Cereal Milk
{{Short description|Milk flavored with breakfast cereal}}
File:Cornflakes with milk pouring in.jpg
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.{{Cite web |last=Zhang |first=Megan |date=2022-11-03 |title=These Gooey Cereal Bars Are a One-Way Ticket to '90s Nostalgia |url=https://www.saveur.com/culture/breakfast-cereal-bars/ |access-date=2022-11-11 |website=Saveur |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Finnerty |first=Katherine |date=2022-05-07 |title=Dessert Will Still Matter in 2050 |language=en-US |work=Wall Street Journal |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/you-cant-digitize-dessert-milk-bars-ceo-on-why-sweets-will-matter-11651935601 |access-date=2022-11-11 |issn=0099-9660}} There were no desserts on the menu when Tosi came on board,{{cite news |last1=Leve |first1=Ariel |date=April 21, 2012 |title=Christina Tosi: 'My diet was crazy for the first 27 years of my life' |newspaper=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2012/apr/22/christina-tosi-milk-bar-interview |accessdate=July 16, 2014}} and she created her own recipes inspired by the flavors of childhood favorites, including Cereal Milk panna cotta.{{cite news |last1=Muhlke |first1=Christine |date=January 6, 2010 |title=The Nifty 50: Christina Tosi, Pastry Chef |work=The New York Times Style Magazine |url=https://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/06/the-nifty-50-christina-tosi-pastry-chef/}} The Los Angeles Times described Tosi's take on panna cotta as "[taking] something upscale...and [yanking] it down."{{Cite web |last=Moskin |first=Julia |date=17 February 2009 |title=Ending the Day Where It Began |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/18/dining/18dess.html |website=New York Times}} Tosi further developed the concept at Momofuku Bakery and Milk Bar, now Milk Bar. In addition to the panna cotta, Tosi has developed an ice cream, cookies, a Charlotte, and beverages such as milk, lattes, and milkshakes.{{Cite web |title=Momofuku Milk Bar's Cereal Milk Recipe |url=https://www.seriouseats.com/momofuku-milk-bars-cereal-milk-recipe |access-date=2022-11-12 |website=Serious Eats |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Hesser |first=Amanda |date=17 June 2009 |title=Strawberry Charlotte, 1947 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/21/magazine/21food-t-000.html |website=New York Times}}{{Cite web |last=Salamone |first=Gina |date=26 February 2018 |title=Milk Bar's Crack Pie now sold in latte form |url=https://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/eats/milk-bar-crack-pie-sold-latte-form-article-1.3843086 |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=New York Daily News}} The basic ingredient is also used as a mixer for coffees and cocktails.{{Cite web |last= |date=2021-09-02 |title=Cereal Milk Madness: A Deep Dive |url=https://www.baristamagazine.com/cereal-milk-madness-a-deep-dive/ |access-date=2022-11-12 |website=Barista Magazine Online |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Milk It with Cereal-Infused Milks |url=https://www.gfs.com/en-us/ideas/milk-it-cereal-infused-milks |access-date=2022-11-12 |website=Gordon Food Service |date= 20 March 2018|language=en-us}}{{Cite web |last=Doss |first=Laine |title=Conan Gets Drunk Off Cereal Milk With Momofuku Milk Bar's Christina Tosi |url=https://www.browardpalmbeach.com/restaurants/conan-gets-drunk-off-cereal-milk-with-momofuku-milk-bars-christina-tosi-6398294 |access-date=2022-11-12 |website=New Times Broward-Palm Beach |language=en}}
When Tosi opened Milk Bar, one of the first menu items was her Cereal Milk softserve.{{Cite web |last=McKelvey |first=Amanda |title=It's National Cereal Day— and 1 chef is changing the food like never before |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/national-cereal-day-kelloggs-christina-tosi-milk-bar-2017-3 |access-date=2022-11-12 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}} Tosi has since expanded to packaged custard-style ice cream in Cereal Milk flavors.{{Cite web |title=Milk Bar's Beloved Cereal Milk Ice Cream Is Now In Grocery Store Aisles |url=https://www.foodnetwork.com/fn-dish/news/milk-bar-cereal-milk-ice-cream-grocery-store-pints |access-date=2022-11-12 |website=Food Network |language=en}}
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.{{Cite web |last= |date=2021-09-03 |title=Cereal Milk Madness: Splashing Farther Into the Trend |url=https://www.baristamagazine.com/cereal-milk-madness-part-two/ |access-date=2022-11-13 |website=Barista Magazine Online |language=en-US}} Other cereals can also be used.
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Reception
According to the New York Times, "Nothing bears the trademark of the pastry chef Christina Tosi more than her cereal milk flavor,"{{Cite web |last=Fabricant |first=Francis |date=7 June 2021 |title=Milk Bar Expands to Ice Cream |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/07/dining/milk-bar-ice-cream.html |website=New York Times}} and that she had made it a "household name".{{Cite news |last=Fabricant |first=Florence |date=2022-06-27 |title=Waffle Cone Pie Crusts From the Inventive Christina Tosi |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/27/dining/waffle-cone-pie-christina-tosi.html |access-date=2022-12-03 |issn=0362-4331}} Axios called Cereal Milk a "cult favorite".{{Cite web |last=Sukin |first=Gigi |date=2022-01-26 |title=Cult-favorite Milk Bar treats hit Denver |url=https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2022/01/26/doordash-milk-bar-dessert-denver-delivery-popup |access-date=2022-11-11 |website=Axios |language=en}} Trade journal Restaurant Business called Tosi's cereal milk "iconic".{{Cite web |last1=Cobe |first1=Patricia |last2=8 August 2022 |title=Taco Bell will serve Milk Bar's Strawberry Bell Truffle in select locations |url=https://restaurantbusinessonline.com/food/taco-bell-will-serve-milk-bars-strawberry-bell-truffle-select-locations |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=Restaurant Business |language=en}}
Saveur
Influence
In 2017 Ben & Jerry's introduced a line of flavors that Eater called a [blatant ripoff] of Tosi's creation.{{Cite web |last=Morabito |first=Greg |date=2017-03-09 |title=Ben & Jerry's Blatantly Rips Off Christina Tosi's 'Cereal Milk' |url=https://www.eater.com/2017/3/9/14857812/milk-bar-ben-and-jerrys-cereal-milk-christina-tosi |access-date=2022-11-11 |website=Eater |language=en}} Burger King produced a Cereal Milk milkshake.