Summertime Ice Cream Drinks

 I don’t care how old you get. When the thermostat reads 85, there’s only one thing the kid in all of us wants–ice cream. Though I sit here listening to the hum of the air conditioner, when it comes to summer in Michigan, the sweet melody of the ice cream truck, always accompanied by the crescendo of buzzing cicadas, is the siren song of childhood. Now that we’re all grown up, we can spike our favorite summertime drinks, kick back, and relax. Here are some classic ice cream drinks.

Boston Coolada

A true Michigan classic, the Boston Cooler, named after the downtown Detroit boulevard it was made on, is a combination of nose–tickling Vernor’s Ginger Ale and creamy vanilla ice cream blended together. When you add Cruzan Vanilla Rum and a shot of Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur, the sweet and spicy balance is kicked up to a new level!

2 Scoops Ray’s Vanilla Ice Cream

4 oz Vernor’s Ginger Ale

2 oz Cruzan Vanilla Rum

1 oz Domain de Canton Ginger Liqueur (may be substituted with Ginger Brandy but not quite as good)

Blend in a blender until smooth and serve in a tall pilsner or soda shop glass. Garnish with crystallized ginger.

Hummer

A good friend of mine recently moved back to Michigan, and as we were chatting the other day, he mentioned how no summer is complete without a long stroll down the docks with an icy cold Hummer in his hand. The Hummer, a creamy blend of rum, Kahlua, and vanilla ice cream, is a Detroit original, created in the late 1960s by bartender Jerome Adams at the Bayview Yacht Club. Jerome can still be found behind the bar at Bayview, telling his guests he has a drink that will get them humming.

2 Scoops Ray’s Vanilla Ice Cream

1 ½ oz Bacardi White Rum

1 ½ oz Kahlua Coffee Liquor

Blend in a blender until smooth and serve in a pint glass.

Chocolate Banana

At least one day of my summer as a child was spent on America’s roller coaster at Cedar Point. It was there that I tasted my first frozen, chocolate-covered banana. Now, I’ve found a drink that tastes just as good! Banana Rum and chocolate ice cream makes a terrific dessert or poolside cooler.

2 Scoops Hudsonville Chocolate Ice Cream

2 oz Malibu Banana Rum

Blend in a blender until smooth, serve in a pint glass, and rim with chocolate syrup and chopped nuts.

If keeping it as simple as possible is the way for you, I highly recommend trying Tippy Cow real dairy cream liquors. They have four flavors: Frosty, Vanilla Soft Serve, Shamrock Shake, and Creamsicle. Just blend with 2 cups of ice in a blender until smooth. They are creamy and delicious!

There are many hot summer days to come, and I hope you try these cocktails out to cool off.

What’s your favorite ice cream drink? Tweet me at @NinosWineExpert