Go for Bold with these Greek Coffee Recipes

With the summer Olympics around the corner (stay tuned for some podium worthy merch coming soon), we want to honor this year’s events with some coffee preparations hailing from the home of the historic affair.

Hold up – some history:

Like many cultures—coffee is more than a means to an end to the Greeks. They’ve been drinking it since the Ottoman’s introduced the stuff during occupation in the 15th century, and early on it was prepared nearly identically to Turkish Coffee. It would be shared in Kafeneia, which is a traditional Greek coffee house which serve as social hubs for communities.

Holy Frappe:

It was in the late 1950s at the Thessaloniki International Fair that Greek coffee culture evolved. It was here that the frappe (the REAL frappe) was invented. By shaking up instant coffee and water, a smooth foam was created that was then poured over ice. Over the next 2 decades, this luxurious but easy preparation became a mainstay.

How to Make Greece's Best

Variations were created and while the frappe has reigned champ of Greek coffee, a similar preparation using brewed espresso was created called the freddo. Here’s how to make both & drink like you’re sipping seaside...

GREEK FRAPPE:

Ingredients: 

• Instant coffee (typically Nescafé) 
• Water 
• Ice cubes 
• Optional: Sugar and milk 

Preparation: 

• Mix instant coffee, sugar (if desired), and a small amount of cold water in a shaker or blender. 
• Shake or blend until a thick foam forms. 
• Pour the coffee foam into a tall glass. 
• Add ice cubes and a splash of cold water to the glass. (water optional) 
• Add milk if desired. 


FREDDO ESPRESSO:

Ingredients: 

• Freshly brewed espresso 
• Ice cubes 
• Optional: Sugar & Cream 

Preparation: 

• Brew a double shot of espresso. 
• Shake the hot espresso with ice cubes (and sugar if desired) in a shaker until it cools down and forms a light foam. 
• Pour the chilled espresso and foam into a tall glass filled with ice. 
• Optional: Pour over cream & ice (this makes it a Freddo Cappucino)

Key Differences:

• Coffee Base: Greek frappe uses instant coffee, while freddo uses freshly brewed espresso. 
• Preparation Method: Frappe involves shaking or blending instant coffee to create foam, whereas freddo involves shaking brewed espresso to cool it down and create a light foam. 
• Texture: Frappe has a thicker, creamier foam, while freddo (both espresso and cappuccino) has a lighter foam. 
• Varieties: Freddo comes in two varieties, freddo espresso (just espresso and ice) and freddo cappuccino (with cold frothed milk). 

Planning on making these at home? We want to see your work! Tag us at @deathwishcoffee on social.  

[Featured Image Source: Josh Couch via Unsplash]