I drink your (avocado) milkshake.

I vaguely remember eating my first avocado. I was grade-school age, standing in the kitchen, next to the fridge, and my dad had presented me with a bowl of something creamy, sweet and refreshing. It was richer than any ice cream I'd ever had, with a mild buttery taste that lingered on my tongue. It was a smashed avocado, mixed with milk, sugar and ice.

I grew up associating avocado with a dessert, and nothing else. When I discovered avocado in guacamole, sandwiches, sushi and salads, and learned that it wasn't "normal" to combine sugar with avocado, I put the memory of that dessert in the back of my mind to become just that: a memory.

Turns out, in many places around the world, the Philippines included, avocado is an ingredient in more sweet dishes than savory. No one ever thinks to throw an avocado into a blender with ice cream and milk. Which is a shame, because if you love avocado, you should be loving it in all forms.

Today, I'm here to bring avocado desserts back into my life, and to introduce it to yours, in the form of a milkshake.

It's easy. Throw a small handful of ice, a half a scoop of vanilla ice cream, milk, a teaspoon of sugar and a ripe avocado into a blender, and blend. There you have it. The flavor is subtle -- not too overpowering, but there. The after taste is the best part, with a creamy avocado taste lingering on the tongue, just like that first time.

This shake is even better when enjoyed on a hot, humid day, with your feet propped up, and nothing to worry about except spoiling your dinner.

Avocado Milkshake (adapted from Allrecipes.com)
This is a very loose recipe, and should be adapted to your tastes. I even thought that the final product was a little to vanilla-y for me, so next time, I might skip the ice cream altogether. It won't be as thick, but I'm willing to take that risk. Plain yogurt might also make a good substitute.

4-5 cubes of ice
1/2 cup of milk
1/2 scoop of vanilla ice cream (about 1/4 cup)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 ripe avocado, pitted and sliced

Throw everything into a blender. Blend until it reaches desired consistency. Pour into a glass, take outside and enjoy on a hot summer day. Makes 1 (small) milkshake. Drink it up!