Date shake
Encyclopedia
The Date Shake is a Milkshake
primarily flavored with dates. It became one of the iconic symbols of Palm Springs
and surrounding desert
.
, but were not a widespread American food.
In 1928 Russ Nichol and his family built a roadside shack near Thermal, California
. A few years later this shack was expanded and named Valerie Jean
after Russ' daughter. With electricity and refrigeration the Nichols were able to offer the malt and milkshake combinations blended with their supply of dates.
Milkshake
A milkshake is a sweet, cold beverage which is made from milk, ice cream or iced milk, and flavorings or sweeteners such as fruit syrup or chocolate sauce....
primarily flavored with dates. It became one of the iconic symbols of Palm Springs
Palm Springs, California
Palm Springs is a desert city in Riverside County, California, within the Coachella Valley. It is located approximately 37 miles east of San Bernardino, 111 miles east of Los Angeles and 136 miles northeast of San Diego...
and surrounding desert
Coachella Valley
Coachella Valley is a large valley landform in Southern California. The valley extends for approximately 45 miles in Riverside County southeast from the San Bernardino Mountains to the saltwater Salton Sea, the largest lake in California...
.
Origins
Dates and sheep-milk were an important Arabic foodstuff for hundreds of years. Dates grew well in the low California desertLow Desert
The Low Desert is a common name for one the Deserts of California regional areas, that includes the Colorado Desert and Yuha Desert in the Southern California portion of the Sonoran Desert...
, but were not a widespread American food.
In 1928 Russ Nichol and his family built a roadside shack near Thermal, California
Thermal, California
Thermal is a census-designated place located approximately 25 miles southeast of Palm Springs and about 9.5 miles north of the Salton Sea. Although one can find sunny skies most days, residents occasionally endure strong winds and sizzling summer temperatures well above 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The...
. A few years later this shack was expanded and named Valerie Jean
Valerie Jean Dates
Valerie Jean Dates is a historic date orchard and onetime popular U.S. Route 99 tourist stop located in Valerie, California USA, an unincorporated area a short distance south of Thermal....
after Russ' daughter. With electricity and refrigeration the Nichols were able to offer the malt and milkshake combinations blended with their supply of dates.