Oh man, Cool Inside has been hankering for this one all summer long.

We’re talking classic milkshake, made to perfection, and served up at the pink Formica counter of gleaming, chrome-sided diner redolent of postwar prosperity and optimism.

What is it called?
The Black & White, one of numerous milkshakes on the menu.

This one was made by Linda Wamsley, the operations manager and member of the Coviello family, which with the Russo family owns the diner and others with the same name in Summit and Bayonne.

Wamsley, a 42-year-old mom with two kids and a third on the way, chose this diner staple for Cool Inside because, she said, “you can’t go gourmet. There’s something about it. The old-fashioned is the best.”

Where is it sold?
Broadway Diner
45 Monmouth Street
Red Bank, NJ 07701
732.224.1234

This archetypal Jersey diner was carted from Belleville to its present location 51 years ago and revived by the current owners in 1996 after a failed run as a Chinese restaurant and a long period of dormancy.

At night, the interior is suffused with a pink light that all but screams poodle skirts and sock hops. But 24 hours a day, it’s a place where all the customers consider themselves regulars, even if they only come in once a year, says Wamsley. Some of them will even wait for “their” seats if taken, despite the availability of other seats, she says.

Bruce Springsteen, she says, comes in on occasion with one or more of his kids, and was delighted recently when asked if he wanted his “usual” order.

“Everybody wants to feel like they’re in a familiar, homey place,” she says.

Price?
$4.25

What’s in it?
Three scoops of Hood’s hard ice cream — vanilla, of course — whole milk and chocolate syrup. But the “trick” to making a great, fluid milkshake, says Wamsley, is one she learned from a waitress at a Bayonne diner in 1980: a splash of club soda.

“It foams everything up, and makes it easy to drink through a straw,” she says.

Reason to be envious: the Broadway in Summit has a liquor license, which means shakes can be made with your favorite liqueur. Road trip!

What’s great about it?
Wamsley says the diner’s milkshakes, though simple, are “a made-with-love kind of thing” that pack a nostalgia wallop, evoking a time when life was less hectic and less complicated.

“A cheeseburger and a milkshake is still a cheeseburger and a milkshake,” she says.

But even little kids having their first-ever shake light up as if they’ve found wonderland when they lay eyes on that heavy parfait glass topped with whipped cream and a maraschino cherry, she says.

Fill in the blank with the first word that comes to mind:

If this milkshake did not exist, life would be: “less interesting, less sweet.” (Linda Wamsley)

What is it called?

Today we feature a Pralines and Cream ice cream cone.

Where is it sold?

Ryan’s Homemade Ice Cream

462 Shrewsbury Avenue

Tinton Falls NJ 07702

732.842.5874

The business was a Carvel franchise owned by Edward Ryan and a partner from 1968 until 1988. That’s when Peter Ryan and his wife, Elizabeth, took over. Peter bought out his brother Teddy’s interest in 1990.

Peter, 54, makes all the ice cream himself, plus Italian ices, sherbet, frozen yogurt and ice cream cakes. The business is open year-round, with more than three-dozen flavors (Pistacchio Bordeaux Cherry, anyone?) always available, and specialty flavors in season. Next month, for example, peach lovers won’t want to miss the ice cream that Peter makes from the 50 pounds of Jersey peaches Elizabeth will pick at Eastmont Orchards in Colts Neck and blanch in her kitchen in Tinton Falls. But that stuff won’t last!

“People have been asking for the past two months, ‘When’s the peach coming in?’ ” Peter says.

Price?

A small cone or cup with hard ice cream is $4; medium, $5 and large, $5.50.

What’s in it?

Peter makes all the ice cream with a flavorless, 14-percent mix from a dairy and builds on that with whatever flavoring is required. In this case, that’s a praline — a sugar- or caramel-covered pecan candy that’s popular in the South.

His recipes are all in his head and secret, Ryan says, but this one has vanilla ice cream with caramel swirled in and pralines supplied by Panza, which caters to the ice cream industry.

“It’s the ingredients you use that are going to bring people back,” he says. “I could use cheap chocolate chips, for example,  but I use soft-chunk chocolate chips.”

