It's Milkshake Season! (merged topic)

[KAPDADDY]

grilled cheese & chocolate shakes

Took me a few seconds to figure out you meant two seperate things.

Hmm...I wonder what that combination would taste like?

[elyse]

Took me a second or two too.

[babyluck]

I just want to let everyone know that I do not condone putting grilled cheese in a blender for any reason. As the Queen of Grilled Cheese, I feel it is my sworn duty.

[KNorthrup]

came in today's email

[Holly Moore]

came in today's email

Fun milkshake. But if I were making a peanut butter and jelly shake here in Philadelphia I'd be building it with Basset's Peanut Butter Swirl ice cream instead of vanilla.

[cmvnapa]

When strawberries are in season, I make milkshakes for the spouse about 2-3x per week using a blender and not adding malt - that's a malt, not a milkshake.

Anyway, I fill the blender about 1/2 way with halved strawberries and add about 1/4 cup of milk and maybe a pinch of sugar, depending on the sweetness of the berries. Blend that up and then add about 4 big scoops of semi-soft vanilla ice cream. Blend until few lumps remain; pour into a large glass and hand it over.

Then he shares it with the dog.

[jhlurie]

Shocked, I tell you. I was shocked to search and find no existing topic on the king of summer desserts--the milkshake. (EDIT - I was wrong, and have now merged with the older milkshake topic)

Driving home last night, sweltering even inside my sealed and air conditioned vehicle, I had my first irrisistible milkshake urge of the summer. Sure, a "cone" travels almost as well, but it's not as visceral. A sundae? Well, it's fine if you are content to sit and pick for 20 minutes. Milkshakes are the perfect combination of portability, refreshment and flavor. IF they are done right.

The classic, the default, the prototypical shake is the "black and white". Vanilla Ice Cream. Chocolate Syrup. Milk. Blender. That's it. It works because it's simple. Sure it's sweet, but it's also cold and smooth. And it doesn't suffer from the problem some other shakes suffer from--the taste isn't weak from being ice cream simply diluted in milk. I love strawberry shakes, for example, but it always sucks if they are simply strawberry ice cream and milk. What's the point? You might as well be drinking Strawberry Quik mix. Dump some fresh fruit, or at least some strawberry syrup in there, Bucky!

Last night I lived dangerously and had a challenging milkshake--the Mint Chocolate Chip Shake (with a small blast of chocolate syrup added to perk it up a bit... not too much, just a bit). Of course the problem with the Mint Chocolate Chip Shake, with or without added chocolate syrup, is the chips. I mean... mint makes a great shake flavor. But most places don't SERVE mint ice cream without those damn chips. And while the chocolate flavor is great, syrup can take care of that. What I DON'T want are those damn chips clogging up my straw! The only thing worse? Cookie Dough Ice Cream milkshakes. Sure, the Cookie Dough is softer than chocolate chips, but it also clumps.

Are there other shake lovers out there? I include Malteds as a subset, although my late grandfather (aka - "The King of Malted Makers"--he'd make them every single day it was warm enough) would kill me for not spotlighting them on their own. "Coolers" and "Freezers" or whatever the heck they call Sorbet/Sherbet mixes are probably appropriate here as well (although maybe not if we want to stay in the land of dairy... but they DO "travel" similarly). Slurpees, Icees, etc (with just flavoring and ice instead of Ice cream or Sorbet)... those are like a poor second cousin. Maybe a third cousin.

RELATED (but unmerged) topics:

- The Death of the Classic Malted Milkshake, A New Yorker's quest for the holy grail (NY specific)

- New York Milkshake Co. (NY specific)

Edited June 10, 2004 by jhlurie (log)

[fifi]

Oh my... I can remember walking home from elementary school in late May, looking forward to summer vacation. Mom always gave me some spare change when the weather started getting hot and I would stop into Balfanz Pharmacy. They made the best malted milk shakes in the whole world. It was an old fashioned soda fountain, the stools with red upholstered seats and the little black and white porcelain tiles on the floor. Normally, a cherry or vanilla coke was the after school treat but, for some inexplicable reason, as the days were counting down to summer vacation, I would switch to a malted milk shake, but not abruptly. The transition was a root beer or coke float.

I have no idea where to get a malted milk (extra malt. please) these days. I may have to make do with some Haagen Daz vanilla ice cream and a root beer.

[hathor]

Fine...go ahead bring up milkshakes...now I've got the song stuck in my head, and there it will remain for days and days....my milkshake brings all the boys to the yard.....

Vanilla malteds. Its been years and years and years. I used to work as a waitress and I would just eat the malt powder straight. mmmmm.......

[jhlurie]

I have no idea where to get a malted milk (extra malt. please) these days. I may have to make do with some Haagen Daz vanilla ice cream and a root beer.

I would just eat the malt powder straight. mmmmm.......

Horlick's has been recomended, if you can find it.

As for finding the completed product, I know we DID have one thread on that in the New York forum. Not a lot of help for you in Texas, fifi.

And actually I see now that our search engine failed me. There is at least one previous milkshake thread (referenced in the NY Malted thread). I'm going to merge this with it (the previous Milkshake thread, not the NY-local malted topic).

[suzilightning]

when it gets this hot and muggy here i like to start my day with a blended coffee milk - 4-6 ice cubes, 8 oz of low fat milk and 3-4 tbsp of coffee syrup. whizz in the blender and drink for breakfast.

johnnybird prefers his drinks at night. either sorbet with a bit of lactaid free milk or soy ice cream with the milk and into the blender it goes. so far he has found the best sorbet to be edy's and any soy ice cream will make him happy

[poutine]

While definitely not a milkshake in the true sense of the word, and if you are counting those darn calories and/or watching your fat intake, an easy and somewhat healthy treat to prepare would be a Batido. While vacationing in Margarita, Venezuela several years ago I was introduced to the Batido. Take a bunch of fresh ripe fruit, add some milk & ice cubes & blend. You are rewarded with a frothy, fruity, somewhat thick milk-based drink and none of the guilt feelings about the 2 for $5 Ben & Jerry pints that you (ok I) could not resist last week.

