Beverages

Crackles of chocolate are better than chips in milkshakes because they fit through the straw. You’re also better off starting with bar chocolate instead of chips because the chocolate is usually of a better quality. Make sure the banana is really ripe and the chocolate is still warm when you drizzle it into the milkshake. Warm chocolate combined with the cold ice cream will instantly harden, making thin little strings of chocolate.

If you are craving a milkshake and still want to be able to feel somewhat virtuous, go for this shake. Blueberries and pomegranates are both proud members of the “superfoods” category and are packed with antioxidants. Of course, the main reason I use them is for their sweet yet slightly tart taste. Their fantastic color doesn’t hurt, either. Thick and tangy pomegranate molasses, which is a reduction of the fruit’s juice along with sugar and some form of citric acid, can be found in Middle Eastern markets and online.

Simply delicious, the strawberry milkshake is an enduring favorite. I prefer to make mine with strawberry ice cream and a strawberry puree, but vanilla ice cream will work in a pinch. The sweet berry puree blends with the milk and ice cream into what looks like your standard strawberry shake, but tastes worlds better thanks to the fresh, undiluted nature of the berries.

As a native New Yorker, I grew up eating my fair share of Junior’s cheesecake from Brooklyn, and I have to admit that it still continues to be one of my favorite desserts to this day. So while coming up with ideas for this chapter, I thought, cream cheese—in a milkshake? Why not? I know that strawberries are the traditional fruit topping for a cheesecake, and you can definitely use them or any other berry or fruit in the recipe, but I have a special fondness for blackberries. This milkshake is so rich, you might want to share.

Sometimes an onion ring is all about the sweet, tender onion, and sometimes the coating is given the chance to share the spotlight. Well, if you are looking for an onion ring that falls into the latter category, this is the one for you. Beer acts as a leavening agent, making for an extremely tender batter, and the deep malt flavor of dark beer makes this delicious to boot.