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 To serve one:
1 heaped teaspoon instant coffee
1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
ice cubes
COLD water (refrigerated)
cold milk (optional)
Method:
Put the coffee, sugar if used, ice cubes and about 3/4 cup cold water in a large jar with a well-fitting lid (such as an empty coffee jar). Screw the lid on tightly, then shake hard up and down for about 30 seconds. This creates a slightly thickened, frothy mixture. Pour into a tall glass.
Put about the same quantity of milk (or more water) in the same jar and shake a few times more, then add to the glass, topping up with more milk or water as needed.
Drink with a straw.
Most Cypriots use frappé-makers, which are like little electric whisks to make the coffee mixture froth up quickly. We've tried them, but prefer the old-fashioned method above. The taste is much the same either way. It's very important to use cold water. Lukewarm, even with extra ice cubes, doesn't seem to work.
Although I don't have sugar in coffee normally, I do like frappés with about 1/2 teaspoon of sugar. If you normally have sugar in coffee, you may find you want a bit extra for a frappé. You might also want to use more coffee; the person who initially taught us to make this used two heaped teaspoons per person. If I have that much caffeine after lunch, I can't sleep at night so I find one is just fine. We use Maxwell House granules, the ones said to taste like filter coffee. They don't, but they're smooth and rich without any bitterness, ideal for frappés. The de-caffeinated variety work equally well although I don't suppose a Cypriot would dream of drinking a de-caff frappé!
Apparently Greeks often add cardamom. We've never seen this done and it's not a taste I particularly like. But it could be worth trying. Chocolate powder or syrup can be added for frappucino taste, and a scoop of ice cream can be added to make it more like a milk-shake. There are probably many variations on this, which is one of my favourite drinks for straight after lunch in the summer.
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A couple of days this week it's been very hot. More than 30C, and with the beginnings of humidity, too. Thankfully it's cooler today, with a nice breeze. But it's the start of things to come. From now until at least mid-September there's almost no chance of rain, so I have to remember to water my patio plants at least twice a week; more, once it stays hot all the time.
But it's June now, and it's Cyprus, so what do we expect? We're just glad we haven't had to use the air conditioning so far (other than a couple of days nearly four weeks ago when we had a brief early heatwave). I've gravitated to shorts rather than jeans - earlier this week - and haven't worn a sweatshirt for at least a fortnight. And I've started drinking frappés (de-caffeinated) after lunch rather than hot coffee. But we're still using a light duvet on the bed at night.
Today is also officially the start of Summer for Tim, who has come to the end of the second semester of his theology course today. He has been doing three modules since the end of February - the maximum allowed for correspondence course students - and somehow all three end-of-year essays were due today. Not good timing.
He could have asked for an extension for one or even two of them, but next week he's going to be working with Richard at Kurium in Limassol, recording the show of Esther that's being produced there at the end of the week. Monday is setup day, Tuesday rehearsals... they'll be there from 9am till late both days. On Wednesday and Thursday they hope to be able to go after lunch, depending on how well things are going. The actual performances are Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and they'll be recording them all for editing afterwards, to be broadcast on Cyprus TV and also to create a DVD.
So Tim is not going to have much free time next week, and definitely didn't want the pressure of trying to finish an essay. So as he's not good at getting things done in advance, he's had a heavy week getting them all done! He finally sent them off by email about half an hour ago, and has gone to the sea-front to treat himself to his favourite raspberry sorbet dairy-free ice cream at Haagen Daaz. Then on to youth band practice - there's a big island-wide youth service in a couple of weeks at which they're playing - followed by youth group at 6.30.
So, Summer is here. Before long I'll be 'estivating' in my air-conditioned study for several hours of the day, not wanting to cook or go out anywhere. But everything slows down in the summer here; shops and businesses shut from 1pm to about 4pm for siesta time in July and August (sometimes in June too) and everyone's supposed to be quiet for the official siesta period. |
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