Frappuccino or Ice Blended?

Now with the mercury firmly ensconced in the triple digits, thoughts turn to refreshing ways of keeping oneself cooled-down.  And in this ease-of-use society of ours, what better way than with a tasty and energizing coffee-treat to kick-start one’s day or get one through the afternoon?  But the eternal question remains – a caffeine-infused David and Goliath story for the modern era: Frappuccino or Ice Blended?

First of all, I can say demonstratively that both drinks are quite delicious and satisfy both as a refreshing beverage and as a sweet caffeine burst.  I have enjoyed both around the world – to wit, a Frappuccino in Hong Kong, and an Ice Blended in Manila, and am a fan of both.  That said, in an effort to remain scientific, I decided to compare apples with apples, and ordered like beverages from drive-thru windows at Starbucks and The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (between which I live, equidistantly).

Frappuccino

From Starbucks #5687 (South Rainbow Boulevard and West Flamingo Road), I ordered a Venti Mocha Frappuccino with an add-shot of Espresso and an extra pump of mocha, with no whipped cream.  The barista who prepared the drink got it right on the first try (and had apparently been studying the Starbucks-English dictionary).  I’m not sure why Starbucks tries to be so fancy with its names.  Perhaps to make it seem more cosmopolitan?   Sometimes though, a guy simply wants to order a small, medium or large…   But I digress.  The Mocha Frappuccino is exactly what it claims to be: a blended coffee base, whole milk, mocha sauce, blended with ice (and, in my case, a shot of espresso and extra sauce).  Yummy. 

Ice Blended

At  Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf #6014 (South Rainbow Boulevard and Patrick Lane), I drove through and ordered a 24oz Mocha Ice Blended with a shot of Espresso and an extra scoop of chocolate powder with no whipped cream.  When my friend Gaia took me to my first Coffee Bean, many years ago, I was certain that cocoa powder could in no way match the chocolaty-goodness of chocolate syrup.  I’ll admit it: I was wrong.  Coffee Bean’s proprietary blend of Special Dutch Cocoa is the secret weapon in the Mocha Ice Blended, and combines with the coffee, espresso, and ice, marvelously.

Okay, so both are good ways to keep your sweet-tooth in check while giving you that shot of caffeine you require to get through your day.  So, since this is ShulmanSays, and not Shulman Cares What Everyone Else Says, the decision falls to me.  A long-time proponent of the Frappaccino, I hereby declare that I have become a staunch Ice Blended man.  There’s something about the taste of the cocoa powder that just feels more legit to me (and gives the impression of being less artificial).  And while I may not be the paean of healthy and nutritious living that some believe me to be – those things matter, y’all!

Mocha Iced Blended
Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf

Get into it!