Fill in the blank with the first word that comes to mind:

If this product didn’t exist, life would be: “dull” (Peter) “boring.” (Elizabeth)

Today, overheated friends, Cool Inside gets cultured, as redbankgreen pays a visit to Frozsürt, a frozen yogurt shop in Red Bank.

What is it called?
Today we feature Frozsürt’s original “plain tart and tangy” frozen yogurt with fruit toppings.

Where is it sold?
Frozsürt
6 Monmouth Street
Red Bank, NJ 07701
732.383.5763

This non-chain business, launched in March, is owned by Danny Natale and former Red Bank police captain Aurelio Ramos and run by them and family members, including Danny’s wife, Eileen Natale.

Danny and 15-year-old daughter Emily came up with the Frozsürt name by combining (wait for it!) the words ‘frozen’ and ‘dessert.’ The umlauts “made it easier to trademark,” Danny says.

“There are a lot of places that sell frozen yogurt, but there isn’t anything like this in Monmouth County,” says Eileen.

Price?
A small plain yogurt is $2.95; with two fruit toppings, it’s $3.75.

A medium with two toppings is $4.65, and the large with two toppings goes for $6.55.

What’s in it?
Skim milk, probiotic cultures, which are said to be good for the digestive system, and “the rest is secret,” says Eileen.

The fruit — including blueberry, strawberry and mango — is fresh, not frozen.

What’s great about it?
“The taste, and the health benefits, and the fact that after you eat it, you don’t feel yucky,” Eileen says with a laugh.

Frozen yogurt is certainly not for everyone, she acknowledges, particularly those who are looking for the sweetness of ice cream. Though this product has a little sweetness to it, it’s also bitter. But for those customers looking for something that’s more like ice cream, go for the Frozsürt chocolate, Eileen says.

Fill in the blank with the first word that comes to mind:
If this product didn’t exist, life would be: “sad.” (Eileen Natale) “Boring.” (Danny Natale)

redbankgreen‘s Cool Inside series of summer delights pops in this week at Crazee’s in Rumson for cold treat that’s fresh out of a hot machine.

What is it called?
The home-made waffle cone.

Where is it sold?
Crazee’s Institute of Fine Ice Cream and Nuts
2 West River Road
Rumson, New Jersey 07760
732.530.6543

Price?
Hard ice cream, $5.80, cone or waffle bowl; soft ice cream, $4.95, cone or waffle bowl.

What’s in the waffle?
“It’s just regular, plain-old waffle mix,” says shop manager Emily Baker. “But we make it in a specialty waffle cone machine and then we roll them.”

The ice cream, including flavors such as Baker’s favorite ‘Moose Tracks’ — vanilla fudge with mini peanut butter cups — comes from Thomas Sweet, an ice cream and chocolate shop in Princeton.

Who created it?
“I saw it done at an ice cream store down in Maryland a couple of years ago and looked into it, and we brought a waffle machine here,” says Baker. Prior to that, Crazee’s bought its waffle cones pre-made.

What’s great about the cones? What makes them stand out?
“They’re much fresher,” says Baker. “We make them to order, and it takes about a minute to cook. Then we let it dry and cool.” On a hot summer night, this can cause an extended wait, but customers know it’s worth their time, she says.

On request, cones can be dipped in chocolate topping and nuts or sprinkles. The ice cream goes into the cone when it’s still a bit warm, Baker says, “and it tastes amazing.”

Crazee’s also makes “waffle bowls” used to line paper ice-cream cups.

Fill in the blank with the first word that comes to mind:
If this product didn’t exist, life would be: “terrible.” (Emily Baker)

What is it called?
Red, white and blue ice.

Price?
$3.25 for a large dish, $2.50 for a large squeeze cup, $2 for a small squeeze cup.

Where is it sold?
The Lighthouse / Strollo’s Homemade Italian Ice
64 Bridge Avenue (the juncture with Shrewsbury Avenue at the south end of the Cooper Bridge)
Red Bank, NJ 07701
732.933.9803

What’s in it?
Lemon, cherry and blue raspberry ices.

