Back in the Day

A long, long time ago at a restaurant not-so-far-away, my friends and I spent many a night hanging out and talking. The restaurant was the Perkins at routes 22 and 191 and the friends were usually my best friend Tommy and various other cronies ranging from my ex-husband (who was just my friend then), to Scott, Mark, Tony and occasionally, my other best friend, Marie. This was after high-school but just before I was married - two of the most fun years of my life.

We'd head there after a long night of doing nothing and sit at the large horseshoe-shaped booth in the back. We'd talk about everything, smoke too many cigarettes, drink too much coffee, and wait for our favorite waiter to show. Jack was the waiter who bent over backward for us and dealt with our messes, odd orders and general silliness. I was told that Jack has since passed, but I'm not sure that's true - so we'll just pretend that Jack is still somewhere out there making someone's life pleasant while they dine.

Jack was the only person on the waitstaff at Perkins that would make us one of our very favorite concoctions, the Mutant Milkshake. Other waiters and waitresses would flat-out refuse us and we never really knew why. I still don't know to this day what the big secret was - I know we were charged the full price for what we were getting; a banana split. The difference was, it was a banana split in a blender, and Jack was the only guy who would appease our strange appetites.

I made them at home recently and had to share the "recipe" with the rest of the world. It isn't as odd as it sounds - in fact, they're really good - even my kids think so. The ambiance here isn't the same as it was there - and it's not the same there anymore, either. Perkins was remodeled and the old horseshoe shaped booth is long gone. There isn't anywhere else in that restaurant where I'd want to sit and sip on a Mutant Milkshake, so I make them here at home now.

Mutant Milkshake
Makes 1 shake
Printable Recipe

1 small banana - cut into chunks
3 scoops ice cream, one each vanilla, chocolate and strawberry OR 3 Neapolitan
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
whipped cream
4 maraschino cherries

Place banana, ice cream, chocolate syrup and 3 cherries into a blender. Puree until smooth. Pour into a tall glass and top with whipped cream and remaining cherry.
This is best enjoyed with friends, but drinkable if you're alone.