There are a good many adults over age 30 who have fond memories of a frosty, frothy orange drink known as the Orange Julius. According to pop culture lore, the birthplace of this cool, creamy drink was an orange juice stand opened in Los Angeles in the mid-1920s by Julius Freed. As the tale goes, its name came from people in line for the citrus concoction shouting, “Give me an Orange, Julius!” Dairy Queen now has the corner on the market for this refreshing treat, and it’s not quite the same as the original version made with the intent of promoting fresh orange juice. Still, just the name can conjure images of sunny afternoons with friends and summer weekend fun. This may be a bit of a cheat, with frozen concentrate, but it tastes like Saturday at the mall.
Just Like a Julius
Just Like a Julius
Ingredients:
1 c. milk (2% or whole, 2%)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
6 oz. frozen orange juice concentrate
½ c. granulated sugar
1½ c. ice cubes
Preparation:
Pour milk, sugar, and vanilla in a blender and pulse until combined. Add frozen orange juice concentrate. Blend until fully combined. Add ice cubes and blend until ice is crushed and mixture is thick and frothy. (If mixture is too thick, add water one tablespoon at a time, mixing after each addition until it’s the desired consistency.) Pour into glasses and serve with a straw.
*Tip: if you don’t have a high powered blender, you may want to crush ice beforehand so drink comes together quickly and stays frothy.
*Alternate variations: substitute frozen lemonade or 6-8 oz. of frozen pineapple or frozen strawberries for frozen orange juice.