Frappuccino
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Frappuccino is the name and registered trademark of a Starbucks blended ice beverage and a bottled coffee beverage.
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[edit] History
Some sources say that a very similar frozen coffee drink was invented by The Coffee Connection, a small Boston-based chain later acquired by Starbucks. The name Frappuccino was coined by The Coffee Connection. In this etymology, the term frappuccino is a blend of frappé, the Greek term for milkshake, and cappuccino, the coffee drink with a milky topping (see below for alternate etymologies)
Frappuccino was trademarked by The Coffee Connection, and that trademark was acquired by Starbucks when they bought The Coffee Connection, a 22 store chain with a huge following that Starbucks could not compete with in the Boston market, around 1995. The original recipe was completely different and used a unique preparation process using simple ingredients to achieve its appeal.
Similar frozen coffee drinks were served starting in 1988 by the Seattle chain Cinnabon under the names Mochalatta and Caramelatta.
[edit] Varieties
[edit] Original
The original frappuccino is a blend of ice and a mix constituted of coffee, water, milk, and various syrups. The result is a beverage that is a little icy like a slush, but with a consistency that is similar to a thin milkshake.
[edit] "Light"
In 2004, Starbucks created a "Light" version. The Light version of the Coffee Frappuccino has 54% of the calories, 17% of the fat (0.5g vs 3g), and 52% of the carbohydrates of the original.[1] This version is prepared the same way as the original but uses a modified flavoring mix with less fat and Splenda as a sweetener.
[edit] Decaf
Starbucks also serves decaffeinated versions of the coffee-based frappuccinos, which like all decaffeinated coffees, contain small amounts of caffeine. Unlike the regular coffee-based frappuccino, the decaf coffee base is made with freshly brewed decaf coffee and tastes distinctly different from the regular coffee base, which uses powdered instant coffee.
[edit] Crème
Alternatively, coffee-free "cream" base (what Starbucks calls Crème Beverage Base or CBB) was created to make the popular blended Crèmes. This version is made by combining one part skim milk with one part CBB Powdered Mix (normally containing sugar, flavorings, thickeners and other minor proprietary ingredients). The CBB mix replaced a similar mixture called UBB, or Universal Beverage Base, in 2006. The most notable change between the two is that the newer CBB mixture does not require a "settling period" in which the CBB/milk combination would need to be chilled for a period of time to settle and thicken. Unlike the coffee version, Flavoring of some sort is almost always added before consuming. Liquid or powdered tea is also used in some versions prepared at retail locations, most of the time making the "Tea Blended Crème".
[edit] Available Versions
The following is a list of the typical versions available of each type of drink. For the sake of space, "Frappuccino" and type of drink will be removed from the drink's name; it normally comes/is stated directly after the flavor when calling a drink. For example, the full name of the first drink listed below would be "Coffee Frappuccino Blended Coffee." Frappuccino Blended Coffee beverages are typically served with whipped cream, the notable exceptions being Coffee Frappuccino and Espresso Frappuccino, as well as the light versions.
[edit] Blended coffee
- Coffee (This name is purposefully redundant due to clarification of flavor) - Basic version of the blended ingredients with no added flavorings.
- Espresso - Coffee Frappuccino with one added shot of Espresso, which provides a stronger coffee taste (the amount of Frappuccino base is lessened to make room for the shot) as well more caffeine. Served without whipped cream.
- Caramel - Blended coffee base, caramel syrup, and ice. Served with whipped cream and Starbucks' signature caramel drizzle.
- Sugar Free Caramel - Blended coffee base, sugar free caramel syrup, and ice.
- Mocha - Blended coffee base, dark chocolate (Mocha) syrup, and ice.
- White Chocolate Mocha - Blended coffee base, white chocolate syrup, and ice.
- Java Chip - Same as mocha, but with "chocolate chips" (dark chocolate bits) added before blending. Served with whipped cream and dark chocolate drizzle.
- Mint Mocha Chip- Blended coffee base, Mocha syrup, Mint Chocolate Syrup and Chocolate Chips. Served with chocolate whipped cream and chocolate drizzle.
- Café Vanilla - Blended coffee base, vanilla bean powder, and ice.
