By DCist Contributor Nathan Wilkinson
Summer is laden with childhood memories of lazy afternoons at the pool, riding bikes with training wheels, and stopping by the local ice cream shop for a tasty treat. It’s no wonder that the booze-suffused milkshakes we enjoy in adulthood retain some of that youthful charm. Though they are closer to dessert than a cocktail—especially since they’re more likely to make you feel full than drunk—you can’t deny the simple pleasure that comes from the combination of alcohol and ice cream.
One upside of the boozy milkshake is that it allows for a lot of innocent experimentation with very little risk. The chances of making a wholly disagreeable combination are low as long as the ingredients are of sufficient quality and freshness. A boozy milkshake that will please most people doesn’t have to be the best drink ever because, let’s face it, when you are mixing with alcohol and ice cream, it already is.
Satellite Room (2047 9th Street NW) is one D.C. restaurant that has taken the adult milkshake to the next level with thoughtful combinations of liqueurs and whiskey. Beverage manager Brendon Murphy came up with eclectic names for his creations, which he based on pop culture icons of TV and film. The Vincent Vega is named after Jon Travolta’s character in Pulp Fiction and is made with Bulleit bourbon and vanilla ice cream—Mia Wallace’s favorite flavor. The Frank Costello is a Shamrock Shake with mint ice cream and whiskey as a play on the Irish mobster role of Jack Nicholson in “The Departed.” Peanut butter ice cream and Dickel #12 whiskey highlight the “Peanuts” cartoon character namesake of the Linus Van Pelt. The Lucy Ricardo uses Johnny Walker Black and chocolate ice cream to commemorate the chocolate factory episode of “I Love Lucy.” All Satellite Room shakes are $10 dollars and can be made without alcohol for half price.
Ted’s Bulletin (505 8th Street SE & 1818 14th St NW) has long been renown for its alcoholic milkshakes. Their take on adult malt comes from a reformulation of classic creamy dessert drinks. They make a Grasshopper, like the classic cocktail, but with Kahula and crème de menthe. The Nutty Professor, like the classic Nutty Italian with hazelnut liqueur, and the White Russian with vodka and Kahula make obvious choices for milkshakes. Other Ted’s shakes are liqueur flavors a la modé: Irish Caramel Coffee, Bananas Foster, Toasted Coconut, and Mocha. All alcoholic shakes are $10.99, but they also offer a twenty-dollar Millionaire Malt with Glenlivet 18 for those well-heeled anti-snobs who don’t scoff at mixing single malt with chocolate malt.
Rather than present an entire menu of milkshakes, other D.C. restaurants are putting forth a solitary signature ice cream drink. Del Frisco’s Grille (1201 Pennsylvania Avenue NW) has The Adult Milkshake made with Nocello walnut liqueur, crème de cacao, and vanilla ice cream. It sounds like a flavor that would go great with a burger and fries. And speaking of burgers, Smashburger (multiple locations) has been known to make a Guinness float as part of a promotion. It’s not on the menu, but guests can still request a beer float—something I’ve often considered trying in concept but have never had the courage do in practice.
The cocktail I’ve chosen to make at home this week belongs to the long list of college cocktails: The Bryn Mawr College Cooler. It’s a funny addendum to the list because Bryn Mawr already has a gin cocktail to its name. I get the impression that some bartender in Lower Marion Township, PA, came up with the drink recipe for students who couldn’t handle Martinis yet.
• 1 1/2 oz. coconut rum
• 1/2 oz. dark rum
• dash lime or lemon juice
• dash orgeat syrup
• scoop of butter pecan or rum raisin ice cream
• Maraschino cherry
Mix all ingredients except cherry in a blender until smooth. Serve in a chilled parfait glass or wine goblet. Garnish with a cherry.
