The Story of the Frappe

It all started in Thessaloniki in 1957. Legend has it that Nestlé representative Giannis Dritsas was exhibiting a new beverage for children at the Thessaloniki International Fair. The beverage was prepared by mixing chocolate powder with milk in a container and shaking it. Meanwhile, colleague Dimitris Vakondios wanted an instant coffee but lacked hot water. So he combined the instant coffee with water and ice in a shaker and—voilà!—the frappé was born. This beverage has since become a staple in cafés throughout the Greek islands, and it is very popular in Cyprus, too. Nowadays frappés are usually made with electric mixers specifically designed for this purpose. First place one or two teaspoons of instant coffee in the bottom of a tall glass. If you are sweetening your drink, add sugar to the glass now. Next add a couple of inches of cold water—and it is time to blend! As you blend at high speed for about half a minute, the mixture will begin to turn to a light brown foam. The drink is topped off with water, milk, or some combination of the two: a ‘mavro’ includes only water, an ‘olo gala’ includes only milk, while a ‘ligo gala’ has a little milk and a ‘miso-miso’ has half of each. Also specify how sweet you want it—a ‘sketto’ has no sugar, while a ‘metrio’ is medium and a ‘glyki’ is sweet. Sip your frappé with a straw as you laze by the pool or sea.