Contradicting its name, the extremely popular root beer contains not one drop of alcohol! Invented by a pharmacist, like Coca-Cola, the brown carbonated drink, made from plant extracts (vanilla, sarsaparilla, liquorice, sassafras, nutmeg, etc.) tastes like chewing gum and medicine, rather disconcerting for the unaccustomed palate.
Prized for its refreshing taste, root beer is also used to make another strange American specialty: the float. One or two scoops of ice cream are placed in a glass, and then soda is gently poured on top (gently because the mix of fizz and ice cream provokes a chemical reaction which forms foam which can easily spill over…). You can even add the topping of your choice or Chantilly cream. As usual, it's a calorie bomb!
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