NATIONAL CHOCOLATE MILKSHAKE DAY

National Chocolate Milkshake Day on September 12th brings chocolate and ice cream lovers together. Forget the calories for just this one day and enjoy a sweet tall, thick and delicious, chocolate milkshake!

The term milkshake first appeared in print in 1885. During this period, milkshake referred to an alcoholic beverage described as a “sturdy, healthful eggnog type of drink” blended with eggs, whiskey, and other ingredients. Pharmacies served the drink as a tonic and a treat to customers. By 1900, pharmacies offered this “wholesome drink” with either chocolate, strawberry, or vanilla syrup. 

  • The early 1900s – People began asking for this “new treat” with a scoop of ice cream.
  • 1911 – Hamilton Beach’s drink mixers began to be used at soda fountains.
  • 1922 – Steven Poplawski invented the electric blender or drink mixer.
  • Due to the invention of the blender, the milkshake began to take a chipped, aerated, and frothy form as they are today.
  • By the 1920s & 1930s, milkshakes became a popular drink at malt shops everywhere. 

Another addition to the milkshake was malted milk powder. Made from malted barley, wheat flour, and dehydrated whole milk, malted milk tastes a bit like toasted caramel. It made its debut around the 1870s as a shelf-stable dry milk product. Add the powder to a chocolate milkshake, and transform the creamy goodness into a malted chocolate milkshake. Along with milkshakes, malted milk milkshakes became popular drinks at soda fountains around the 1920s. 

Explore More…

HOW TO OBSERVE #ChocolateMilkshakeDay

Enjoy a chocolate milkshake at your favorite restaurant or soda fountain. Or try a malted version, especially if you’ve never had a malted chocolate milkshake. It is definitely worth a try. You may want to top off your chocolate milkshake with a dollop of whipped cream! While you’re enjoying this sweet treat, don’t forget to introduce this delicious pasttime to someone else. 

Do you have a favorite malt shop? Be sure to give them a shout out, too! Use #ChocolateMilkshakeDay to post on social media.

National Coffee Ice Cream Day

On September 6th National Coffee Ice Cream Day permits us to indulge in a caffeinated dessert. Coffee lovers will delight in the opportunity, especially if they also enjoy ice cream. 

The cool and creamy result of our morning java in a refreshing dessert magnifies the celebration. While not everyone drinks coffee, some like the flavor in desserts. So this day may interest even those who don’t wake up to the smell of freshly brewed coffee in the morning.

Besides, when caffeine finds its way into a frozen, creamy blend, it’s nearly irresistible. Coffee ice cream has been around for many years.  In 1869, coffee ice cream was used in a parfait. One recipe appeared in a 1919 cookbook for Egg Coffee, consisting of cream, crushed ice and coffee syrup.

Howard Johnson’s serves coffee ice cream as one of their standard menu items. According to Foodtimeline.org, since at least the 1960′s coffee is listed right along with vanilla, chocolate, banana, macaroon and coconut.

One thing is for certain, coffee ice cream and chocolate will almost always go well together. Serve a scoop over a dark chocolate cake and the celebration will be complete. Include it in you Labor Day festivities.

Explore More…

HOW TO OBSERVE #CoffeeIceCreamDay

Indulge in some coffee ice cream. Swap recipes and discover new flavors. 

Coffee Ice Cream Fudge Cake
Dulce de Leche Mocha Ice Cream Dessert
Smores Coffee and Fudge Ice Cream Cake

Use #CoffeeIceCreamDay to post on social media.

NATIONAL BLUEBERRY POPSICLE MONTH

September is National Blueberry Popsicle Month and a time to honor the creator of this tasty treat.

At age 11, Frank Epperson of Oakland, California, probably had no idea a simple mistake would make him an icon in the world of frozen treats. In 1905, Epperson accidentally left a glass of powdered soda and water with a mixing stick in it on his porch during a cold night. When he woke the next morning, he found his first creation of the ice pop. Blueberry to be exact. In 1923, Epperson patented the concept of ice pops. He initially called the treat “Epsicle” and later called it the “Popsicle.” A couple of years later, Epperson sold the rights to his invention the Joe Lowe Company in New York City.

