The recipe is simple: soda water, syrup, and a scoop of ice cream. There are many variations of syrup and ice cream, each creating a special flavor of ice cream soda. Make yourself one to celebrate National Ice Cream Soda Day, June 20th.

Also called a float, because a scoop or two of ice cream floated in the soda water, the ice cream soda was born in 1874.

In the late 19th century, ice cream was widely available through street vendors and at ice cream parlors. In 1874, the concept of the American “soda fountain” and the profession of the “soda jerk” emerged with the invention of the ice cream soda.

More about the invention of the ice cream soda follows.

It owes its creation to the soda fountain, a fixture of pharmacies that was the place to go in towns across America, long before there were coffee shops or other places for a snack in every neighborhood.

By 1895 there were more than 50,000 soda fountains in the United States and virtually every one of them was serving ice cream soda, and more than 60 flavors of syrup* available [source].

So even with just vanilla ice cream, there were plenty of flavors to be made.

Before the 1890s, the ice cream soda was made with sweet cream instead of ice cream†.

Check out the Watermelon Ice Cream Soda recipe below.
 
 
WHO INVENTED THE ICE CREAM SODA?

There are three claimants.

 
Preparation

1. STIR the lime zest into the watermelon juice.

2. PLACE half of the watermelon balls in a tall glass. Add one scoop of ice cream, then add the remaining watermelon balls.

3. ADD a second scoop of ice cream. Pour in the watermelon juice.

4. TOP with the fizzy water for bubbles, club soda, or other flavored carbonated water. Serve with a straw and a long (iced tea) spoon.
 
 
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*Some of them: anise, apple, apricot, banana, birch beer, blackberry, blood orange, Catawba, celery, champagne cider, cherry, chocolate, cinnamon, cognac, concord grape, coriander, crabapple, cranberry, cream soda, crushed violets, currant, egg chocolate, egg phosphate, ginger, ginger ale, gooseberry, grape, greengage, grenadine, horehound, java, lemon-lime, maple, mead, mint julep, mocha, mulberry, nutmeg, orange, orris root, peach, peach almond, peach cider, pear cider, peppermint, pineapple, pistachio, plum, quince, raspberry, raspberry cider, raspberry vinegar, root beer, rose, sarsaparilla, strawberry, Valencia orange, vanilla, walnut cream, wild cherry, and wintergreen.

†Today this type of soda would be similar to the Italian cream soda, called a French Soda or cremosa.

[1] Classic: a “Black & White,” chocolate soda with vanilla ice cream (photo © Make Your Own Soda | Clarkson Potter).

[2] Something different: an ice cream soda made with Thai iced tea instead of carbonated water, garnished with pistachio nuts (photo © Geraud Pfeiffer | Pexels).

[3] Classic: a root beer float with chocolate ice cream (photo © American Heritage Chocolate).

[4] New: How about a watermelon ice cream soda: watermelon balls, watermelon juice, ice cream, and fizzy water. The recipe is below (photo © National Watermelon Promotion Board).

[5] New: A “Creamsicle” ice cream soda: orange soda with vanilla ice cream (photo © Jarritos Mexican Soda | Unsplash).

[6] New, different, fun, crunchy: This ice cream soda has a layer of Cornflakes—or Fruit Loops, if you prefer (photo © Kansha Creamery | Los Angeles).

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[1] A frozen Baileys Colada (photos #1 and #2 © Baileys).

[2] For dessert: Baileys Colada over ice cream.

[3] For the Frozen Colada uses Baileys plus white run and spiced rum. We’re fans of Koloa rums from Hawaii (photos #3 and #4 © Koloa Rum).

[4] A high-end spiced rum from Koloa (photo © Koloa).

We’ve been an enthusiastic fan of Baileys Cream Liqueur, launched in Ireland in 1974, the first Irish cream liqueur on the market. (Here’s the history of cream liqueur.)

In recent years, they’ve launched new year-round flavors, limited editions, and seasonal editions: Almande, Apple Pie, Baileys Espresso Crème, Red Velvet, Salted Caramel, Strawberries & Cream, and Vanilla Cinnamon, among others (here’s the current lineup).

And perfect for summer, Baileys has brought back one of our all-time favorites…
 
 
BAILEYS COLADA

We love Baileys Irish Cream, we love Piña Coladas. So a blend of our the two was bound to be a hit with us.

The flavors of creamy coconut and sweet pineapple create a creamy liqueur that’s ready to serve straight from the bottle.

