This is probably what one would call a “retro” drink, or to put it another way, a vintage beverage. That’s because with all the new ingredients and modern gadgets we now have, this drink seems somehow to belong to another era.
I’ve almost forgotten about it myself, until the scorching summer heat ignited memories of it somewhere in the recesses of my mind. I remember that when we were growing up, this was one of our favorite homemade concoctions: generous scoops of macapuno ice cream, blended with 7Up until smooth and frothy, then poured into tall soda glasses and served with paper straws.
It was very refreshing, as invigorating as a tall glass of halo-halo or a splash in the pool.
At that time, we had only the most basic ice cream flavors: chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, mantecado, tutti frutti, rocky road (my all-time favorite) and, of course, macapuno. We would make ice cream sodas with chocolate ice cream and Coca-Cola, but the more exceptional treat would always be the macapuno ice-cream soda. Maybe we liked it better because it seemed more grown-up or more exotic than the other flavors of ice-cream soda.
But is my memory of it as a delightful thirst-quencher correct, or has the distance of time exaggerated its value? To find out, I bought the ingredients in our neighborhood supermarket and set about recreating the drink, as faithfully as my recollection instructed me to.
The verdict: My nostalgia has served me well. Fizzy and frothy, this drink is still as pleasing and thirst-quenching as it was many years ago, when life was simpler and a concoction of ice cream and soda shake was enough to dispel the scorching heat of summer.
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‘Macapuno’ soda shake
- 3 c macapuno ice cream, slightly softened
- 1 ½ c 7Up
In a blender, combine the macapuno and 7Up. Process until thick, smooth and frothy. Pour into tall soda glasses. Put a straw into each soda glass and serve immediately. Makes three to four servings.
Cook’s tips:
- To soften the ice cream, remove it from the freezer and let it stand at room temperature for 15-20 minutes.
- To make the drink even colder, chill the 7Up well before using.
If you don’t have a blender, you can use a wire whisk to whip and combine the ice cream and the soda until the mixture is well-blended and froth forms on the surface. Or you can combine the ice cream and the soda using a handheld electric mixer.