[ludja]

I love the classic black and white milkshake (vanilla ice cream, choc. syrup, milk); this is the basic I grew up with in New England.

I've had a great classic in California (south) as well--- a date shake. I haven't made one at home yet; but now feel I need to!

Californy date shake

[FunJohnny]

A great shake is coffee ice cream and chocolate syrup.  Have never had espresso handy, but suspect that a shot of espresso would make it even better.

I agree that coffee shakes are the best, or perhaps chocolate ice cream with coffee syrup or vice versa. As for espresso -- I use instant espresso to flavor my home-made coffee ice cream and it works great, so why not a spoonful or two in a shake to kick it up ( I shan't add "a notch").

Edited June 16, 2004 by FunJohnny (log)

[Randi]

Since I really dislike the taste of chocolate syrup (i.e. Hershey syrup) is there a better tasting alternative to use in a milkshake?

[jhlurie]

a.) there are better brands than Hershey's. For example, Fox's U-bet. Or I suppose you could use Cocoa powder, or even ground up chocolate. I've used Hot Fudge, but it clumps too much as soon as it hardens (which is pretty much instantly when it hits the milk).

b.) chocolate syrup is far from the only flavor available, especially from a vendor like Da Vinci Gourmet (this is the brand Starbucks uses).

c.) fresh fruit, in the proper quantity, can sweeten and flavor shakes.

[lia]

Love batidos and i'm grateful for the numerous cuban restaurants in my neighborhood where i can indulge in Papaya whenever i feel like it.

when i first read this thread last week, (and oh, how i thank you all ) i of course had to indulge in a nice thick malt. the Haagen Dasz nearby closed recently (to make room for ANOTHER Starbucks and a Vitamin Shoppe [across the street from a GNC...]) and i wasn't really keen on getting a malt from Baskin Robbins, so i hit the supermarket for a jar of malt powder and ice cream. Had to settle for Carnation, which is fine, but the ice cream aisle made me laugh. do you have any idea how long it took me to find plain chocolate and vanilla? it's ridiculous. finally i found a couple of sad lonely looking pints of Ben and Jerry's....but that brand was literally the ONLY one that had the plain flavors in all of Gristede's. In normal ice cream that is. oh there was plenty of vanilla and chocolate soy, no carb, low sugar, lite, low fat, frozen yogurt...blah blah....but regular plain old ice cream? I had to dig. deeply.

oh, and the malt was really really good. used Skim Plus milk, i like that texture, icier. not too rich.

[I82Much]

I need to buy some malt powder. I have been missing out

[jeunefilleparis]

I had this amazing avocado milkshake at a vietnamese restaurant in Lousiville. I had my doubts but it was one of the most delicious things I ve ever had.

[lia]

I had this amazing avocado milkshake at a vietnamese restaurant in Lousiville. I had my doubts but it was one of the most delicious things I ve ever had.

oh that sounds wonderful. Years ago, a cook at a restaurant where i used to work whipped up an avocado mousse. just avocado, heavy cream and sugar. beautiful pale pale green. I was reticent about tasting it (my first encounter with avocado as a sweet) but it was dangerously delicious. Don't remember his the cook's name or his ethnicity, but I'm thinking Dominican.

[jgarner53]

I noticed that one person mentioned bananas as an addition to a shake, but is no one going to mention a simple banana milkshake?

My first year in college, the campus "pub" (ironically named, since it didn't serve alcohol, being a religious school and all) was famous for their shakes. They made them in the paper cup, with a metal collar that fitted over the top. They were so thick that when the collar was removed and the shake served, it frequently stood above the top of the cup.

One of those every night around 10 - no wonder I gained weight!

Did/does anyone else dip french fries into a chocolate shake, or am I a blasphemer to be drummed out of this topic?

[davebr]

When I lived in the Carribean, we used a blender, Heavy whipping cream, ice, dark brown sugar, vanilla, 1 ripe plantain, blend. then grated a little fresh nutmeg over the top. If we were hung over, a little rum found its way into the drink.

[stephenc]

No milkshake.

Ice Cream Soda.

[DanM]

Bump!

I have a nasty repository infection that has left my throat raw and my voice gone. My wife has occasionally asked me to shut my yap... Happy anniversary love, you got what you wanted! I am sure there are some who wish I had a finger infection as well and could not type... but lets not go there.

One of the few things that sounds good right now is a cold, soothing milkshake. Later on, we will be heading out to Trader Joes to pick a quart of vanilla (with real vanilla!) and coffee bean ice cream, some milk, and maybe another bottle of midnight moo. One great thing about Trader Joes is that a quart of ice cream still has 32oz and pints still have 16oz...

Other ideas... I still have some peanut flour in the cabinet and several U-Bet syrups from Passover (which has real sugar, not corn syrup). Strawberry picking is in a couple of weeks, so that will be fun to throw in. And yes... malted milk is in the cabinet ready to go.

Anyone else in the mood for a milkshake?

Dan

Kriek lambic milkshake? hmmm... maybe when my throat gets better.

[SylviaLovegren]

It's not rocket science:

1. Fill the blender with ice cream.

2. Fill the spaces with milk.

3. Blend

That's it. If it's too thick, add more milk. If you want it thicker, add more ice cream.

That's my recipe, too. You can add malt powder, if you like malt which I mostly don't. You can vary the flavors by adding fruit, chocolate syrup, using different ice cream, etc. But a good milkshake is mostly ice cream.