We didn’t even need to chill it!

But others may want to enjoy it over ice or serve it blended with ice into a frozen summer cocktail.

We’re “putting away” a few bottles, and purchasing more for gifts.

In fact, the clerk at our liquor store had to ask why we were buying a case!

Here are two for starters. But before you mix anything, pour yourself a shot and luxuriate in the creamy flavors. It’s a Piña Colada without the effort of mixing one.

And for the easiest “special” dessert: drizzle it over ice cream or pound cake—or pound cake à la mode. Optional garnish: fresh pineapple.
 
 
RECIPE #1: FROZEN COLADA

This recipe uses frozen pineapple instead of ice cubes to create a frozen drink. You can freeze fresh pineapple chunks, or buy frozen pineapple.
 
Ingredients Per Drink

 
Preparation

1. ADD all ingredients to a blender and pulse until the pineapple is broken up. Blend until smooth.

2. POUR into your glass of choice.
 
 
RECIPE #2: WHIPPED COLADA LEMONADE

This recipe has an exotic rim of tamarind paste and desiccated coconut.

Since most of us don’t have tamarind paste, you can substitute 1 tablespoon of white wine (or champagne, or sherry) vinegar mixed with 1 tablespoon of brown sugar.

Or, skip the rim!
 
Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. DIP the top of a Collins glass into a plate of tamarind paste, then dip it into a separate plate of desiccated coconut.

2. FILL a blender with about 12 cubes of ice. Add all ingredients to the blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a Collins glass.

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As you relax with a cocktail on warm summer days, the eye-catching colors of the handsome bottles of The Butterfly Cannon Tequila promise more than other Tequilas.

The naturally colored and flavored contents are not just exciting on the palate; they’re a striking gift for any lover of tequila.

The Butterfly Cannon is a new approach to Tequila*: a super-premium Tequila made from 100% blue agave and produced at Mexico’s most awarded distillery, Destiladora del Valle de Tequila.

The brand also has a mission: to conserve the Monarch butterfly (photo #5), which is in peril. You can read more about it below.

Now, take a sip with us!
 
 
THE EXPRESSIONS OF BUTTERFLY CANNON TEQUILA

The Butterfly Cannon Tequila, made in three expressions, takes its name from the migration of butterflies from the U.S. to Mexico. The tequilas are:

 
Preparation

1. COMBINE the tequila, orange liqueur, and fresh lime juice in a shaker. Shake and pour over ice in a rocks glass.

2. TOP off with a splash of soda and serve with an orange slice.
 
 
RECIPE #2: BUTTERFLY ROSA & TONIC

Butterfly Rosa, infused with Mexican pink grapefruit peel, begins with a hint of grapefruit flavor in addition to the lovely rosy color.
 
Ingredients Per Drink

 
Preparation

1. COMBINE the tequila and tonic water over ice in a stemmed glass. Stir lightly.

2. GARNISH with a sprig of rosemary and a slice of grapefruit.
 

[1] The Butterfly Cannon Blue Tequila and a Blue Margarita. The recipe is below (photos #1, #2, #3, and #4 © The Butterfly Cannon).

[2] The Butterfly Cannon Rosa Tequila with tonic water. The recipe is below.

[3] The Butterfly Cannon Blue Tequila and a Paloma cocktail. Just add grapefruit juice!

[4] The expressions of The Butterfly Cannon Tequila.

[5] A Monarch butterfly hovering over a flower (photo © Suzanne D. Williams | Unsplash).

The Butterfly Cannon tells us that Eastern migratory Monarch butterflies have a unique lifestyle. American Monarchs go through three regenerations, laying their eggs in milkweeds.

They then migrate all through the U.S., and then via Texas into Northern Mexico, where they overwinter in trees for around five months.

But the butterfly has declined in recent decades, partly because the widespread adoption of herbicide-resistant corn and soybean has nearly eliminated common milkweed from crop fields in the Midwest.

Sadly, more and more of their habitat in Mexico is being destroyed by intensive farming as well (here’s more about it).

Butterfly Cannon Tequila donates to the Monarch Butterfly Conservation Fund, which aims to conserve the magic of the Monarch migration.
 
 
________________

*Tequila is capitalized because it is the name of a town. The capitalization of proper names continues with products named after them: Bourbon, Burgundy, Champagne, Belgian waffles, and French fries.

