Some foods taste good, no matter what. A perfectly grilled burger or steak; fresh veggies, lightly sautéed and delicately seasoned; a juicy peach; the first potato chip out of the bag. All of these foods just taste good without much adornment, and all of these foods just taste like summer. Other seasons generally mean a little more fuss, a bit more processing, and somewhat more work to produce results in the kitchen, but in the summer, it is all about using just a few really perfect ingredients. Summer treats are my favorite because the return on investment is extremely high.

Lisa Walker-Straten, the Halfway House and dining room manager at the Castle Pines Golf Club (CPGC) (see related story page 9) has cracked the code on one of summer’s most iconic treats: the chocolate milkshake. The sweet treat has a reputation at the CPGC: a must-have delicacy any time of day.

Crafted from just three simple ingredients (Häagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream, Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup and whole milk), this thick, creamy treat is exactly what a warm summer day demands.

Because there are few ingredients, using good quality building blocks is critical: Häagen-Dazs has a dense, rich texture and high-quality vanilla flavor that pairs nicely with the classic and familiar flavor of Hershey’s.

If you have a high-speed blender (I highly recommend this tool for a variety of kitchen creations), you may not even need any milk to produce this treat (Walker-Straten’s recipe only calls for chocolate syrup and ice cream), but the milk can help loosen the ice cream just enough to blend it.

I come from a long line of milkshake lovers – my dad was a particularly good mix master, with a specialty in banana milkshakes. If we had some spotty bananas in need of use and my dad had just a few minutes of free time, he would whip up a simple treat, served in our regular water glasses. I’m pretty sure we never had Häagen-Dazs in the house when I was growing up, but even with regular, middle-of-the road, grocery-store-brand ice cream, those shakes live in my memory as some of the best eats I’ve ever experienced. A few years ago, I ordered a banana shake at a soda fountain, my taste buds set on that flavor I remembered. Sadly, rather than an actual banana, the shake was made with banana flavoring. Ugh. I took one taste and threw it out – a first for me, I am sure my dad would never have dreamed of such blasphemy.

Of course, a classic shake also provides a blank canvas for extra goodies if you are in the mood. My dad would occasionally add a dash of cinnamon to add interest to his creations, or a dollop of whipped cream. At the CPGC, “floaters” are a favorite, from Oreo cookie crumbles sprinkled over the top of the shake just before serving or a splash of bourbon blended in. Some days, I am in the mood for something a little more complex, so an addition sounds great, while other days I just want the pure simple flavors that only a three-ingredient recipe can provide.

A classic food is classic for a reason: sometimes the original is the best. So, pull out the blender and get ready to enjoy one of the great foods of summer. Whipping one of these up is definitely an investment worth making.

 

 

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Classic Chocolate Shake

Recipe courtesy of The Castle Pines Golf Club

• 2 large scoops Haagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream, slightly softened
• Squirt of Hershey’s chocolate syrup
• Splash of whole milk (optional)
• Optional “floaters” such as crushed cookies, crushed candy bars, bourbon, rum or vodka.

Place ice cream in a high-speed blender or milkshake blender, then squirt in the Hershey’s syrup while counting to seven. Pulse the blender to mix ice cream and syrup. Add milk if needed to reach desired consistency. Top with floaters if desired.

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Article and photo by Lisa Crockett; photo courtesy of the Castle Pines Golf Club