Milkshakes Drink Made Ice Cream Large And/Or Informal

A "milkshake" is a "rich" (with a lot of calories), sweet, cold, and "thick" (a liquid that moves slowly) drink made by "blending" (mixing together very quickly, usually with a small appliance called a blender) ice cream, milk, and other flavorings such as chocolate, vanilla, or strawberry. Milkshakes are usually served in a large "stainless steel" (a silver-colored metal) cup and "topped with" (with something placed on top) whipped cream, "sprinkles" (small, colored pieces of candy), or a cherry. They are eaten with a spoon and/or a straw, depending on how thick they are.

A "hand-blended milkshake" is made "the old-fashioned way" (as things were done in the past). It requires "scooping" (pulling out with a large tool similar to a spoon) ice cream into a glass, adding flavored "syrups" (thick sugar liquid), berries, or powders, and blending everything together. Hand-blended milkshakes were popular at "soda fountains" (informal restaurants; see the ESL Podcast Blog entry from October 6, 2011) and "lunch counters" (informal restaurants). Today, many milkshakes are made in fast-food restaurants that use a different "technique" (a way of doing something). They tend to use "soft serve ice cream" (ice cream that is softer and comes out of a machine) or a "milkshake machine" that freezes a "pre-made" (made previously) milkshake mixture.

The image of a young man and a young woman sharing a milkshake is a symbol of romance and/or friendship. It is common to see photos of a man and woman sitting across from each other at the same table, each with a straw in their mouth, drinking from the same milkshake.