Date shake
The date shake is a milkshake primarily flavored with dates. It became one of the iconic symbols of Palm Springs and surrounding desert in Southern California.Origins
Dates and sheep-milk were an important Arabic foodstuff for hundreds of years. Dates grew well in the low California desert, but were not a widespread American food.
In 1928, Russ Nichol and his family built a roadside shack near Thermal, California. A few years later, this shack was expanded and named Valerie Jean after Russ' daughter. With electricity and refrigeration, the Nichols were able to offer the malt and milkshake combinations blended with their supply of dates.
