Milkshake Machine - Ice Cream Dream Maker

Do you remember your first milkshake? Well I do. It was at a little drug store soda fountain in my home town back in the Midwest. My Dad treated me to a "Vanilla shake" and it cost him a whole ten cents. Yikes - am I that old?

Well, I am that old, but I'm still not as old as the milkshake itself which has been around for over 100 years. And its big coming out party was way back in the Prohibition days. Back then, a relatively small drug store chain named “Walgreens" (ever heard of it?) sort of re-invented the milkshake and took it mainstream.

As the story goes, a soda fountain manager in one of the Chicago stores named Ivar “Pop” Coulson added ice cream to malted milk one day and as fast as you can say “yummy,” the great American milkshake was born.

At the time Walgreens had a little over 20 local stores but less than a decade later Walgreens had grown to over 500 stores nationwide. Now some might say it was because the milkshake became so popular. And maybe that’s true. Of course it might also have something to do with the fact that Walgreens sold prescription liquor during Prohibition when liquor was illegal to buy anywhere else. But whatever the reason for the growth, the increase in stores also increased the milkshake audience and this frosty little cup of goodness became a popular treat just about everywhere.

Since that time, the shake has grown in popularity. You'd be hard-pressed to find a restaurant or fast-food outlet today that doesn't have some variation of the original milkshake. And there are indeed plenty of variations to be sure. Smoothies, frappes, and soft-serve ice cream - just to name a few - all owe a certain debt to the milkshake. Shakes are everywhere.

There are the old standbys chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry. But there are also unbelievable, exotic varieties like shakes with roasted nuts, vegan shakes, and shakes made with all kinds of liquors and spices. Basically, if someone can find a set of ingredients that can blend well with ice cream, you have a milkshake.

Today, wanting and having a milkshake doesn’t mean a trip down to the local soda fountain. Shakes and any other blended drinks can be made quickly, easily, and deliciously right in your own home. It’s easy because there are several home-version milkshake machines that can whip up a frosty just as well as their industrial-strength big brothers.

For instance, there are milkshake makers from the Hamilton Beach Company that are made to look like and perform like the classic commercial milkshake machines of the past. Hamilton Beach was one of the blender pioneers too. Their machines began popping up in fountains and drive-ins as early as 1911.

The Oster and Waring companies also have milkshake blenders for the home. Prices vary, but there’s a mixer or maker that can fit just about any budget and any kitchen décor. And, since they’re designed to operate like the originals, they’re extremely easy to use and to clean. That last feature gives them an edge over any kitchen blender or food processor that claims it can compete.

All you need is a little bit of ice cream, a little bit of milk, and a flavoring of your choice and in no time, you have your own shake. You can make them thick or you can make them thin. You can make them with outlandish combinations of ingredients or you can just create the classic vanilla milkshake. You can make them fast, or you can take your time and create your very own masterpiece.

You can find a lot of great contemporary milkshake blenders and vintage milkshake machines online. You can find them at online stores, auction websites, and of course the websites of the specific machine brands. First, try to have an idea of what would go well with your kitchen design and décor. Then, when you’ve settled on a make and model, read as many reviews as you can about how it works and especially about how much its maker stands behind it. And when you do finally open up that package and set up your milkshake machine, prepare yourself for some tasty times.

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