The Ultimate Root Beer Float

What makes a the Ultimate Root Beer Float? Besides nostalgia, good company and two straws? It’s simple; the best ingredients you can source.

My dad was never the cook in our house; that was always my mom’s role. My dad is the master of few things in the kitchen. In fact, I only need three fingers to tell you what he cooks. He makes a mean breakfast of bacon and eggs, fries a hotdog (yes, fries a hotdog) in butter like no ones business and the root beer float is his wheelhouse.

While my dad has never sought comfort in the kitchen, he was pretty darn good at other fatherly things like doling out life lessons, scaring my brothers and I into making the right choice via his famous language of tough love and perhaps the most importnant, teaching us to be our best no matter who is looking. My dad’s work ethic is unparalleled to any other and at the core of his rough and tough exterior is a sensitive, cuddly teddy bear. (I have no doubt he’s cringing right now at that last comparison.)

When I was little, having two older brothers mind you, fighting for attention was my wheelhouse. In fact, my nick name was Little Miss Twit. Endearing, isn’t it? Despite me being a royal stinker, my dad would indulge my need for some one on one and we’d go on daddy-daugther dates that almost always involved grilled cheese sandwiches and root beer floats. As you can see above, the dates also involved the occasional levi skirt, matching vest and bad a$$ belt buckle. (GO UTES!!!)

I can’t remember the last time my dad and I went on a daddy-daugther date. Granted I’m a grown woman but my mom and I find the time to make the occasional shopping and lunch date. My dad is always so great about watching my kids so I can play tennis or have lunch and shop with my mom so why don’t I make it a point to take my dad out? When thinking about what I would get him for Fathers Day this year, I came up blank. He has everything he needs and buys anything he wants. So instead of buying him a gift this year, I’m taking him out. Not sure where we’ll go or what we’ll do but that will be up to him. No matter what we do, it will be great. And hopefully grilled cheese and root beer floats will be involved.

This isn’t a recipe per say but more of a guide. Use the BEST vanilla bean ice cream you can find, the BEST root beer you can find and the most important thing of all is freezing the glasses. Sometimes I’ll go a step further and not only freeze the glasses but once I put the ice cream in the glasses, I’ll freeze them again for 10-15 minutes so the ice cream is ultra firm so the root beer doesn’t melt it right away.

Add two straws and enjoy it with someone you love.