Purple Cow
This is another old-school California recipe, and it's a very localized one that you won't find written up in most places. I'm posting it because it's hard to find documentation on it, but I believe it needs to be shared. It's been part of my life for a long time.
In the Portuguese dairylands of the Central Valley (specifically, the area between Stockton and Fresno) and the east Diablos, you'll sometimes find a drink called a "purple cow." It's a flavored milk (or a milkshake) with boysenberry syrup, and it's sick as all hell. I've seen them at the Hilmar Cheese Factory visitor center, at 4H milk bars at various county fairs, and, occasionally, on random diner menus out that way. I heard once that they had them at the Gilroy Garlic Festival back in the day, but I can't confirm that.
Purple cows used to be pretty popular, actually. I don't know what happened. Googling "purple cow" brings up an ice cream brand, discussion about the Milka chocolate logo, and fantastically incorrect AI explanations. When I add local keywords, there's just some old Facebook posts about the milk bar at the Stanislaus County Fair. I promise this is a real thing, though. I promise. We used to get them around town like 20 years ago and everybody at school knew what they were. It gets me wondering what other local trends just get lost like that. I'd go see if they still make them, but it's big-time Trump country out there and I live over 500 miles away these days.
WHAT YOU NEED
- a glass of milk! (or a vanilla milkshake, if you're going that route)
- boysenberry syrup to taste
__________________
HOW-TO
- Just stir the syrup into the milk, or mix it in before you blend up your milkshake. You kind of just go until it's how you like it. I highly doubt anybody ever sold one that wasn't just eyeballed.
TIPS AND TRICKS
- If your boysenberry syrup isn't purple enough, you can add food coloring to get that artificial look. I don't really care to, but no shade on you if you do, though.