One of my favorite restaurants is the Bluebird in Logan, Utah. It's a historic part of the city, and the menu offers ample portions of tasty home-cookin' for a reasonable price. The best part of the place, though, is the soda fountain. (Well, some people might argue that the candy counter just across from the soda fountain is the best part--it's probably a toss-up.) I don't know any statistics on how many old fashioned soda fountains are in operation in the United States, but I'm guessing relatively few in comparison to the numer of restaurants. So it's kind of fun to walk into a restaurant, sit on a spinning stool at a marble counter and order a hot fudge sundae, or a lime freeze, then watch them make it right there.
I haven't been to the Bluebird in years since I don't go to Logan very often. I was feeling really nostalgic yesterday, and craving a lime freeze, so I came up with my own version of one to tide me over until the next time I make a trip to my childhood town. A lime freeze is a pretty basic concoction that tastes sweet, sour and a little bitter all at once. It's like a party in your mouth. Try it! You'll like it!
Lime Freeze
3/4 Cup Tonic Water*
1 C Plain Ol' Vanilla Ice Cream (I used French Vanilla and it didn't taste very good with the lime)
3 Tbsp Lime Juice (juice from about 1 1/2 medium limes)
Dump all the ingredients into your blender and blend until mixture is smooth and all lumps of ice cream are incorporated. Mixture will be of a thin consistency. Top with whipped cream and a Maraschino cherry to make it look authentic! Makes about 12 oz.
*Note: Tonic water contains
quinine, which is what gives it its bitter taste, but which also has health benefits if you have muscle cramps or malaria (though, modern day tonic water doesn't contain enough quinine to be medically beneficial). If you really hate the bitter taste in the lime freeze, you could probably substitue club soda on a 1:1 ratio. Click
here to read about the difference between tonic water and club soda.
