Ice Cream Sodas

Five old-school soda fountain recipes in one place. This collection covers the classics: the Black and White (chocolate syrup with vanilla ice cream), its reverse the White and Black (vanilla syrup with chocolate ice cream), the Black Cow (chocolate syrup and root beer), a pink Strawberry Soda, and the Hoboken (pineapple syrup with chocolate ice cream, a combination that sounds strange and tastes incredible).

The technique is the same for all of them. Syrup goes in the bottom of a tall glass, seltzer gets poured in while stirring to mix the syrup through, and then a scoop of very firm ice cream goes on top. That firmness matters. Soft ice cream dissolves instantly and you lose that fizzy reaction between the seltzer and the frozen scoop that creates the signature foamy head.

Position the scoop so it straddles the lip of the glass, half submerged. As the ice cream melts into the fizzy seltzer below, it creates a creamy foam that rises to the top. A crown of whipped cream on most versions finishes the look.

Kitchen Tips

• Use real seltzer water, not club soda. Club soda has added minerals that can taste slightly salty
• Freeze the ice cream extra firm. Take it from the back of the freezer where it’s coldest
• Stir the syrup into the seltzer before adding ice cream. Syrup stuck to the bottom of the glass is wasted flavor
• Serve immediately with a long spoon and a straw. These don’t wait

Variations

• Coffee soda: Use coffee syrup with vanilla ice cream for an Italian-inspired caffeine treat
• Root beer float classic: Skip the chocolate syrup in the Black Cow for a pure root beer float
• Adult version: Add a shot of Kahlua or Frangelico to the chocolate syrup before building