FOOD NEWS
Concrete Is The Chilly Dessert That Is Not Linked With Construction
BY KYLE GRACE MILLS
A "concrete" is an American frozen custard shake with a super thick and rigid texture due to its egg-rich base. It's often blended with mix-ins from M&Ms to cookie dough.
Unlike ice cream-based milkshakes, frozen custard freezes at higher temperatures, so it solidifies faster and more densely, and doesn't feel as cold when it hits your tongue.
Concrete also has less air than typical ice cream (about 20% versus 50%), making it thick and rich in a way that recalls real concrete, though that's where the connection ends.
Ted Drewes made the first concretes at his frozen custard stand in St. Louis in 1959. It was so thick that staff handed it to customers upside down to demonstrate its sturdiness.
Fast food chain Culver's introduced its "Concrete Mixers" on a wide scale in the 1980s. Today, the treat can also be found at Missouri's Andy's Frozen Custard and Shake Shack.