Cereal Milk

Cornflakes in milk

Cereal Milk is a flavor, beverage, and ingredient introduced commercially by Christina Tosi in 2006 while working at Momofuku. Cereal Milk is milk flavored with breakfast cereal.

Cereal milk has inspired various food creations, including cereal milk ice cream and cereal milk-flavored beverages.

Development

Tosi first created Cereal Milk in 2006 as an ingredient while working for David Chang at Momofoku.[1][2][3] There were no desserts on the menu when Tosi came on board,[4] and she created her own recipes inspired by the flavors of childhood favorites, including Cereal Milk panna cotta.[5] The Los Angeles Times described Tosi's take on panna cotta as "[taking] something upscale...and [yanking] it down.[6] Tosi further developed the concept at Momofuku Bakery and Milk Bar, now Milk Bar.[1][2][3] In addition to the panna cotta Tosi has developed an ice cream, cookies, a Charlotte, and beverages such as milk, lattes, and milkshakes.[7][8][9][10] The basic ingredient is also used as a mixer for coffees and cocktails.[9][11][12]

When Tosi opened Milk Bar, one of the first menu items was her Cereal Milk softserve.[3] Tosi has since expanded to packaged custard-style ice cream in Cereal Milk flavors.[13]

Preparation and ingredients

The beverage and basic ingredient Cereal Milk is prepared by toasting cornflakes, steeping them at room temperature in milk, draining off the cereal, and adding brown sugar and salt.[2][7][14] Other cereals can also be used.[15]

Preparation
  • Toasted cornflakes
    Toasted cornflakes
  • Steeping toasted cornflakes in milk
    Steeping toasted cornflakes in milk
  • Draining steeped toasted cornflakes
    Draining steeped toasted cornflakes

Reception

According to the New York Times, "Nothing bears the trademark of the pastry chef Christina Tosi more than her cereal milk flavor,"[16] and that she had made it a "household name".[17] Axios called Cereal Milk a "cult favorite".[18] Trade journal Restaurant Business called Tosi's cereal milk "iconic".[19]

Saveur's Megan Zhang theorized that the appeal of the cereal milk flavor was rooted in the nostalgia of recalling that breakfast cereal was 'the first thing many of us learned to “cook” and eat ourselves as youngsters'.[1]

Influence

In 2017 Ben & Jerry's introduced a line of flavors that Eater called a [blatant ripoff] of Tosi's creation.[15] Burger King produced a Cereal Milk milkshake.[7]

References

  1. ^ a b c Zhang, Megan (2022-11-03). "These Gooey Cereal Bars Are a One-Way Ticket to '90s Nostalgia". Saveur. Retrieved 2022-11-11.
  2. ^ a b c Finnerty, Katherine (2022-05-07). "Dessert Will Still Matter in 2050". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2022-11-11.
  3. ^ a b c McKelvey, Amanda. "It's National Cereal Day— and 1 chef is changing the food like never before". Business Insider. Retrieved 2022-11-12.
  4. ^ Leve, Ariel (April 21, 2012). "Christina Tosi: 'My diet was crazy for the first 27 years of my life'". The Guardian. Retrieved July 16, 2014.
  5. ^ Muhlke, Christine (January 6, 2010). "The Nifty 50: Christina Tosi, Pastry Chef". The New York Times Style Magazine.
  6. ^ Moskin, Julia (17 February 2009). "Ending the Day Where It Began". New York Times.
  7. ^ a b c "Momofuku Milk Bar's Cereal Milk Recipe". Serious Eats. Retrieved 2022-11-12.
  8. ^ Hesser, Amanda (17 June 2009). "Strawberry Charlotte, 1947". New York Times.
  9. ^ a b "Cereal Milk Madness: A Deep Dive". Barista Magazine Online. 2021-09-02. Retrieved 2022-11-12.
  10. ^ Salamone, Gina (26 February 2018). "Milk Bar's Crack Pie now sold in latte form". New York Daily News. Retrieved 2022-12-03.
  11. ^ "Milk It with Cereal-Infused Milks". Gordon Food Service. Retrieved 2022-11-12.
  12. ^ Doss, Laine. "Conan Gets Drunk Off Cereal Milk With Momofuku Milk Bar's Christina Tosi". New Times Broward-Palm Beach. Retrieved 2022-11-12.
  13. ^ "Milk Bar's Beloved Cereal Milk Ice Cream Is Now In Grocery Store Aisles". Food Network. Retrieved 2022-11-12.
  14. ^ "Cereal Milk Madness: Splashing Farther Into the Trend". Barista Magazine Online. 2021-09-03. Retrieved 2022-11-13.
  15. ^ a b Morabito, Greg (2017-03-09). "Ben & Jerry's Blatantly Rips Off Christina Tosi's 'Cereal Milk'". Eater. Retrieved 2022-11-11.
  16. ^ Fabricant, Francis (7 June 2021). "Milk Bar Expands to Ice Cream". New York Times.
  17. ^ Fabricant, Florence (2022-06-27). "Waffle Cone Pie Crusts From the Inventive Christina Tosi". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-12-03.
  18. ^ Sukin, Gigi (2022-01-26). "Cult-favorite Milk Bar treats hit Denver". Axios. Retrieved 2022-11-11.
  19. ^ Cobe, Patricia; 8 August 2022. "Taco Bell will serve Milk Bar's Strawberry Bell Truffle in select locations". Restaurant Business. Retrieved 2022-12-03.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)