Milkshake

This article is about the food item; for other uses, see milkshake (disambiguation).

A milkshake is:

in the United Kingdom and Australia, a beverage which is made from milk and flavourings.
in Canada and the United States, a beverage which is made from milk, ice cream, and possibly other flavourings such as fresh fruit, chocolate sauce and other sauces, along with whipped cream.

In the United Kingdom and Australia, a milkshake made with ice cream, as in the United States, is known as a thick shake. This beverage is known as a frappe (pronounced "frap") in parts of New England, especially near Boston, and as a cabinet in Rhode Island [link]. Frappe is considered incorrect terminology for the milkshake, so most people stick with the generic term.

Throughout the United States, especially in fast food and casual dining restaurants, a milkshake may be referred to simply as a shake. When an ice cream milkshake is made with malted milk, it is generally called a "malt" or a "malted."

An important factor that distinguishes a milkshake from simply being flavoured milk is that it is usually prepared in some sort of blender rather than being simply stirred. There are machines which are specifically designed for the blending of milk shakes. Often, these machines mix ingredients and insert air into the milkshake mix, causing the consistency to become smooth and the shake to thicken up as it is blended. Some outlets use machines where milk and mix are frozen and mixed together inside a container within the machine, while others prepare and mix the shake "by hand" within a special stainless steel cup, often called a malt cup or mixing can.

The most common flavours of milkshake are vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry, though other ingredients such as bananas or Oreos may be used. In Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts (Fall River and New Bedford areas) coffee syrup is used as a flavouring with coffee flavoured ice cream to make the local "coffee frappe" or "coffee cabinet" favorite. A common additive is malt, which make a malted milkshake. Fast food restaurants and soda fountains often sell milkshakes. Some milkshake recipes call for ice cream in the flavour of the milkshake, while others call for vanilla ice cream plus a flavour additive, such as a syrup or fruit. These different methodologies often result in a surprisingly large difference in taste, and many people have a distinct preference for one method over the other. Recipes which rely heavily on fresh fruit and are made without ice cream are called smoothies.

Milkshakes can be made from ordinary milk mixed with powder or concentrate although these drinks would simply be considered "flavoured milks" in most places. Common brands include Nesquik and Crusha. Bottled milkshake is also common, commonly being sold in 330 mL, 500 mL or 1 liter bottles. Milk Chug, Gulp!, FRijj, Yazoo, Big M, and Mars are well known brands of bottled milkshake.

History

The first reference to the term "milkshake" appeared in print in 1885 and contained some whisky. The malted milkshake includes a malted milk powder (containing dried milk, malted barley and wheat flour) which was invented in 1897 by William Horlick. The drink was designed as a restorative for invalids and children. Original versions of the drinks were more of an egg nog version than modern versions.

Milkshake

History

See also