Happy Reminder (Recipe: Cherry Coke Float)
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Think back to drug store soda fountains where you could order fountains drinks and different varieties of ice cream. Imagine grabbing a stool at the soda fountain counter and ordering a Cherry Coke Float while you wait for your prescription being filled by someone who sings in your church choir. If you wanted to do that today, you’d be hard pressed to find a drug store that had a soda fountain. Drug stores are now called pharmacies and they sell everything under the sun. The space that was once allocated for the soda fountain is now filled with Pringles, Tide and school supplies. Of course, you can still get your prescriptions filled but the store is just a store. You don’t get excited about going in. It’s become a commodity. And you don’t know a John Brown thing about the person who fills your prescription.
Perhaps some old timey drug stores with soda fountains still exist in small town America. If ever I happen on one, I hope I have my camera with me. I want to take a picture of the person behind the soda fountain counter that makes me a Cherry Coke Float. I want to know their name and their favorite color. I want to know their favorite part of their hometown. I want to know their hobbies. I’m not curious about the person in the big box pharmacy that fills my prescription. I believe a soda fountain counter seems friendlier than Pringles, Tide and school supplies. Maybe we should place a higher value on friendliness than convenience.
Y’all come see us!
Cherry Coke Float
Simple, sweet and refreshing. This is not as much a recipe as it is a happy reminder of this delightful Americana treat. The ice cream melts and mixes with Coke producing a flavor that is like nothing else.
good quality vanilla ice cream (I use Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla)
Coca-Cola
maraschino cherries
Fill glass with ice cream. Pour Coke over ice cream. Be careful because it will bubble up. Top with cherry. Serve immediately.
You might also enjoy:
Coca-Cola Cake with Coca-Cola icing
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No cherry coke here that I’ve ever seen. No root beer either. I have to “settle” for a coke float which surprisingly is called a spider here and only kids have them.
Maureen,
All the adults in Oz have missed out on Coke floats?? Well, that’s just downright sad.
There was a drug store just like your remember in my hometown, it closed down….but I do remember it for sure!!! I wish I was a bit older to appreciate it more, they are so much fun:-) What a great recipe to bring back those fond memories! Take care, Terra
Terra,
The small town where my grandparents lived had a drug store with a soda fountain. I was so sad when it closed.
Thanks for stopping by!
Dad called these “Brown Cows” at home when I was a little girl. (60+ years ago.) Nice to see your version. My kids grew up on them too so you have bridged the generations. I have made them too for the Grand children.
Diane,
I’ve never heard them called Brown Cows. Love that name!
Thanks for stopping by!
We always went to the local drugstore where I grew up – my fav was vanilla cokes – they would put the vanilla syrup in the coke – my girlfriend and I used to go get a vanilla coke and a Baby Ruth so we could go “driving around” on Sunday afternoon – we would pool our money and put a dollar’s worth of gas in her car and drive back and forth between the two drive ins to see who we could see!!! LOL Memories!!
Ann,
What a great memory for you! Gosh, you wouldn’t be able to drive out of the gas station parking lot with a dollar’s worth of gas today!
Morning Jackie….that brings back memories of the drug store in the little town where my grandparents owned a store and my mother worked. My favorite from the fountain was a cherry coke or a chocolate milkshake. Would be nice to have one of those days again.
Jean,
I miss those old timey drug stores,too!
We are very fortunate here in Memphis to still have a drug store with the old fashion lunch counter!! They have the best floats and milkshakes, my favorite is their cherry milkshake (not listed on the menu). Anyone close to Memphis needs to check out Wiles-Smith Pharmacy!! So Jackie, grab your camera and we’ll meet at the drug store for a chicken salad sandwich and coke float.lol!
Mary,
If ever I’m in Memphis, I will make it a point to go to Wiles-Smith Pharmacy. I would be tickled beyond description to meet you there! I found this article about them: http://www.memphistravel.com/wiles-smith-drug-store-serves-bit-nostalgia
If you ever come out west, come to Spanish Fork, UT. Our Main Street still has the old drug store, Stone Drug, with it’s own lunch counter. But, don’t bring a party. Only about 5 stools.
Sara,
I hope you visit often with 4 friends! Keep the lunch counter busy so they won’t shut it down!
I remember in galena Ill, there was an Old Fashioned drugstore, with a candy counter and ice cream parlor. , we would go to visit my grandma, and one of my first friends was able to work there, I remember sharing a “float” of sorts-dont rememeber the name of it, but I always remember that old place, it smelled funny but it was really cool inside.It is a tourist town, so maybe it is still there.? I am originally from Ohio.Reside in WI now.
Micki,
Thank you for sharing your sweet memories of the old fashioned drugs store. I love hearing stories like that.