Coffee and Caffeine FAQ

This story about the invention of frappé, though unproven, has the ring of truth. The late Dimitrios Vakondios himself recounted his experience to a Nestlé executive in 1993 and again to a respected Greek journalist in 1999. Morever, his recollection has never been seriously disputed or challenged. Our account was based on interviews with the executive and the journalist, as well as a review of old frappé advertisements and other archival materials.

Nevertheless, the origins of frappé may also be traced to a widespread method of mixing hot instant coffee favored by Greeks and other cultures. My co-author Vivian Constantinopoulos and I discuss this in detail in our book, Frappé Nation. Basically, Greeks would blend Nescafé, sugar, and a drop or two of water in a cup and beat the mixture continuously with a teaspoon to produce a progressively lighter brown paste. (The rhythmic, spoon-against-cup click-clack of this ritual was heard in cafes throughout Greece.) Water would then be added to fill the cup and create an extremely foamy hot coffee. It stands to reason that someone would pick up the same beat using cold water, thus creating frappé.