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Barbecue for breakfast is trending at restaurants, so why not at your house?

Flavor & The Menu, a trendspotting website for chefs, reports:

“While barbecue remains a popular choice at lunch and dinner, it is actually the fastest-growing breakfast flavor today” [source].

Dishes spotted on menus:

A loaded Breakfast Brisket Tostada (photo © Compass Group).

 
Now you have more ideas about how to serve leftover barbecue!
 
> The history of barbecue.
 
 
 

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You may have grilled romaine, but how about grilled endive?

Thanks to modern farming techniques, endive is available year-round.

It can be grilled, added to salads, or used as “boats” to hold finger foods at parties—the latter an easy-to-make, no-cooking dish that looks impressive. Appetizers, salads, mains, sides, soups—even for dessert, you can make a type of Tarte Tatin using endive instead of apples.

Here are dozens of endive recipes from California endive growers.

If you’re grilling this weekend, here’s a simple side with big flavor.

Grilled endives also provide the base for a great summer salad. See the variation below.

A leaf of endive has just one calorie! It’s a good source of potassium, vitamins, and minerals, high in complex fiber, and promotes digestive health.
 
 
RECIPE: GRILLED BELGIAN ENDIVE

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT the grill over a medium flame. Brush each endive half with olive oil and place on the grill, cut side down to start. Let cook for 8–10 minutes.

2. TURN over and cook the endives for another 12-15 minutes, turning occasionally and lowering the flame if needed until the endives soften.

3. SEASON with salt and pepper, garnish with chopped rosemary. Serve hot or allow to cool and serve at room temperature

Variation

For a salad, cut the grilled and cooled endives crosswise into one-inch slices. Mix with crumbled feta or goat chevre, roasted nuts, and baby arugula, dressed with additional olive oil and a squeeze of lemon or lime as desired.
 
 
THE HISTORY OF BELGIAN ENDIVE

Belgian endive (Cichorium intybus var. foliosum) is a member of the chicory family, Asteraceae, which includes Belgian endive, curly endive, escarole, frisée, puntarelle, and radicchio.

They are part of the chicory family of leafy greens (Asteraceae, the daisy family). They can be enjoyed raw or cooked.

Belgian endive and curly endive are both in the chicory genus. Belgian endive is botanically known as part of Chichorium intybus. It’s grown from chicory roots in a dark environment.

Shaped like a torpedo, Belgian endive grows to about six inches in length. It has tender white leaves with either yellow or red-colored leaf edges.

Belgian endive is a pleasantly bitter, nutty, and refreshingly crisp vegetable with a delicate crunch. Once considered a luxury imported from Europe, it is now grown in California year-round).

The ancestral plant is native to western Asia, North Africa, and Europe [source]. The plant has a history reaching back to ancient Egypt.

In ancient Rome, a dish called puntarelle was made with chicory sprouts. It was mentioned by the Roman poet Horace (65 B.C.E. to 8 B.C.E.) in reference to his own diet, which he describes as very simple:

[1] Grilled Belgian endive tastes even better with a sprinkling of rosemary leaves (all photos © Endive.com).

[2] This is what endive looks like when it’s pulled from the ground. The long roots of the chicory family of plants can be dried and ground for a coffee substitute.

[3] Belgian endive has two subspecies: green tips and red tips.

But the variety known as Belgian endive was first discovered by accident in the 1830s by Jan Lammers, a Belgian chicory farmer. After harvesting the greens, he decided to store the roots in his cellar to dry and use as a coffee substitute.

Lammers had to leave his farm for several months to serve in the Belgian War of Independence. When he returned he discovered that the chicory roots had sprouted small, white leaves. He tasted them and found them to be tender, moist, and pleasingly bitter.

It took another few decades to commercially cultivate what he called witloof chicory. Witloof is Flemish for “white leaf.”

A Belgian botanist named Brézier then went on to refine a cultivation method to the point where it could be grown commercially. Markets in Brussels began carrying endive in 1846, and then in 1872 it was introduced in Paris and it became so popular (and pricey) that it was nicknamed “white gold” [source].

Endive is pricey because it’s one of the most difficult vegetables in the world to grow. There’s a two-step growing process:

 
In contrast, curly endive, Cichorium endivia, which includes batavia lettuce, escarole, and frisée, is simply grown in the fields as green curly lettuce.

Commercially grown Belgian endive is exported mainly from western Europe with Belgium contributing the largest share [source].
 
 

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