a comment in the box. We would love to hear from you!
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