It's crazy to think how long ago middle school was, and how youthful we were. I specifically remember strictly having Shirley Temples at every party I went to. It was the go-to drink for all the kids who didn't want to drink plain old soda, still get that bubbly fizz, and also feel somewhat of an adult when we tell the bartender our order. The classic red, fizzy drink was so sweet, fizzy, and always came with a maraschino cherry, but we never really paid attention to how it was made. The big question on my mind about this drink is, "What is that red liquid?" Well, I finally have the answer to what exactly is a Shirley Temple.
It's not hundred percent certain how the Shirley Temple came to be because different places claim they invented drink while Shirley Temple, the child actress, frequented there with her parents and came up with the drink for her to have.
What Exactly is a Shirley Temple?
There's basically only three ingredients that makes up this drink: ginger ale, grenadine, and maraschino cherries. Grenadine is what gives the drink its red color, ginger ale gives it that soda-like consistency, and maraschino cherries for that extra cherry flavor. Someone even started his own line of the organic version of a Shirley Temple called "Temple Twist", and I can't blame him because I would do the same if I loved it so much.
We've grown a lot from our middle school years, and being adults, we can turn this childhood drink into an adult beverage, spiked with either vodka or rum. And there's even another variation of a "Dirty Shirley" (the adult version of a Shirley Temple) that gives you an option to pour in some orange juice as a fourth ingredient.
Now that you know what's really in a Shirley Temple, you can easily make it at home along with other nostalgic drinks and impress your friends with your cool bartending skills. Just remember if you're doing a dirty version to always drink responsibly and never pass your limit. (If you do pass your limit though, check out these hangover cures.)