Do we really want to turn back the rebirth of the ice cream cocktail?
Do we really want them to go away?
A few years back, we saw a resurgence in the ice cream cocktail movement, especially here in Perlick's native Wisconsin, with the return of classic favorites like the Grasshopper, the Brandy Alexander, and the Pink Squirrel. This return to glory took place largely in the supper clubs in and around Milwaukee, as these nostalgic, family-friendly restaurants set off a trend that went nationwide.
Ice cream cocktails began long before, though, and while nobody really knows their true origin or that first moment when someone spilled their spirited beverage into a fresh school of ice cream, we do know ice cream cocktail recipes were listed in the 1927 drink manual, Here's How!.
According to New York Times drink editor and Wisconsin native, Robert Simonson, ice cream cocktails gained prominence around Milwaukee around this same time period for three reasons. First, Wisconsinites have a great thirst for beverages. Second, it's the heart of the dairy land, where milk goes into just about everything. Third, this was around the same time the blender gained popularity.
But why did ice cream cocktails become popular in the first place, and why are they regaining their fame today?
The idea is pretty simple. In these famous Wisconsin supper clubs, there's a culture built around taking your time, lingering, socializing, and enjoying life, food and drink writer of OnMilwaukee.com, Lori Fredrich, says.
"The idea of an after-dinner ice cream cocktail is pretty much a no-brainer," she says.
Though the idea of a rich, alcoholic beverage after a big meal doesn't suit everyone, it doesn't really have to be popular. There's an almost cult following to ice cream cocktails, and as a bartender and owner has said, sometimes people don't finish them, and sometimes they have three.
LEARN MORE ABOUT ICE CREAM COCKTAILS BE READING THE PERLICK GUIDE TO ICE CREAM COCKTAILS, INCLUDING SOME EQUIPMENT THAT CAN HELP MAKE IT EASIER FOR YOUR OPERATION.
