"Milkshakes are synonymous with fast food. They're just one of many ideas that chains gladly borrowed from the soda fountains of the '40s and '50s. Restaurants realized that nothing goes with a quick and greasy meal of a burger and fries quite like a sippable cup of ice cream. Then, with inventions like the commercial Multimixer and soft serve, milkshakes became an absolute staple at quick-serve establishments. And, among them, chocolate emerged as one of the most iconic flavors."
"I recently took to the drive-thrus to get a hold of several different fast food chocolate milkshakes. By some small miracle, I didn't encounter a single broken ice cream machine, so the procurement process was a breeze. Then, I began slurping and ranking them from worst to best. I noted each shake's consistency, sweetness, chocolatey flavor, ingredients, and freshness. I didn't care how it was made or how much it cost - just that it was good."
"The chain backs up its statement with ingredients like extra milk fat and the thickening agent cellulose gum. It also churns its ice cream in order to add more air and, consequently, more creaminess. So, with all that going on behind the scenes, tell me why my Golden Arches' blend of soft serve and chocolate syrup was still only of medium thickness, at best."
A historical link ties milkshakes to soda fountains of the 1940s and 1950s, with commercial innovations like the Multimixer and soft serve cementing milkshakes as a quick-serve staple. Chocolate became an iconic flavor celebrated for decadence and nostalgia. Multiple fast-food chains continue to offer chocolate shakes. A drive-thru tasting procured several chocolate shakes without encountering broken machines. Each shake was evaluated for consistency, sweetness, chocolate flavor, ingredients, and freshness, regardless of preparation method or price. Garnishes such as whipped cream and a cherry were regarded as optional, while base quality determined overall merit.
Read at Tasting Table
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]