Through a Straw

Making a milk shake is the simplest way to transform ice cream into a new dessert. It’s a conundrum how adding milk and a straw can turn ice cream into a totally different experience. Sodas, milk shakes, floats, and other frozen concoctions sipped through a straw are traditionally enjoyed between meals, but I don’t know of any law, state or federal, that forbids one from thinking of them as dessert drinks. Serve them after a meal, just as you would a cake or pie. Just provide a straw and a long spoon. Most conventional float and soda recipes stay close to the original intent. While these are delicious, there are other flavor possibilities beyond a scoop of vanilla ice cream and root beer. A little creativity is all that is needed. Have some fresh berries a little on the mushy side? Purée and combine them with some seltzer water, add sugar as needed, and top it off with a couple of scoops of strawberry ice cream for Very Berry Sodas. Create Purple and Yellow Cows by adding Cassis-Berry Sherbet to pineapple juice and seltzer water. Who says shakes have to be vanilla, strawberry, or chocolate? Blend fresh papaya purée with vanilla ice cream, or combine honey and soy milk ice cream for some new combinations.