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📍 Rhode Island

Coffee milk

· Drink

A cold milk drink sweetened with coffee syrup, similar to chocolate milk but coffee-flavored, the official drink of Rhode Island.

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Coffee milk: A cold milk drink sweetened with coffee syrup, similar to chocolate milk but coffee-flavored, the official drink of Rhode Island.
Photo: CastIronSeasoner · CC BY 4.0 · via Wikimedia CommonsPhoto resized, converted to WebP and cropped for display.
⏱ 3 min🍽 1 servings📊 Easy🏷 Commonly associated🌱 Vegetarian🌱 Gluten-free
Preparation
3 min
Cooking
0 min
Waiting and resting
0 min

History

Coffee milk became popular in Rhode Island starting in the 1920s, possibly among the Italian community of Providence. It is made with coffee syrup (local brands like Autocrat) and became such a beloved state symbol that in 1993 it was declared the official drink of Rhode Island, over its rival, frozen lemonade.

Ingredients

Adjust quantities

Only numeric quantities at the start of an ingredient are adjusted. Descriptive quantities, seasoning to taste and timings remain unchanged; check them when changing servings.

Preparation

  1. 1

    Pour the cold milk into a glass.

  2. 2

    Add the coffee syrup.

  3. 3

    Stir well until the color and flavor are blended in.

  4. 4

    Serve over ice if you like.

Cooking tips

  • Mix the syrup with a little milk first, then add the rest to blend evenly.

Technique and preparation

What to check during preparation

The key ingredient is coffee syrup rather than brewed coffee; using a cup of coffee changes concentration, sweetness and liquid volume. Stir syrup into some of the milk until no streaks remain at the bottom, then fill the glass. Taste before adding more syrup because sweetness varies by brand. Ice is optional and dilutes the drink as it melts. Serve cold and keep milk refrigerated.

References to consult

References provide information about the dish, its context or a technique. Quantities in this version may differ from those in the source.

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