When I was growing up in Long Beach, California, one of our favorite places to go for a treat as a family was the Tastee Freez! For those of you from around the area, remember the one next to the car wash on Stearns? They were FAMOUS for their vanilla cones dipped in chocolate, but for ME… they were famous for their Root Beer Freezes!
While everyone else was getting their dipped cones or root beer floats, I had to make sure they got my order right… one root beer FREEZE please. :-) I hadn’t had one for YEARS (decades even!) Until recently, when I had a little “happy accident.”
I had wanted to try a neat idea I saw on The Farmer’s Nest for making Soda Pop Ice Cream. Because you know how much I ADORE pretty much any frozen treat! I’ve seen a couple versions of this “recipe,” one using orange soda and one using strawberry soda.
I ended up trying the orange soda, and let’s just say it was a big sticky FAILURE! (Note to self: TWO LITERS of soda will not fit in a Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker!)
Now, most normal people would just chalk the whole Soda Pop ice cream experiment up to experience and move on. Not yours truly! I, of course, couldn’t let it go. I had to try again! But thankfully… this time my relentlessness paid off! In a flash of brilliance I decided to try using root beer, not even thinking about the root beer freezes of my youth.
This time, however, I did things a little differently. I cut the original “recipe” in half. I used 1 liter of soda and a 14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk. I also mixed the soda and the sweetened condensed milk in a bowl first before pouring it into the ice cream maker. This got rid of most of the bubbles that contributed to the huge sticky mess I had ended up on my first try.
If you don’t have an ice cream maker, try this method:
Combine the ingredients in a large bowl, and pour the mixture into 13×9 inch baking pan. Place into your freezer for about 1 hour. Then, break the mixture into pieces and dump into a large mixing bowl. Beat the mixture until smooth, then return to the pan, and cover. Freeze until firm.
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My experiment worked beautifully! In about 25 minutes I had this frozen concoction that was every bit as good as the ones I remember eating at the Tastee Freez in my youth.
Not only did I get to enjoy a sweet treat, but I got to relive a sweet MEMORY as well. :-)
We had a Tastee Freeze in Sevierville, TN and EVERYTHING was delicious! It was the place for all the teens to “cruise” on Friday and Saturday nights and of course the freezes, ice cream, and hamburgers – oh what memories!!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’m from Long Beach too and as soon as I saw Stearns I squealed! My mom is a huge root beer lover and getting floats was always a special treat. I sent this to her before I could even finish reading. I bet she’d love to try making these. Even the float lovers need a change and this AZ heat has us begging for cool treats.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Oh God! I worked at the Tastee Frees in Monrovia … my name tag said Tastee Monica … Lol!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Oh my goodness, “Tastee Freez” one of my favorite places. I grew up in Anaheim and we had one off of Ball road and State College blvd. Root Beer Freeze was my favorite too. I’m going to try this, thank you for the post.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My Grandmother lived off Cherry in Long Beach, we would walk over to Topsy for any restaurant fare.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.mmmm this looks good. Gonna have to try this one!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Oh how I remember the Tastee Freeze that was within walking distance. When it warmed up in the spring a few of us girls would take our money and sneak away at our lunch break. I didn’t get the root beer but they had some very good other tasty treats that we could eat on the way back to school. I was in the 6th grade and I am sure what we did was against the school rules but never got caught. Lived in Illinois at the time. I think the little ice cream stand is long gone now. What a shame. ;-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Can’t wait to try :)
I remember A&W’s root beer served in real ice-frosted mugs. C-O-L-D!!!! That became the gold standard for root beer to me. Later I used to order root beer floats and let the ice cream melt, then freeze it for a midnight snack over a good book.
I’m delighted so many have such fond memories of A&W–the smoothest root beer around! Can’t wait to try your recipe with my grandchildren!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Yes I remember and visited there with friends. I sure wish they were still around but your recipe will have to be tried to bring the memory back full force.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
When we hit Oshkosh coming from Chicago and then Cleveland,Ohio we would stop at the A&W. Rootbeer floats in little kid glasses. I had forgotton. One of my best memories as I have not been home since grandparents are in Heaven with mom and dad and my brother.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I will be doing this to surprise my son. Thanks.
What a sweet memory. :-) I hope you and your son love the recipe!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.That looks delicious. Growing up we didn’t have anything like these places. The closest I’ve ever come was the A&Ws. We would sometimes stop at one on our way to Salt Lake area to see family. I’m glad you posted a method that doesn’t need an ice cream maker. Ours broke a few years ago.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Jillee, do you remember the butternut candy bar? Hollywood candy company quit making them in the 70’s. I’ve tried everywhere to find the recipe. I’d love to make a batch. Have you heard of them or do you have the recipe that you could share with us? Thanks!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Oh yum!! I had forgotten all about those… I’ll have to track down a recipe! Thanks for reminding me Jesse :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I just went to look up the ice cream maker you use, and William-Sonoma has it 55% off!! Woohoo think I am going to get one and surprise hubby!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Well I just went back to the site and it is $12 for shipping.! So I went to Amazon and they have one for $57. (red one) and free shipping. Just thought I would let you know
Please log in or create a free account to comment.there is a code for free shipping on orders over $49.99 on the website (top corner). I didn’t have to pay shipping for mine, and I got an extra bowl for free!
Thank you for the tip! It comes with an extra bowl ($29.99 if you buy separately). Huge savings! Ordered one and I should have it in time for Father’s Day! Yay!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Awesome!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Sounds good, though I’d never heard of this before. I’ll be freezing mine in a baking tray . . . But then how do you get the “firm” ice cream into a glass? Also, I wonder if this would work with, say, orange, pineapple or other juice?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.You’ll have to let the “firm” ice cream thaw a little before putting it in the glass. :-) I’m sure it would works with other juices – give it a try and let me know how it goes!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Yummy!
Thank you, Jillee.
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