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Italian Cream Soda

The Quirky Foodster Team

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Highball
Glass
Whipped cream (optional)
Garnish

Ingredients

  • Flavored syrup (raspberry, vanilla, or other) — 30 ml (1 oz)
  • Soda water, to top — 180 ml (6 oz)
  • Half-and-half or cream, optional — 30 ml (1 oz)

Method

  1. Fill a highball glass with ice.
  2. Add the flavored syrup.
  3. Top with soda water and stir gently.
  4. Float the cream on top if using, and serve with a straw.

Description: A fizzy, flavored soda that gets a creamy top layer from a light pour of half-and-half, popular as a coffee-shop staple.

Cultural Background: Became widely popular in American coffee shops from the 1990s onward, part of a broader wave of Italian-syrup-flavored drinks.

Tips: Pour the cream slowly over the back of a spoon so it floats rather than fully mixing in.

Variations: Any flavored syrup works — vanilla, raspberry, and peach are especially popular.

Serving Suggestion: Serve tall, with a straw, letting the drinker mix in the cream as they sip.

Nutrition: Approx. 130 kcal per serving

FAQs:

Q: Is this actually Italian?
A: Not traditionally — the name reflects the Italian-style flavored syrups typically used, not an actual Italian origin.