It might be the type of ice cream mixed with the right root beer that makes this treat so delicious, or the perfect ratio of root beer to ice cream. But maybe Chicago's love for root beer floats, also known as a black cow or brown cow, is something more than that.
It could be nostalgic memories of sitting with your family at a diner or ice cream shop and enjoying a delicious treat; a treat you just had to finish until the last sip of root beer and spoonful of ice cream were gone.
Since the first Europeans who settled in North America made sassafras-based beverages similar to the root beer we enjoy today, which is made from sassafras roots, bark and other ingredients. But it wasn't until the late 19th century that root beer was considered a commercial drink.
Charles Hires, the first person to market root beer successfully, hoped the drink would replace alcoholic beverages during the temperance movement. A devoted Quaker, Hires promoted his product, Hires Root Beer, on the claim that the drink had medicinal effects. In 1893 Hires got a spot at the World's Fair in Chicago to share his root beer, Funderburg writes.
Chicago claimed it had the most soda fountains than anywhere else in the country in 1896, but the first Chicago establishment to make and serve a root beer float remains a mystery. In 1848, druggist Josiah H. Reed opened the first soda fountain in Chicago, and they were popular until the 1960s. The creation of the root beer float came years after the first Chicago soda fountain, supposedly invented in 1893 by Colorado gold mine owner Frank J. Wisner.
It is also the time when we get to meet the staff for the caravan and all of the caravanners! That is always a fun time! It's a chance to reconnect with friends you have traveled with before and a chance to meet new friends!
We ended our day one at the Final Cut Steak House inside the Hollywood Casino. This restaurant is currently closed, but they opened it up for us to hold our "welcome" dinner there.
The menu from Final Cut is sure to please your palate. They offer a twist on old favorites and vegetarian options you’re sure to love. Our dinner started with a Mixed Greens Salad with mixed greens, red onion, cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, and our choice of dressing. For our second course, we choose between a Queen Cut Prime Rib, 12oz garlic and herb rubbed prime rib, creamy mashed potatoes, and vegetable de jour or Pan Roasted Chicken Breast, Roasted Airline Chicken, served with creamy mashed potatoes and vegetable du jour.
Our final course was a magnificent Chef’s Dessert Display and Coffee Table. To say the desserts were "to die for" would be an understatement! It was truly a Hollywood classic, with a delightful dining experience. There is so much to celebrate and no better time than now, to enjoy our dinner here!
The rooms were decorated with authentic Hollywood memorabilia.
It was extra special to be treated like "royalty" by all of the staff. To say the atmosphere was perfect, is an understatement. The food was excellent and the staff was attentive, friendly and fun!
Sorry, we did not capture pictures of more of these individuals seated at each table. After dinner a few of the caravanners lost their $20 "gift" from the casino at their slot machines!
A great first day on our maiden voyage of Yankee RV Tours Route 66 "Main Street of America" caravan!
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