Chase the Rainy Blues Away with this Whoppa-tini!

Last week was probably one of the most beautiful spring weather we've had in NYC so far.  Each day was a perfect high 60s to low 70s and sunny with fluffy white clouds floating through the air.  One of the things I love most about my neighborhood is my proximity to Central Park.  A ten-minute walk from my apartment, I spent my mornings before work with my dog, Tyler, frolicking amongst tens of other dogs rolling in joy on the lawn of Cedar Hill.  Early evenings after work was spent pretty much the same way and weekend mornings and lazy afternoons, etc. Any minute that I could find to be outdoors, I was despite my allergies to spring pollen.  It was a magical spring week that everyone in New York rejoiced in with families picnicking into the early evening throughout the park and kids playing on the swings and jungle gym. It was an early prelude of the lazy summer days to come.

Lazy dog days....

You could literally smell spring in the air.

 

But then, this weekend came along and brought in the clouds and the rain which apparently is here to stay until Sunday.  Sigh. Mother Nature can be so cruel.

So in order to chase the rain away, I am bringing you back to some old-school childhood summer memories of emptying your piggy bank down to every last penny to buy some icy treats from the ice cream man. Praying frantically that he wouldn't leave before you got there.  Just hearing the tinny music fourteen floors up in my office makes me dream of those lazy summer days with a cone of soft ice cream melting over the sides and onto my fingers.

With all of these memories in mind while at work, I knew what I wanted when I got home that evening: a milk shake.  I had some leftover cinnamon-rum ice cream that I had made for my Easter dinner and some Whoppers I had bought on a whim while shopping in Target in the $1 aisle (most of what I buy at Target appears to be impulsive I have to admit!).  Now, Whoppers are one of those treats that I have literally not had since I was in sixth grade.  I don't know why I haven't had them because their malty, caramelly, chocolatey goodness was the perfect addition for my shake. Even the box just brings back all these giddy childhood memories along with Sour Patch Kids, Junior Mints, and Sugar Daddys.


But this is no shake for your kids, girls and boys!  With some of my trusty Reyka vodka, this childhood delight is now a perfect summer treat to cool down all the adults coming over for an afternoon barbecue or a retro dinner party. I think this shake-tini would be great with any other candy you might have laying around the house, such as Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, Snickers, Twix, etc.  For the ice cream, use what you have in the freezer, can you just imagine strawberry ice cream with the peanut butter cups?!?!  Just a warning to not drink this whoppa-tini too quickly...the sweetness is deceptive and the vodka can creep up on you!

WHOPPA-TINI

Makes 2 drinks

INGREDIENTS
Handful of ice cubes
1/4 cup Whoppers
2 scoops ice cream
1/2 cup skim milk (I had to cut the fat somewhere!)
1 1/2 shots good quality vodka

DIRECTIONS
1.  Throw all ingredients into a blender.  On high speed, blend everything all together for several minutes until the whoppers are processed finely. It should be slightly slushy.  I had little granules of whoppers that collected at the bottom of my glass which I liked especially since it took on some of the vodka.

2.  While blending, chill two martini glasses by putting a few ice cubes and some water into each glass.

3.  Pour out the ice and water from each glass and then pour the shake mixture evenly into the two chilled martini glasses.

4.  Garnish with a whopper on each glass.  Use a paring knife and carefully make a slit halfway down each whopper so that it stays on the glass.  Bottoms up!