Retro Floats & Shakes Menu

vintage banana split recipe

Carnation Fudge Recipe

retro pic of carnation recipe

🍫 Carnation 1-2-3 Fudge Sauce - 1953

All it takes is

1 large can (1⅔ cups) undiluted Carnation Evaporated Milk
2 cups sugar
3 squares (3 ounces) bitter chocolate

Instructions

Combine Carnation, sugar and chocolate in saucepan over hot water or low heat. Cook about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; add teaspoon vanilla. Beat briskly until smooth.

Serve hot or cold. Gives a festive flavor to puddings and cake, as well as to ice cream.

For more chocolate flavor use 4 squares chocolate.

Recipe credit: Carnation/archival content
Vintage and archival recipes are shared for preservation and inspiration. Please credit and link back when sharing.

✦ Soda Fountain Terms

✦ Draw

A “draw” was a drink pulled or prepared at the soda fountain most often a soda, phosphate, or ice cream drink made fresh at the counter.

✦ Syrup

The heart of soda fountain drinks.
A flavored liquid (like lemon, chocolate, or cherry) mixed with soda water, milk, or ice cream to create everything from fizzy drinks to creamy floats.

✦ Citric Acid

A natural acid found in citrus fruits, used in soda fountains to add a bright, tangy flavor especially in lemon drinks and phosphates.

✦ Phosphate

A classic soda fountain drink made with flavored syrup, acid (like citric acid), and carbonated water.
Known for its sharp, refreshing bite very different from modern sodas.

✦ Soda Water

Carbonated water used as the base for most fountain drinks before bottled sodas became common.

✦ Soda Jerk

The person behind the counter mixing drinks.
The name comes from the quick “jerking” motion used when pulling the soda fountain handle.

✦ Snow - Cap

A soft, foamy cap of dairy (usually cream or milk) floated on top of a soda.

Think:

  • Clear, bubbly soda on the bottom

  • A pale, creamy layer sitting gently on top - like a little “snow cap”

How it was used

At mid-century soda fountains, you’d see things like:

  • Chocolate Snow-Cap

  • Root Beer Snow-Cap

  • Cola Snow-Cap

Instead of mixing the milk in (like a float), the cream was poured carefully so it stayed on top, giving that snowy, capped look.

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