- Frappuccinos can be made with any type of Starbucks syrup. Core flavors include Vanilla, SF Vanilla, Hazelnut, SF Hazelnut, Toffee Nut, Honey, Peppermint, Juicy Raspberry, SF Cinnamon Dolce and Cinnamon Dolce. These are simply called as a "[Syrup] Coffee Frappuccino", and are served without whipped cream unless otherwise specified.
- Seasonal Frappuccinos, such as Pumpkin Spice and Dulce De Leche are also popular, and often contain special toppings, such as Pumpkin Spice powder or toffee sprinkles (on the Dulce De Leche).
[edit] Blended crème
- Vanilla Bean - Crème base with "vanilla bean" powder added.
- Double Chocolaty Chip- Crème base with mocha syrup and chocolate chips. Topped with chocolate drizzle.
- Mint Chocolaty Chip- Crème base with mint chocolate syrup, mocha syrup and chocolate chips. Topped with chocolate drizzle and chocolate whipped cream.
- Strawberries and Crème - Crème base and strawberry fruit sauce and ice.
- Chai Crème - Crème base and chai tea concentrate with cinnamon sprinkled on top.
- Green Tea - Crème base, [matcha] green tea powder, and melon syrup, skim milk, blended with ice.
- Syrup Crème - Crème base with any kind of available syrup. Typically served with whipped cream unless otherwise specified.
[edit] Light Blended Coffee/Light Blended Crème
All Blended Frappuccinos are available with the "Light" modifier. The recipes are identical except that Light Coffee Base/Light Crème Base are used instead of the normal counterparts, and whipped cream is withheld. See Nutrition info below for more.
[edit] Blended Juices
In the summer of 2006, Starbucks introduced the Frappuccino Juice Blend, which is described as being "real fruit juices combined with Tazo Tea, blended with ice." This version seems to be different from the "blended tea" versions of several years ago since it uses more "real juice" and "freshly brewed" ice teas to the drink instead of a bottled, premixed concentrate. Currently, the drinks in this category include:
- Pomegranate (raspberry & blackcurrant in UK & Ireland) - Pomegranate, peach and "other fruit juices" combined with Zen Iced Tea. Pomegranate Frappuccino Juice Blend has been discontinued in the US.
- Tangerine (mango passionfruit in UK & Ireland)- Tangerine and "other fruit juices". combined with Passion Iced Tea
- Strawberry Blended Lemonade - A combination of Strawberry and Lemonade not on the menu but still available.
[edit] Special Versions
Starbucks introduces special, Limited Time Offerings every quarter. Based on feedback from customers, these are occasionally added to the permanent menu. The following are some of the popular drinks that have been available:
- Peppermint Mocha Blended Coffee/Peppermint Double Chocolate Chip Blended Crème - This was originally introduced in the coffee flavor only at Christmas and was no longer available by Valentine's Day. Peppermint flavor is added to the Mocha/DCC drinks. After positive customer feedback, Starbucks replaced the Crème de Menthe syrup with the Peppermint flavor so it would be available year round to anyone who requested it.
- Toffee Nut Blended Coffee/Toffee Nut Blended Crème - Starbucks introduced this flavor for a fall promotion with rave reviews by many customers. It consisted of adding toffee nut syrup to the coffee mix or creme mix, with whipped cream and toffee nut sprinkles on top. To the delight of customers, it was brought back the following fall, and the flavor was added to the permanent core offerings.
- Pumpkin Spice Blended Coffee/Pumpkin Spice Blended Crème - This drink was introduced in the fall of 2005. This drink consisted of a pumpkin spice syrup (pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg flavors) added to the coffee mix or creme mix. Even though the demand for such a flavor seemed high, actual sales of the product was said to have been moderately low. The drink continues to be a seasonal beverage returning to some areas each year.
- Cinnamon Dolce Blended Coffee/Blended Crème - This drink was introduced in January 2006. Originally a seasonal syrup, Cinnamon Dolce has been added as a semi-permanent flavor due to high demand during the Winter 2 season. The syrup tastes like sweet cinnamon buns, with an aftertaste reminiscent of butter.
- Maple Blended Coffee/Blended Crème - This drink was introduced in the fall of 2006 and uses a syrup made with real maple syrup and topped with whipped cream and maple drizzle.
- Gingerbread Blended Coffee/Blended Crème - This drink was introduced during the holiday season of 2000 and has a strong gingerbread cookie taste.
