Shake Up Your #SpicyChat Summers with Adam Ried’s #GreatShakes!

With summer officially underway, #SpicyChat is chilling it off with the coolest spicy treats. Spices are simple tools to enhance the flavor of any dish, be it appetizer, drinks, or even dessert. Why limit spices to only savory dishes? Spices, if used in moderation, can create endless possibilities of flavorful and delicious dishes. Raised in India, surrounded with spices, no dish is complete without the perfect balance and harmony of spices; the winning combination of course has both a spicy and sweet dimension. What better way to illustrate the versatility of spices than using them in a sweet treat such as milkshakes. Adam Ried’s Thoroughly Modern Milkshakes combines exotic ingredients and spices to create luscious and unique flavors. And for an extra special treat, Ms. Carla of Chocolate Moosey has created Sinfully Addictive Chocolate Chili Cookies for the first Summer edition of #spicychat.

With ‘Summer Desserts‘ being the theme for this week’s #spicychat edition;  the timing was perfect to also participate in the Great Shakes 2012 Virtual Party, to celebrate the paperback release of Thoroughly Modern Milkshakes: 100 Classic and Contemporary Recipes by Adam Ried (Norton, 2012).

The milkshake is such a perfect blend of drink and dessert—it provides the ideal excuse for having ice cream before dinner (or breakfast, or lunch). To be honest, my experiences were limited to the classic, old school diner shakes. Browsing through Adam’s recipes, I found myself intrigued by the deliciousness and ingenious use of flavor combinations. Bacon? Guinness? Cashews, Cayenne Pepper? All I can say after trying a few, they all make for excellent milkshakes, and whatever your inclination, you can be sure to find some seriously good shakes.

It was hard to pick a flavor, just one flavor from the delicious sounding recipes. Since I appreciated Adam’s use of spices and with the launch of my #spicysaturday chat series on Twitter, I chose to re-create three spiced milkshakes:

• Mango, Chili, and Lime Milkshake
• Cold Buttered Rum Shakes
• Pain d’épices Shake
  

Mango, Chili, and Lime Shake

Summertime brings an abundance of fresh fruits to please your taste buds and enhance your desserts, but there is nothing like a Mango to satiate the Indian soul. And if like my kids you count the days till you can dig into a sweet and juicy mango, Adam’s Mango, Chili, and Lime Shake will certainly please all your senses.The extra flavors from the chili and fresh lime juice takes the Mango Shake to another level.

Whether you’re enjoy eating a sweet ripe mango by the bowlful or adding then to your desserts,  this Mango Shake ideally showcases the harmony between sweet and spicy flavors.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup cold milk (add more if you like your shake runnier)
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• pinch of salt
• 4 medium scoops vanilla bean ice cream (1 pint)
• 4 medium scoops mango sorbet (1 pint)

Directions:

1. Place the milk, lime juice, chili powder, salt, ice cream, and sorbet in a blender and pulse several times to begin breaking up the ice cream and sorbet.
2. With the blender motor off, use a flexible spatula to mash the mixture down onto the blender blades. Continue pulsing, stopping, and mashing until the mixture is well blended, thick, and moves easily around the blender jar.
3. Pour into chilled glasses and serve at once.

Cold Buttered Rum Shake

If you enjoy the classic Southern Pecan Pie, look no further. Adam Reid’s Cold Buttered Shake brilliantly kicks up a classic milkshake into a cool and spicy treat bound to be a favorite amongst adults. The rum keeps it from getting too sweet, and the hint of nutmeg and cloves provide a delicious dimension to this decadent spiked milkshake. My tasters slurped it down in less than a minute.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup cold milk of your preference (whole or non fat)
• 3 tbs dark or amber rum
• 3 tbs light brown sugar
• pinch of ground cloves
• pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• 8 medium scoops butter pecan ice cream (1 quart)

Directions:

1. Place the milk, rum, brown sugar, cloves, and nutmeg in a blender and blend to mix thoroughly, about 15 seconds.
2. Add the ice cream and pulse several times to being breaking it up. With the blender motor off, use a flexible spatula to mash the mixture down onto the blender blades.
3. Continue pulsing, stopping, and mashing until the mixture is well blended, thick, and moves easily in the blender jar.
4. Pour into chilled glasses and serve immediately.

Pain d’épices

This spiced shake is sinfully good. Easily a dessert for two people,its warm spices, combined with french vanilla ice cream, tastes like the best ginger snaps you have ever had. The honey and orange flavoring are integral to the flavors of this tasty shake. Drooling yet? This recipe and over 100+ are available at Thoroughly Modern Milkshakes.

There is an entire planet of culinary uses for spices, although many people limit their consumption to using spices only in savory dishes. Try expanding your spice repertoire to everyday beverages, savory dishes,  and even  sweet treats, you just might enjoy them. If you’re a fan of spicy food, and even if you’re not, it’s time to enter the world of sweet and spicy desserts. I highly recommend initiating your #spicychat journey with Adam’s modern facelift to the thick, glorious, and all things wonderful milkshakes.

About Author

Rashmi Primlani, DipWSET

Wine Writer. Wine Educator. Wine Ambassador. Yes! We breathe and dream Wine. #indianwinegoddess

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