Frank Epperson reportedly served the first ice pops at a fireman’s ball in Oakland, California. Since then, the Popsicle brand sells about two billion of their frozen treats a year. Though the most popular flavor is cherry. Blueberry popsicles have a few other variations to choose from besides the standard frozen ice pop. There is a Blueberry Greek Yogurt Popsicle and Blueberry Cheesecake Popsicle available too. If you prefer to make authentic ice pops, there are ice pop molds available for purchase. Martha Stewart is among those to have published recipes for blueberry pops.

Explore More…

HOW TO OBSERVE

With the last warm days of summer, stay cool with a blueberry Popsicle.

Use #NationalBlueberryPopsicleMonth in social media correspondence.

SOFT ICE CREAM DAY

National Soft Ice Cream Day on August 19th gives us a tasty way to cool off on a hot summer day. Whether you enjoy it in a bowl or on a cone, grab some soft serve and enjoy!

Melting Ice Cream

In 1934 on Memorial Day weekend in Hartsdale, New York, Tom Carvel had a flat tire. After pulling his ice cream truck into a parking lot, the businessman knew his product was melting. As vacationers drove by, Carvel sold the softened ice cream to them. Surprisingly, they loved the soft ice cream! The potential for a new dessert was not lost on the salesman. Instead of roving ice cream truck, Carvel could have a fixed location with soft ice cream.

Two years later, Tom Carvel opened his first ice cream store on the site where his truck broke down. In the preceding years, Carvel patented a super low-temperature ice cream machine and created a secret formula ice cream.

It wasn’t long before other businesses began to crop up. The hard ice cream industry began to object. Despite both products providing similar flavors, servings, and enjoyment, they were different. Hard ice cream business did suffer a reduction in revenue during the first years of soft ice cream’s popularity. Even the Minnesota legislature passed laws prohibiting the sale (technically by law it was considered to be ice milk) of soft-serve ice cream from a machine. It had to be sold pre-packaged. The law was later changed. (Star Tribune, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 19 Aug 1951)

Soft vs. Hard Ice Creams

How different are soft and hard ice creams? While they are made with the same ingredients, soft ice cream has less milk fat. It also has more air than hard ice cream. Both of these factors contribute to the ice cream being more delicate and smoother. The milk fats in the hard ice cream cause it to be firmer when frozen.

Another difference is the temperatures the ice creams are kept frozen. Soft ice cream machines keep a temperature of -6°C. However, hard ice cream is kept at a temperature of -12°C. While that might not seem like a big difference, the evidence is in the ice creams.

Explore More…

HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalSoftIceCreamDay

There are many ways to enjoy soft ice cream. Order a dipped cone or have a sundae. Soft ice cream comes in a variety of flavors. One that seems to taste better as soft serve is chocolate mint. However, that may just be an opinion. Go out for some soft ice cream and use #NationalSoftIceCreamDay to post on social media.

NATIONAL CREAMSICLE DAY

National Creamsicle Day on August 14th celebrates the creamy citrus dessert on a stick. During the height of summer, what better way to enjoy refreshment than with a creamsicle!

“Creamsicle” is the brand name of an ice cream treat.  It consists of vanilla ice cream on a Popsicle stick with an outer coating of sherbert. While many other flavors now exist, the original flavor was orange.

Today, recipes abound with creamsicle flavors. From beverages to desserts, the flavor has long been a favorite.  Dairy Queens Orange Julius is a fabulous example of this refreshing treat.

An 11-year-old Frank Epperson inspired the creation when he invented the original popsicle back in 1905. After mixing up a powdered soda, he left the beverage overnight with the stirring stick in it. Temperatures dropped unusually low that night and the next morning, Epperson found the liquid frozen on the stick. He dubbed the creation the Epsicle. Sometime later, he changed the name to Popsicle.

Several generations have enjoyed the fruity, frozen treats and they continue to do so!

HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalCreamsicleDay

Pick up some creamsicles and share them with some friends. Try making a creamsicle inspired recipe. We’ve provided a couple for you to make. Share your perfected recipes.

Three Ingredient Low-Fat Creamsicle CakeOrange Creamsicle Cupcakes

Be sure to share using #NationalCreamsicleDay to post on social media.

Enjoy More Frozen Treats

No matter your favorite flavor today is a great day to enjoy a creamsicle you love or try something new.