It’s all “home-made,” says owner Kevin Valerio, with “water, sugar, and other ingredients from a recipe that’s been in the family for a very long time. It goes in liquid, and it comes out ice.”

Who created it?
“It’s been around forever, since day one,” Valerio says. Company founder Ray Strollo, “started out with lemon, orange, cherry and chocolate.” In recent years, Valerio and his former partner, Jimmy Callano, added more flavors that they developed by trial and error.

“One of huge sellers: peanut butter ice,” Valerio says. “It used to be a flavor of the week, but it was just so popular, now we have it every day.” A lot of customers get it with the chocolate ice.

Is there a story behind it?
One day while they were shooting hoops, Strollo’s nephew, Callano, offered 13-year-old Valerio a summer job in the original Long Branch store, opposite Seven Presidents Park. He took it, liked it and stuck around.

Callano and Valerio bought the business from the aging Strollo, and in 1996, opened the Red Bank location. Valerio was just 21 at the time. He later became sole owner.

Callano owns the Long Branch store, and the two men are partners in another Lighthouse, in the West End section of Long Branch.

What’s great about the ice? What makes it stand out?
The fact that it’s fat-free appeals to the weight-conscious, but “it’s just very refreshing,” Valerio says. “I see the same faces four, five times a week here. You can get an ice and not feel like you just ate 3,000 calories. I eat it all day long. It’s not something you get tired of.”

Fill in the blank with the first word that comes to mind:
If this product didn’t exist, life would be: “horrible!” (Kevin)

[Editor's note: this article has been updated to correct a number of mixed-up last names in the original version. redbankgreen apologizes for the errors.]

Cool Inside, a redbankgreen summer series featuring chilled and frozen delectable edibles, gets crunchy this week with a visit to Little Silver for a decadently tasty dessert.

What is it called?
Oreo Pie

Price?
$14.95 for a nine-inch pie.

Where is it sold?
Hoffman’s Ice Cream
78 Oceanport Avenue
Little Silver, NJ 07739
732.530.3773

What’s in it?
From the bottom up, the pie consists of a chocolate graham cracker crust, vanilla ice cream, chocolate crunchies, fudge, chocolate syrup, marshmallow sauce and finally, the namesake ingredient, Oreo cookies.

Who created it?
The Gordon-Axt family. Soon to be married, Robin Gordon Axt and Don Axt Gordon share bragging rights to the Oreo pie. Robin‘s Don’s daughter, Kelly, gamely relayed our interview questions and answers over the phone to mom, who was busy off-site planning the wedding (Note: yes, ice cream cake will be served at the reception).

Is there a story behind this pie?
Oreo pies are only where the fun starts. “We can make any specialized pie,” said Kendall Axt, Don‘s Robin’s daughter — Reese’s Pieces, cookie dough, any flavor pie you crave. “We can get creative with them,” she said.

Hoffman’s Little Silver (other Hoffman’s are located in Spring Lake and Point Pleasant) opened in September, 2009. Robin always enjoyed Hoffman’s. So much so, she decided to go into business, believing ice cream was recession-proof.

“We couldn’t pass it by! It’s delicious!” customer Marion MacLaughlin exclaimed upon entering  Hoffman’s one night this week. She then proceeded to order a coffee royal sundae with whipped cream for herself and a vanilla sundae with chocolate syrup and wet walnuts for a companion in waiting.

“We’re on diets, but have been good for two days,” she admitted, shamelessly.

What’s great about them? What makes them stand out?
All homemade with the freshest ingredients. “It’s really rich. Cookies with ice cream is a really good combination,” Kendall avowed.

Fill in the blank with the first word that comes to mind:
If this product didn’t exist, life would be: “skinnier!” (Robin)

Week two in redbankgreen‘s Cool Inside series of summer treats takes us smack up against the beach to Gracie & the Dudes in Sea Bright for a pair of ice-cold, mouthwatering beverages.

What are they called?
Order up a Frozen Cranberry Lemonade or Frozen Hot Chocolate. One’s fragrant and fruity, the other dark and rich. Each flowing with lip-smackin’ appeal.

