Indian Milkshakes

As a true lover of milkshakes, I quickly learned in our 2004 India trip that in North India a milkshake literally means a “milk”shake.  Room temperature milk with some flavor shaken (or perhaps stirred) in it.  Even though it was “Winter” while were there, it was always very hot, and I even ended up with heat stroke one day.  We asked everywhere for kulfi, because this “Winter” was hotter than most of an Oregon Summer.  No one carried kulfi, and we were told everywhere we asked that it was the wrong season.  I tried to get my ice cream fix some other way, but flavored milk just didn’t cut it, no matter how interesting the flavor choices.  I did see true milkshakes on a menu once.  I think they were called “frozen” milkshakes or something like that, to differentiate them from the standard Indian milkshake that is nothing like what we call milkshakes in America.  Now you know, if you didn’t already.  It can be quite a disappointment to get a glass of milk on a sweaty hot day when you really want some liquid ice-creamy goodness.

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