- Mint Mocha (Bottled) - This was a bottled version of a Starbucks Frappuccino that had similar consistency to other bottled frappuccinos and had a peppermint flavoring to it. Before it even hit stores in mid-2005, it was announced it would be a limited edition item, but it sold very well. It lived up to the limited edition name, and Starbucks dropped it in January 2006. Starbucks began selling the bottled drink again for the 2006/2007 Holiday season. There is no other bottled frappuccino on the market with this flavor or any similarity to this flavor.
- Dulce De Leche - This new drink was introduced in April 2007. It has a sweet caramel flavor and is often drizzled with caramel on top of the whipped cream. It is also available in latte form.
- Note: Because of the all year-round availability of the toffee nut and peppermint syrups, these drinks can still be made at any Starbucks location on request.
[edit] Discontinued Drinks
All frappuccinos involving banana were offered seasonally in the past in the summer and fall. They were last available in Fall 2006.
- Banana Coconut - A coffee base with banana fruit sauce and coconut syrup added, with coconut flakes sprinkled on top of whipped cream.
- Banana Mocha - A coffee base with banana fruit sauce and mocha syrup added.
- Banana Caramel - A coffee base with banana fruit sauce and caramel flavored syrup with caramel sauce on the top of the whipped cream.
- Bananas & Crème - Base mix with banana fruit sauce.
- Blackberry Green Tea Blended Crème - A combination of green tea and crème base with blackberry syrup. Topped with blackberry drizzle. This was last offered in the fall of 2006.
- Mocha Coconut Blended Coffee - At one point this drink was very popular, originally introduced with a summer theme in mind. It was mocha with coconut syrup and coconut flakes blended in. It was discontinued in 2003, and all related ingredients were removed from stores. No similar drink existed on the Starbucks Menu for a long time. In the summer of 2006, Starbucks added the Banana Coconut Frappuccino Blended Coffee. While it also contains coconut, the drink itself is different from the mocha coconut. It does not contain coconut flakes in the drink, only sprinkled on top.[1]. You may now order this drink during the summer by asking that the coconut flakes be blended into the drink.
- Mocha Chip Blended Coffee - Uses the Mocha Blended Coffee drink as a base with added "mocha chips". This drink was discontinued in 2003 along with the mocha coconut, and all the special ingredients were removed from stores. The "mocha chips" are different in texture and taste from the "java chips".
- Mint Mocha Chip Blended Coffee/Mint Chocolate Chip Blended Crème- introduced as a tenth anniversary blend. A mint chocolate syrup and chocolate chips were added to the coffee or crème base. It had a flavor distinct from the peppermint mocha blended coffee (mentioned previously). It was a summer special (although some locations had the syrup nearly a year). The Mint Mocha Chip Frappuccino is back for the Summer 2008 quarter, now with chocolate whipped cream.
- Raspberry Mocha Chip Blended Coffee - A combination of the old mocha chips, raspberry syrup, and coffee base, topped with cocoa powder. This was last served in 2001.
- Tazoberry Blended Tea - A blend of raspberry and other fruit juices with tazo tea.
- Tazoberry & Cream - A blend of raspberry and other fruit juices with the creme base.
- Mocha Valencia - A blend of coffee, dark chocolate, and Valencia Orange syrup. Topped with orange zest bits. Discontinued after Valencia syrup was replaced with Orange syrup.
- Mocha Malt - It consisted of a regular mocha with malted milk added. Served chilled.
- Orange Mocha - Last offered in the summer of 2000, this drink was reintroduced for the summer 2007. It is the same as the Mocha just with Orange syrup added and the Orange Zest topping on top.
- Orange Creme - This was introduced in the summer 2007 and consists of orange syrup in the creme base. It is then topped with the Orange Zest topping and tastes like a creamsicle. Sometimes depending on the store location it is not topped with Orange Zest topping.
- Orange Syrup is no longer available in most locations.
[edit] Modifications
As the varieties of drinks listed above show, many drinks include additional ingredients, which can include espresso shots, flavored syrups, "chocolate chip" cubes, and flavored powders. Frappuccinos can also be double blended, or made with more or less ice. If ordered in a Starbucks retail location, whipped cream is no longer added by default on all Frappuccinos. In addition, mocha drizzle can be added to the Java Chip and Double Chocolaty Chip, and caramel drizzle is added to the Caramel. Any drink can have an additional syrup/espresso or many other flavorings added at request for a small additional charge.
