If you have heard the recent uproar in the Christian community regarding Starbuck’s participation in a gay pride parade, maybe you’re wondering how to fill the frappuccino-shaped void in your life. If you haven’t heard, take a look at the Worldnetdaily article that started it.
I was never exactly addicted to the stuff; how can you be addicted to a $4 cup of coffee when you are raising 7 children on a single income? But I must admit I really really like their cappuccinos and frappuccinos. How did this happen to the woman whose tightwad-and-proud-of-it father-in-law admired for her thriftiness?
However, God was merciful, and I didn’t have to give up my frappucinos cold turkey. A couple of months before it became clear to us that we must stop supporting Starbucks, I had already developed a very acceptable substitute. I did this by studying the ingredients and nutrition label on the Starbucks Frapuccino bottle. Then I did the math to figure out how much milk & sugar to use. After that, I started varying it to taste.
Here’s what I came up with:
12 oz milk (yes, I make them grande)
1 heaping tsp. instant coffee (use a good brand)
3 tsp. sugar
Stir thoroughly (the instant coffee will be slow to dissolve in cold milk) and serve over lots of ice. For the full experience, use a straw.
Of course you can vary the sugar to taste; I like mine a little less sweet than Starbucks. Yum! For variety, try adding a little cocoa or vanilla.
I love to freeze these in water bottles, and pull one out when I head for town on a hot day. I sip it as it thaws, and one bottle will last 2-3 hours. I feel not a pang of temptation or wistfullness when I drive past Starbucks, sipping on my 35 cent frappucino!
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“the frappucino shaped void”–hilarious! I am trying to switch to tea anyway.
I’m going to try your recipe – and thanks for the head’s up on Starbucks policy. I didn’t know that! (I followed you from Meredith’s site).
Mmm, sounds delicious!
My modification: melt the instant coffee in a tablespoon or 2 of really hot milk or water first- it’ll make a kind of gooey syrup that you can stir into the cold milk without compromising either the chill of the milk or the dissolved state of the coffee grains… mmmmmmmm
just for the record i the 12yo made chocolate covered cofee beans with my YOUNGER sister’s “help”.
What do you consider to be a “good” instant coffee? We have a limited choice here.
I’m not normally a brand-name snob, but I noticed a marked difference when I tried a can of Folger’s instant, vs. the cheapest one (can’t remember the name). Honestly, whatever tastes good to you. Even the cheap stuff made a delicious drink! And the Folger’s still didn’t quite taste like Starbucks – but I’m quite happy with it.
Yum.
Thanks, I’ll try it….
I came across this pretty late, but if you don’t mind brewing your own coffee, you can always buy “fair trade” coffee beans
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_Trade
there are companies that sell this — more of the money goes to the coffee growers than it does with regularly purchased beans. The cost is ususally comparable and the quality is good.
http://www.transfairusa.org/