The Orange Julius Experiment.
January 15th, 2010Back in high school, my friend and I once drove 30 miles each way for an Orange Julius. Our little hometown mall didn’t have a stand (hardly had a food court, in fact, and now it just has a lame vending machine). (And as I typed that, I wondered, “Do Orange Julius stands ever stand alone, or are they always in malls?” Let me know.)
Anyway, I still find them absolutely delicious. Our nearest mall today, a mere two miles away, happens to have an Orange Julius stand at the front of the joint. (And at this juncture, I wonder why I’m writing “stand”. Is it really a “stand” if it’s connected to a Taco Bell on one side and a Dairy Queen on the other?) So I went out to have one the other day. Not so shocking when considering the price of all fancy drinks these days, but my large Orange Julius rang up at $4.34. Ouch. That’s like four cartons of store-brand OJ. So I wondered, “Couldn’t I whip this up at home?” I was especially hopeful about the matter now that I have an offspring unit and want the convenience.
Internet research led me down many paths, including one recipe that claimed you needed “25+ ice cubes per serving.” Hello, that’d be quite a drink, no? After a few trials in the kitchen, the following recipe won me over:
Ingredients:
3 ounces frozen orange juice concentrate
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 banana (optional)
6 ice cubes
Instructions:
Blend (of course)

So the banana is optional, but it’s really not. Bananas are delicious, and you should definitely add one in.
It’s rather satisfying to whip up a “restaurant” concoction at home. Do you have any recipes that taste like a signature drink or dish?