Yet another modification, though less popular, is to order the Frappuccino "affogato style". The Italian word "affogato" translates to "drowned" in English. An affogato Frappuccino has a shot of espresso on top rather than blended into the rest of the drink. The most common versions of this variation are known as "caramel affogato" and "mocha affogato" style, in which the espresso shot is poured on top of a crosshatch pattern of either caramel or mocha sauce in place of whipped cream.
[edit] International Varieties
There are also different versions available only in certain countries, such as Banana Java Chip and Mango, Azuki in the Philippines and azuki (red bean) in Japan. Also, the Blackberry Green Tea is currently available in the Philippines and Australia.
[edit] Secret Versions
The secret versions change by locale, and often even by store.
- Captain Crunch Frappucino- Strawberries and Creme mixed with toffee nut.
[edit] Nutritional Information
Starbucks offers full nutrition information on their website. Some additional nutrition information to note:
- The Basic drinks are actually very low in fat. The average is 3-5 grams of fat for a 16oz Grandé.
- Whipped cream added to any drink is where the source of most of the drink's fat content lies. In comparison:
- A 16oz Grandé Caramel Frappuccino Blended Coffee with no whipped cream has 270 calories, 3.6 grams of fat, 53 grams of carbohydrates, and 45 grams of sugar. However, with whipped cream, the nutritional values change to 380 calories, 15 grams of fat, 57 grams of carbohydrates, and 48 grams of sugar. With the "Light" recipe and no whipped cream, the drink has 160 calories, 1.5 grams of fat, 30 grams of carbohydrates, and 21 grams of sugar. While the blended créme is still "low in fat", it is not low in calories, carbohydrates, or sugar.
- The Créme is "made with" skim milk as part of the base, which does reduce the fat; the addition of the "CBB" mix to the milk radically changes the nutritional values due to the high amount of sugar used in part not only to flavor the drink, but to thicken it. This is why Starbucks only refers to the Créme as containing "milk", in an attempt to avoid misrepresenting the drink by mentioning that it is made using fat-free skim milk.
[edit] Bottled Version
A modified version of the Frappuccino is also available bottled without whipped cream or ice and is sold in retail stores, grocery stores, convenience stores, and Starbucks retail stores. The 9.5-ounce bottled version is manufactured by PepsiCo, the maker of Pepsi. This product is not the same recipe as the blended drink and therefore contains different proportions of ingredients and different nutritional values. The nutritional values can be found on Pepsi's Website.
According to Pepsi's website (as well as a special area on the Starbucks website), the following flavors are available:
- Mocha - made with chocolate
- Mocha Lite - made with chocolate and special creme to make it less fatty
- Vanilla - a hint of vanilla flavoring
- Coffee - similar to iced coffee
- Caramel - a twist of caramel in a delicious iced coffee
- Strawberries & Crème - crème based and coffee-free
- Mint Mocha (Limited Edition) - This was put on the market in July 2005 and dropped after the end of the of 2005/2006 holiday season. The beverage was brought back for the 2006/2007 holiday season, and once again dropped after it ended.
- Dark Chocolate Peppermint Mocha (Limited Edition) - Just like mint mocha with the extra chocolate and minty flavor. New for the 2007 Holiday Season.
- Dark Chocolate Mocha (Limited Edition)- Just like Mocha with the Extra Chocolate. Released February 2008.
Pepsi is hoping to strengthen the selection to include more crème beverages besides strawberry.
[edit] Similar Products
Many restaurants selling ice cream or coffee have developed a drink similar to the Frappuccino but using a different name. These include Baskin-Robbins, Ben & Jerry's, Borders, Dairy Queen, Dunkin' Donuts, Friendly's, Gloria Jean's, Tim Hortons, and Tully's. The Coffee Beanery also offers a "Frappalatte." In Israel, a similar product is sold in coffeehouses under the name café barad, Hebrew for hailstone coffee.[2]
Many popular coffee houses in the UK, including Costa Coffee, Caffè Nero, and Coffee Republic sell similar chilled drinks. Costa Coffee are particularly notorious for the variety of 'Frescatos' (the equivalent of Frappuccinos) they offer. Caffè Nero is less well known for its iced drinks, whilst Coffee Republic's 'Freezers' are gaining popularity, with new flavours (most notably Oreo) introduced in the Spring of 2007.
[edit] References
- ^ Nutrition Information for Starbucks Beverages (July 29, 2007).
[edit] External links
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