It was the Monday of my freshman spring break, and rather than frolic on a Florida beach, I got my four impacted wisdom teeth removed. I developed "dry sockets," another name for pain. It was a blast.
My face blew up to gargantuan proportions, and with all the bruising, I looked like Violet from Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. I couldn't eat any solid foods, so after work, my dad surprised me with a coffee milkshake from McDonald's. He knew it was my favorite, and that frosty, creamy milkshake was just what I needed to soothe my aching mouth.
When he saw how much I loved the milkshake, he came home Tuesday grinning from ear to ear with a special St. Patrick's Day green Shamrock Shake (and a coffee one, just in case I didn't like the Shamrock Shake).
I was skeptical. I have never been fond of mint (it reminds me of Milk of Magnesia; not good), but after a couple of sips, its refreshing flavor left a pleasant minty tingling sensation in my dry socketed mouth.
Each night that week, my dad brought me a Shamrock Shake. By Friday, however, I was green at the thought of drinking another one. But when your dad stops at McDonald's after a long day at work, waits in line to buy you a milkshake, and delivers it to you, you drink it.
Though I've never told him, those milkshakes made me feel better than just about anything that week, and I think about it every year at St. Patrick's Day. I only wish I could have one again. Unfortunately, McDonald's doesn't carry them in the US anymore.
After 15 years of waiting, I decided to make my own Shamrock Shake. It was cold, minty, and delicious just as I remembered. It also made my teeth ache a little, but I think that was just in my head.
So Dad, this "McBlogga Mint Shake" is for you. By the way, thanks.
Shamrock Shake (a.k.a. The McBlogga Mint Shake)
Makes 2 servings
1 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/4 teaspoon green food coloring
2 cups vanilla ice cream
Place milk, extract, and food coloring in a blender; blend on high for about 10 seconds. Add ice cream and blend another 15 to 20 seconds on low so the ice cream doesn't melt too much. It should be thick and frothy.
For a Chocolate Shamrock Shake, just use chocolate ice cream instead of vanilla, but skip the green food coloring. It's not pretty when mixed with chocolate.
- Originally published on Susan Russo's site FoodBlogga.