oh cherry oh cherry oh baby

dedication: this post is for Carli, who I reckon would have loved this as much as me!

Look what was drink of the day in Becketts in Whitby when we were staying at the cottage the other week! A cherryade float! As soon as I read the blackboards there was only one drink for me. It was a lovely sunny day with blue skies and breezes and therefore the perfect occasion to indulge in such a seasidey (is that a word?) and nostalgic drink.

I first had an ice cream float courtesy of Emma Sawula when I was about 9 and so she was about 13. It was a Pepsi float and she couldn’t believe that I had never had one before! I had never heard of such a thing but it was amazing and I have never forgotten it. Years later I ordered one for Emma’s daughter Zoe, when she was about seven and she must have said the word ‘delicious’ about 12 times whilst drinking it.

The brilliantest (another made up word) thing about floats is the way the fizzy pop reacts with the ice cream to produce a larva-like foam which overspills the glass. Magic!

The best ice cream float is, in my opinion, one made with American cream soda. The combination of the sweet, creamy fizz and the sweet vanilla ice cream is gorgeous. But this cherryade version was absolutely sublime. And so pink! It has to taste good when it looks as good as that.

Becketts is a great café in Whitby. As well as amazing homemade cakes and very nice panini it sells second hand books. I found an immaculate, one previous lady owner copy of Tove Jansson’s The Summer Book there, which is a fantastic summer read. And it was just £2.50 to me – bargain! The books are mainly from the lady who owns and runs the café (and more importantly makes the cakes, like rhubarb and custard cake, white chocolate and vanilla, Greek honey, almond and orange…). She’s a big reader and once she’s done with a book she pops it on sale. Great idea!

So, if you’ve never had an ice cream float, now’s the time, just before autumn arrives! Grasp one of the last days of summer with both hands, pop a summer dress on and mix yourself a little glass of seaside heaven.

Fill a nice tall glass 3/4 full with the fizz of your choice. Now is not the time for sophistication or adult tastes. Think good old coke, dandelion and burdock, Tizer even!

Add a scoop of plain vanilla ice cream. No need for a posh kind, good old Cornish vanilla or a similar supermarket soft scoop will do. You MUST have straws otherwise you won’t be able to drink the damn thing. And a spoon. Watch the foam rise and fall over the side of the glass. Sip, slurp, scoop, lick and enjoy.

Comments

[Carli]

Wow! Having just returned from Lavenham in Suffolk, and experiencing (What a coincidence) My first Ice cream soda in 15 years (!!!!) I can't believe how tunedin we are to each other! I too loved pepsi floats and cream soda ones and raspberryaid ones!!We are sisters in Soda!!!!! xxx

[sarah]

OMG! we are truly sisters in soda! as well as shabby chic ha ha!! Hope you had fun in Lavenham, sounds gorgeous just from the name xxx

[Chandra]

Walls vanilla ice cream in Silver Spring's cream soda (with a maraschino cherry, if I was VERY lucky) was the "special" Christmas drink for me when I was little, and all the adults were enjoying various alcoholic bevvies - they still taste great, and have very happy memories attached!

I also like cream soda with a splash of real orange juice, it's a nice energetic drink and suitable for a night out dancing.

[sarah]

hmmm...my parents must have been a bit more lax as I was allowed to have a snowball at christmas. one year my dad bought red, amber and green cherries and I had them like a little traffic light in my drink - oh I was so sophisticated!!

[Sunila Galappatti]

This cherry float entry is the nicest thing that has happened to me today.

[Nonnie]

Oh wow! I had almost forgotten about ice-cream floats. I love them. You're right that American soda ones are the best. I'm also feeling all nostagic for whitby now. It was a favourite day out destination when I was growing up, usually following a lovely ride of the moors.

[cd&m]

Ice cream floats - yum.
Cherryade ice cream floats - yum yum.