A guide to Greece’s most popular Summer coffee drinks

Coffee is a part of Greek culture, and over the warmer months, Greeks are known for spending hours sipping on their iced coffee. Whether it’s for a morning pick me up, an afternoon coffee hit, or to accompany you on the beach, an iced coffee and Greek summer go hand in hand.

And although once upon a time, the good old Frappé was the only iced coffee available, these days, whether you are in Athens, Thessaloniki or on an Aegean island, you will also find a Freddo Cappucino and Freddo Espresso on the menu.

Frappé

The original iced coffee in Greece is a Frappé made from instant coffee (Nescafe), water, sugar and evaporated milk. Accidentally invented by a Nescafe representative named Dimitris Vakondios in 1957 in Thessaloniki, you can now find a frappé available all over Greece.

A Frappé is available in three degrees of sweetness, determined by the amount of sugar used. These are:

• glykós “sweet”, which is two teaspoons of coffee and four teaspoons of sugar
• métrios “medium”, two teaspoons of coffee and two teaspoons of sugar
• skétos “plain”, two teaspoons of coffee and no sugar

All varieties may be served with evaporated milk or without. Also, sometimes, a frappé is served without any water and milk is used instead.

Freddo Espresso

The latest craze in Greece’s coffee scene is the Freddo, which is available as an espresso or cappuccino version. A Freddo Espresso is basically 1 shot of espresso poured hot into a metal canister. It’s then mixed with an electric blender, using a couple of ice cubes, and sugar is also added during the mixing process. The contrast in temperatures between the hot and cold is what creates the signature foam when mixed.

Freddo Cappuccino

The Freddo Cappuccino is pretty much a Freddo Espresso with a lovely creamy foam layered on top, so if you prefer milk in your coffee, this one is for you! Its froth is created by putting some ice cubes in a glass and pouring enough evaporated milk to cover the ice cubes.

Using a hand mixer or blender, it’s frothed up until it’s really light and fluffy.

It all comes down to personal taste, so we recommend you try all three and decide for yourself!

See Video Greek Freddo espresso (how to make it at home) - YouTube