Fall is defined by pumpkin spice lattes, but early spring brings Shamrock Shakes. The pale green drink returns to menus at McDonald’s each March. It elicits varying reactions from the students in College Park.
“It’s an interesting flavor,” said Matt Morris, holding the swirled green milkshake in his hand. “It’s something different that you don’t get all the time.”
Many students have never tried the March specialty at all. Michelle Mei did try it, but only once.
“[I had one] maybe five-ish years ago,” Mei, a junior psychology major, said. “It was okay, but it wasn’t anything remarkable.”
Others refuse to even taste a Shamrock Shake.
“It looks gross,” Chris Figliozzi, a criminal justice major, said. “It’s green.”
McDonald’s introduced the famous dessert beverage in 1970, and has sold over 60 million since. The Shamrock Shakes’ highly anticipated return each year often arrives in February, and they are regrettably taken away at the end of March.
“When they have them [I order one],” said Morris, a sophomore mechanical engineering major.
However, there are other ways to enjoy the minty goodness of Shamrock Shakes all year long.
The shakes can be tracked down on shamrockshake.com, but this doesn’t guarantee that one can be found, or certainly that one can be found anywhere in the near vicinity. A foolproof way to get a Shamrock Shake any time of year is just to make one!
For the most spot-on recreation, try this recipe from “Todd Wilbur’s Top Secret Recipes.”
Ingredients:
2 cups vanilla ice cream
1¼ cups low-fat milk
¼ teaspoon mint extract (not peppermint)
8 drops green food coloring
Directions:
Combine all ingredients into a blender
Blend until smooth
Pour into two 12-ounce cups and serve
For a healthy alternative, try “Today Recipes” website’s Shamrock Smoothie.
Ingredients:
1 cup vanilla coconut milk
16-ounce container greek yogurt
2½ teaspoons agave nectar
1 cup frozen cut spinach
¼ cup fresh mint leaves
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a blender
Blend until smooth and leaves are pureed, increasing blender speed from low to medium
Pour into two 16-ounce glasses
For those over 21, try an alcoholic twist on the Shamrock Shake, from “Kitchen Treaty.”
Ingredients:
6 cups vanilla ice cream
½ cup crème de menthe liqueur
⅓ cup vodka
⅓ cup Irish cream liqueur
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in blender
Blend until smooth
Pour into two tall glasses
Garnish with whipped cream and cherries