Ice cream float

Ice Cream Float

The Ice Cream Float, also known as a soda float or a spider, is a beverage that consists of ice cream in either a soft drink or in a mixture of flavored syrup and carbonated water.

Etymology[edit | edit source]

The term "Ice Cream Float" is derived from the floating dollops of ice cream in a sea of fizzy soda. The name "Boston Cooler" is specific to the Detroit area and refers to a float made with Vernors ginger ale and vanilla ice cream. Despite the name, it has no known connections to Boston, Massachusetts.

History[edit | edit source]

The Ice Cream Float was invented by Robert McCay Green in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1874 during the Franklin Institute's semi-centennial celebration. The traditional story is that, on a particularly hot day, Green ran out of ice for the flavored drinks he was selling and used vanilla ice cream from a neighboring vendor to keep the drinks cold.

Variations[edit | edit source]

There are several variations of the Ice Cream Float, including the Root Beer Float, the Coke Float, and the Boston Cooler. The Boston Cooler, despite its name, is a drink that originated in Detroit and is typically made with Vernors ginger ale and vanilla ice cream.

Preparation[edit | edit source]

To prepare an Ice Cream Float, a few scoops of ice cream are added to a tall glass, followed by the pouring of a carbonated beverage over the ice cream until the glass is filled. A straw and a long spoon are typically provided for consumption.

See Also[edit | edit source]

Ice cream float Resources
Need Help Finding a Doctor? Need help finding a doctor or specialist anywhere in the world? Explore our world directory. WikiMD's DocFinder can assist you in locating millions of physicians.	Medical Knowledge Access the latest research - Most recent articles Ongoing trials.