Going out for a malted milk is something your great grandfather might have done after Hoovering the carpet and voting for Calvin Coolidge.
But malted milk can still be found in most grocery stores, though these days most people’s relationship with malt as an ingredient is restricted to the center of Whoppers, the occasional chocolate malt milkshake or in their Colt 45.
I love mixing malt into any flavor milkshake, it is a nice addition to a waffle or pancake mix (especially waffles) and it’s a good healthy addition to chocolate milk.
What is it? Malted milk is a powdered food product made from a mixture of malted barley, wheat flour, and whole milk, which are evaporated until it forms a powder.
Who invented it? Well, God invented the ingredients, but the guys who first put it all together were the Horlick brothers of Racine, Washington (originally from London) in 1873.
William Horlick became a patron of Antarctic exploration, and Admiral Richard E. Byrd named a mountain range in Antarctica after him.
It became a fashionable item at soda fountains in the first half of the twentieth century and for a time it was the most popular item available in such establishments. It faded in the 60′s and is available these days but the people who order it (like me) are few and far between. People used to order it as a standalone drink – nothing mixed in but the malt. That’s kinda like drinking Grape Nuts flavored milk.
It’s not good.
But it’s a tasty addition to many liquid refreshments. Try it some time.
Awesome survey and info on bread maker, I like your article.