I order a kid's sized chocolate malt at Steak and Shake, my guiltiest guilty pleasure. Nine out of ten times, my fellow diners go, "Malt? What the heck is a malt?"
A malt, I explain, is a milkshake, only better. It's what a milkshake aspires to be, the way certain grapes are destined to become wine. Making a milkshake without adding malted milk powder is like making a cake and saying, "You know, I think I'll leave the frosting off this one."
Ordering a milkshake instead of a malt was strictly forbidden in my family. I thought other kids lived by the same rule, but moving out of the upper Midwest, I've discoverd that this isn't true. I'm trying to understand why this is so. Is it a geographical thing? And what goes on in New England? They have an entirely different vocabulary for milkshakes up there.
So here's what I want to know-- do you prefer malts or milkshakes? And does it have anything to do with where you grew up?
The truth is out there, I'm sure of it.
Farewell and Thanks for All the ChocoPots:
11 months ago
8 comments:
I am with you. A real taste of childhood, for me, is a pineapple malt from UDF. Now, I buy the small, low-fat version, but it's still just as good. Pineapple malt sounds odd, but trust me, it's delish.
i grew up mostly in MI and i like vanilla milkshakes (no malt). however, my mom, stepdad, and sisters (who all still live in MI) love chocolate malts.
I don't think I've ever ordered a milkshake in MN. Chocolate malts FTW! Or better yet, blueberry.
Malted. No question. That sounds so good right now.
Mmm pineapple and blueberry malts, i have a new malt hit list.
I much prefer malteds to milkshakes. I think milkshakes are just a little too bland. I will submit to milkshakes on occasion if they feature a particularly flavorful addition, such as black walnuts, but generally stick with malts. Graeters makes a pretty outstanding black cherry malt, generally speaking. For what it's worth, I'm the only person among my family or friends who ever gets malts instead of milkshakes.
I used to go to Friendly's (up in Centerville) and order a Fribble, which I guess is a New England 'frappe.' Vanilla malt. Yummmmm.
I grew up in NYC and New England. I don't remember having malteds in NYC, however, Friendly's used to offer malted milk shakes but took them off their menu some years back. I specifically liked vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup (aka a "black and white" or "black cow"). The taste was much better than just using chocolate ice cream. When people ask what a malted shake tastes like I mention Whoppers candy as an example.
Yum!
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