Milkshake Trivia

Some interesting and entertaining facts about milkshakes.

A milkshake is a sweet, cold beverage which is made from milk, ice cream or iced milk, and flavorings or sweeteners such as fruit syrup or chocolate sauce. Milkshakes are usually served in a tall glass with a straw, and whipped cream may be added as a topping. However, they did not always look the way they do today.

There are many interesting facts and an even more intriguing history that can be learned about milkshakes

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In the early days, milkshakes did not just include the typical ingredients of milk, ice cream, and flavoring. Back then, a little whisky was added to milkshakes. No wonder they became so popular.

A banana milkshake mixed with a little honey is the perfect cure for a hangover.

Milkshakes gained became a household feature when Stephen Poplawski’ invented the electric in 1922.

Some years back, milkshakes is a health food. The famous Horlicks ( a milkshake made from mixture of dried milk, malted barley and wheat) was primarily given to infants and older people as a drink for their ailments.

Have you ever imagine consuming a milkshake without a straw? I bet, it will be laborious to finish one.. thanks to Joseph Friedman for inventing the flexible straw.

* Milkshakes got their name from being served in bars. If the customer enjoyed the milkshake, he shook hands with the bartender. If not, the bartender didn’t get a tip.

* Milkshake-like recipes which use yogurt, crushed ice, and fresh fruit and which are made without ice cream are usually called “smoothies” . When malted milk is added, a milkshake is called a “malt”. In certain parts of England and Canada, milkshake is named “frappe”. In Nicaragua, milkshakes are called leche malteada.

* In Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts, the local “coffee frappe” shake or locally called “cabinets” is made using coffee syrup or coffee-flavored ice cream.

* Strawberry, Vanilla, and Chocolate are the three most famous milkshake flavors. However, there are seasonal milkshakes such as McDonald’s Shamrock Shake and Jack in the Box’ Pumpkin Pie Milkshake.

* Fast food restaurants like to make up their own names for milkshakes. In 1969, Wendy’s introduced “Frostys”, while McDonald’s launched its famous “McFlurries” in October 1997.

* A famous restaurant in Edison, New Jersey, Pizza, Wings, Steaks, & Things serves various milkshake flavors that includes: bubblegum grape milkshake, Chocolate Root Beer, Banana Marshmallow, Black Forest Cheesecake, Chocolate Cherry Coke to name a few. Other restaurants offer weird milkshakes flavors such as; Avocado Milkshake, Peanut Butter & Jelly, S’mores, and Kiwi & Pineapple.

* In Australia the most common flavors are Chocolate, Strawberry, Vanilla, Caramel, Banana, Lime, and Koala Bear.

* Some fast-food restaurants such as Dairy Queen, a popular fast-food restaurant, serves milkshakes which are prepared by blending ice milk (soft-serve ice cream) with sweetened, flavored syrups.

* Believe it or not…McDonalds’ milkshakes contain seaweed! Don’t you worry, the ingredient added is a seaweed extract called carrageen an that is also found in gelatin mixes, soft drinks and other dairy products.

* Some US restaurants serve milkshakes with broken cookies, candy bar pieces, or alcoholic beverages.

* A 6,000 gallons of pure milkshake was made in 2000, making it the largest milkshake in the Guinness Book of World Records.

* Milkshake lovers…mark these days red in your calendar: September 12 is National Chocolate Milkshake, June 21 is National Vanilla Milkshake Day and October 7 is recognized as National Frappe Day.