Shake Month

They say some of my stars drink whiskey, but I have found that ones who drink milkshakes don’t win many ball games.

Casey Stengel

Milkshakes are a classic favorite among many Americans. Milkshake Day or Shake day for short celebrates the wonderful thick drink that many have come to love. The basic ingredients for a milkshake include milk, ice cream, and flavoring, but is technically a ‘malt’ if it is made with malted, powdered milk. Many fast food restaurant such as McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and Burger King have milkshakes as an added drink alongside their meals.

History of Shake Month

When ‘milkshakes’ were first invented in 1885, they included whiskey. The drink was a “sturdy, healthful eggnog type of drink, with eggs, whiskey, etc., served as a tonic as well as a treat.” It wasn’t until the 1900’s that Ice cream was added. Originally, they were literally “shaked”, but it wasn’t until the company Hamilton Beach came along and invented the blender in 1911, making milkshakes easier to produce. Once more efficient refrigeration came along, the term “Frosted” came about in the 1930’s, making the availability of ice cream on a massive scale. Thus with the invention of the blender and refrigeration, milkshakes became more accessible in many homes.

During the 40’s and 50’s, diners made milkshakes exclusively popular and a part of American culture. Once the 60’s came along, fast food restaurants started implementing milkshakes into their food menus, and since then milkshakes have remained popular to this day. Denny’s, Friendly’s, and IHOP now are the closest thing to an all-American 50’s diner with classic milkshakes. The most popular flavors among people are vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry, and can have many different assortments of toppings.

How to celebrate Shake Month

To celebrate shake month, what better way to do so then make your own milkshakes! Take three hearty scoops of your favorite ice cream, add two ounces of milk and any flavorings you want. Then mix it up in a blender and enjoy in a cold glass. One of the things to make sure of is that the ice cream should be soft, but not liquid. With hard ice cream, adding too much milk will make the milkshake too soft to drink. You can also add frozen yogurt or low-fat ice cream as a substitute. With a month of shakes, you can make a new one each day you’ll get 4 weeks of delicious treats!