Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Shake Chat

Please read and weigh in!

I'm interested in expanding my shake repertoire this summer, and I've been thinking of the various regional delights that we had in New England as well as those I've picked up here in NYC. Please let me know if these sound like what YOU expect them to be, and then tell me about the dairy treats that I missed out on.
  • Our shakes were usually sort of crumby; not thick enough to be much more than chocolate milk.
  • We had frappes, the New England equivalent of a milk shake, at our Tastee Freez. This should be nice and thick. My current milkshake is what, as a kid, I would have called a frappe.
  • The Black and White is something that I had for the first time last summer. Vanilla ice cream, some chocolate syrup, and milk. I've learned that you must not overdo the amount of syrup; it's crucial that the vanilla taste isn't buried.
  • A Boston Shake is a sort of "shake float." Start with a standard shake. After dispensing it into the cup you'll add more ice cream to the cup, then top with whipped cream and chocolate syrup.
These are the shakes that I have under my belt (for real, because they've given me a gut) and I'm interested to know more variations. I have never made a malted- and I also intend to fix that this summer. I am going to be a SHAKE MEISTER, DAMN IT!

10 comments:

  1. Though now lactose intolerant, when I still drank shakes, I prefered the consistancy of those made w/ice milk, milk, and syrup to those made w/ice cream, which were common when I grew up in Northern California. As for flavors, how about chocolate-peanut butter (i.e. chocolate syrup and smooth peanut butter) or chocolate-mocha (i.e. chocolate syrup and freeze-dried instant coffee crystals)?

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  2. A black & white shake is definitely a great addition. I grew up in the Philly area and haven't had a real black & white shake since I moved here.

    Also, if you could create a milkshake version of the chocolate egg cream, that could be fabulous. (I guess it would have to be like a chocolate milkshake but with a fizzy kick - like a cross between an ice cream soda & a milkshake).

    With all shakes, it would be great to have a skim version as well as the full-fat version.

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  3. I've never heard of a Boston Shake, but your description of a "shake float" sounds right up my alley.

    Maybe this summer you can have an offering for the vegan brethren?

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  4. THANK YOU for your thoughts, people! This is just what I was hoping for. More!

    Tim: I have cooked with Medaglia D'Oro Instant Espresso powder before, and I bet that it would be a great addition for shakes. Thanks for nudging me that way!

    Tomato: My black and whites are pretty damned good, if I do say so. I've never thought about putting egg creams on the menu, and that's a good idea. I'll have to start sampling them at diners and figure out how I like 'em.

    Abigail I'm a little bit stuck for vegan options. My truck has refrigerators but no freezer, so I can't keep popsicles (etc.) on board. Any suggestions are appreciated, but I'm having a hard time.

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  5. Being a lover of the Pinkberry, perhaps something utilizing greek/bitter-sweet yogurt? It could be the healthy alternative...or not, depending on what else you mixed into it.

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  6. Chocolate Banana Shakes are my favorite!

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  7. It's a Wrap made a smoothie called the Banana Buzz - espresso, bananas & chocolate syrup (?). They have since closed, so if you can recreate that,i'd follow the BGICT to the ends of the earth...

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  8. Choinkwich Shake? Make it like a DQ Blizzard with chunks of chocolate covered bacon!

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  9. I love the chocolate-banana and chocolate-banana-espresso notions.

    I do a topping that I might not have mentioned on here. Ripe banana, good cocoa powder, and bang em together with an immersion blender. It's great over ice cream.

    Lois: NO. I love you, but NO.

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  10. Yasss, icecream has got nothin' on this man.

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