This weekend I was involved in a somewhat controversial discussion over the proper way to make an ice cream float. Allow me present the situation:

At a gathering of friends, the hosts had graciously provided dinner, snacks, and dessert to enjoy throughout the evening. I had stuffed myself with pizza and various appetizers, yet I felt I would be doing a disservice to dessert if I didn't help myself to a little. An entire serving of ice cream felt excessive, so I thought instead I might construct a float. I grabbed a two liter of Cherry Coke, poured in into a glass, and then topped it with a delicious looking scoop of ice cream. Throughout the process I was derided for my ingredients and technique. Here were the major complaints:

1) You can't use Cherry Coke for a float.
2) Everyone knows that you put the ice cream in first, then the beverage.
3) You may only use certain ice creams, and not one that is "chunky".

Well, as you can probably guess, I scoffed at these restrictions, vocal about my feelings that they were, in fact, ridiculous. I defended my decisions with the following logic (though I fear it fell on deaf ears):

1) Coke floats are perfectly acceptable, and delicious, though perhaps less common than the well-known "Root Beer Float". Cherry Coke is especially tasty in a float because, well, it has cherry in it.
2) Adding ice cream to the glass first before the beverage is a common mistake among amateur float-makers. Pouring a carbonated beverage over cold ice cream causes it to invariably foam. This foam takes up precious space in the glass, skewing the important beverage-to-ice-cream ratio. The foam itself has little or no flavor (being mostly air) and thus provides no benefit to the drink. The party I was arguing with was adamant that the foam is what made it a float, but I dismissed that, pointing out that it is the equivalent to a beer drawn incorrectly from a tap (i.e. bearing too much head).
3) Any ice cream is acceptable for a float so long as it suits the drinker's taste. Mine happened to feature little chocolate "turtles" filled with caramel, which, in the opinion of my host, made it unacceptable for floats. On the contrary, such ice creams are quite enjoyable as the chunks (be they turtles, peanuts, miniature peanut butter cups, etc.) settle out, to be enjoyed with a spoon at the conclusion of the float.

I have no doubt that for all the reasons above I did not err in the creation and enjoyment of my delicious dessert beverage. What do you think?

Tags: Dessert, Food, Ice Cream Float