Summer Drinks

The Greek frappé is one of the strangest and most beloved coffee drinks in the world. It’s made with instant coffee — yes, instant coffee — and yet it is the unofficial national drink of Greece, sipped from tall glasses at cafés across the country every single day from morning until evening. If your only experience with instant coffee is a sad mug of brown water at a hotel breakfast bar, a properly made frappé will surprise you. It has thick, café-quality foam, a clean and slightly bitter coffee flavor, and the most refreshing iced-coffee texture of any drink we know. It also takes about 90 seconds to make. ...

Matcha lemonade is one of the most refreshing drinks you can make at home — grassy, earthy matcha balanced against tart lemon, sweetened just enough to tie the flavors together. It’s visually striking (bright green meets golden yellow), takes under five minutes to make, and works as a zero-coffee alternative on days when you want something bright and energizing without espresso. This is also one of Starbucks’ most popular drinks — but the homemade version tastes better and costs a fraction of the price. ...

Shaken espresso is exactly what it sounds like: espresso poured over ice and shaken until frothy, chilled, and slightly diluted. The result is a light, airy, intensely flavored coffee drink that’s somewhere between an iced espresso and an iced latte — without needing a milk steamer or any special equipment. Starbucks popularized their version (the Iced Shaken Espresso), but the technique is older, simpler, and very easy to do at home. ...