Thoroughly Modern Milkshakes: 100 Thick and Creamy Shakes You Can Make At Home Paperback – Illustrated, June 25, 2012

I love vanilla malts, particularly if they are made with frozen custard, but I had a hard time finding a good one anywhere in our area. I decided to make my own, but I was not at all happy with the milkshake recipes in any of my standard cookbooks. I got this book, along with malt powder and made the best milkshake I've ever had in my own kitchen. I've tried the strawberry, vanilla, and vanilla malt shakes and have liked them all. My only word of warning would be that some of the ingredients may be difficult to find. For example, the recipe for the strawberry shake includes strawberry sorbet, which I have been unable to find. I made the shake without the sorbet, though, and liked it very much.

I just received the book, and I got so excited as I perused through the recipes! They are excellently created with a combinations of ingredients that I would have never put together. I'm a loyal and trusted follower of American Test Kitchen, so after another reviewer mentioned Adam's experienced background included the ATK editor, I knew I had to get these books too. I can't wait to try some of the recipes (my brother and I are somewhat competitive when it comes to making the best milkshakes- childish I know, but it keeps us youthful!) so I know these recipes will boost me in the competition!

Let me start by saying that the book is really well executed, as one would expect from Adam Reid, an alumnus of the well regarded Cooks Illustrated team. It sets out to demystify the art and science of making great milkshakes and accomplishes that task handily.The book seems to be directed at two distinct audiences. The first, those who really need a recipe for making milkshakes (no shame in that) and the second, those who want to take the art of making milkshakes into new territory.The author's core strategy generally starts with vanilla ice cream and milk as a palette and then uses highly concentrated sorbets, jams, nuts, herbs and spices to create the unique flavors that he strives for. For example, his basic chocolate shake calls for a combination of vanilla ice cream, milk and chocolate sorbet. Having spent a year behind the counter of one of New York City's best ice cream scoop shops, I was skeptical of his approach but when I tried it, I found that he was right on the money. I also found that I had much more control over the intensity of the chocolate flavor by varying the amount of sorbet I used relative to the vanilla ice cream.Mr. Reid will also suggest that specific ice cream brands don't matter all that much. I would qualify that by saying that it's worth experimenting to find what you like. I found that the really high-end vanilla ice cream brands that I would normally eat on their own did not work as well for me in milkshakes as the more generic grocery store brands that I would rarely eat if given a choice.For many people, the more appealing aspect of this book will be the new and unique flavors that the author urges on his readers. While the appeal of these concoctions is fairly subjective, I suspect that virtually everyone will find something that they love in here. Real flavor pioneers should check out Page and Dornenburg's excellent The Flavor Bible: The Essential Guide to Culinary Creativity, Based on the Wisdom of America's Most Imaginative Chefs.Pros: Excellent methodology for making great milkshakes; good guidance for people wanting to do something a little different.Cons: It's a lot of money to spend for a book about milkshakes.

I love this book! I have tried a few recipes and so far they have been incredibly delicious! These milkshakes are definitely on the fancy side (who knew milkshakes could be gourmet?) and there are some expensive and hard to find ingredients listed in some of the recipes. However, the author usually repeats those ingredients in several other recipes, so if you have to buy something weird or pricey, it won't go to waste.

...if I'm gonna really use this book after looking at it. I mean, the simplest of recipes seems to call for a quart of ice cream for one milkshake! Really? I like thick shakes as much as the next guy, but considering the cost (both monetary and calorie-wise) of plopping that much ice cream into one shake, I don't know.

I got this for a present to go with a milkshake blender. Everyone loved looking through this book, even has beer milkshake recipe...definitely some original ideas. Makes a great gift for those people that are hard to buy for.

I gave this book to my brother-in-law who is always making milkshakes. He likes this book because he says that this guy knows how to make "real" milkshakes, as in thick and delicious. Recipes are interesting and diverse. A good book for people who love to try new things.

Nothing in it you couldn't figure out yourself......... Will probably never use it....