Price?
Regular size $4.25, large $4.75

Where are they sold?
Gracie and the Dudes
1062 Ocean Avenue
Sea Bright
732.741.2333

What’s in them?
All-natural sorbets provide the foundation for each, starting with cranberries and lemon for the lemonade, and cocoa, milk, and sugar for the choco.

Like the ice cream and other goodies on the menu, “we make it all right here,” says co-owner Brian McMullin, and the ingredients include only words you can pronounce.

Who created it?
Husband and wife Brian and Michelle McMullin, who have more than 16 years experience in the frozen dessert biz as owners and operators of Dairy Queen and Rita’s Italian Ice franchises.

In 2009, they opened this store, named after most of their children: Grace, Brian and Will. Daughter Sadie, the newest of McMullin sprinkles, will have her existence incorporated into the name “before she notices she is missing,” the McMullins say on the store’s breezily-written website.

Is there a story behind these drinks?
Brian is always trying out new flavor combos, especially on Michelle, who is often called upon to participate in at-home taste tests. One tinkering lead McMullin to the idea of taking a winter drink and making it in summer. Voila! Thick like a milkshake, the Frozen Hot Chocolate was born. The McMullins also offer samples to customers for opinions.

What’s great about them? What makes them stand out?
All-natural hot fudge, caramel, marshmallow and fresh fruit toppings. Except when you add whipped cream, sorbets are fat-free and refreshing.

Speaking of the Frozen Cranberry Lemonade, Michelle says, with a chuckle, “You can add a shot of vodka — not here — but at home. It’s a good time!”

Fill in the blank with the first word that comes to mind:
If this product didn’t exist, life would be: “unsweet!” (Brian) and “dry!” (Michelle).

OK, first, no, the cannoli above is not shown actual size. But if you wish it were, you’re definitely part of the demographic for this new feature, you decadent thing you.

Today, on a sweltering June day, redbankgreen busts open the freezer with the debut of Cool Inside, a sumerlong weekly feature. We’re kicking off this series by turning our eyes — and hanging tongues — in the direction of LaRosa’s Bakery in Shrewsbury.

Every Friday through Labor Day week, we’ll focus on one treat. What’s the selection criteria? Our aim is to call out deep-down, body-cooling desserts and other goodies available locally. Could be an Italian ice, a milkshake, a banana split. We’re open to ideas.

In all cases, we’re looking for treats that are distinctive in the way they hit that spot that needs hitting after a long week spent behind a steering wheel or a sparkling day at the beach. Stuff that lays claim to your soul the minute you bite into it, lick it or slurp it through a straw.

Have you got a Cool Inside to suggest? Post a comment, or if you prefer, send us an email with the words “Cool Inside” in the subject line. We’ve got a secret starter list, but we’re willing to add new ones or even scrap the list entirely based on reader input.

Now, without further ado, here’s the four-one-one on this week’s treat:

What is it called?
LaRosa’s Ice Cream Cannoli

Monmouth Magazine Awarded LaRosa’s “Best Cannoli” and “Best Pastry” in Monmouth County two years in a row.

Price?
One large (no, not THAT large) ice cream filled cannoli is $1.99; a box of 12 miniatures goes for $6.99.

Where is it (sold)?
LaRosa’s Bakery
79 East Newman Springs Road
Shrewsbury
732.842.2592

LaRosa’s cannolis can also be purchased in supermarkets nationwide, but every one is made and packaged right in the Shrewsbury store.

What’s in it?
Note: this is a short list of ingredients . . .
Cannoli shell: wheat flour, eggs, honey, cinnamon
Vanilla ice cream: cream, nonfat dry milk, cane sugar
(Counts as only two points on Weight Watcher’s)

Who created it?
Brothers, Peter (above) and Sal LaRosa, circa 2000.

Is there a story behind it?
LaRosa’s, a fifth-generation pastry shop, began in 1901. Peter & Sal’s great-grandfather sold traditional cannolis from a push cart on the streets of New York.

Originally, the cannoli shells were sold to Carvel. But Carvel’s ice cream was too hard, and upon thawing, caused the cannoli shell to become soggy. The brothers then pursued other options and eventually found “aerated” ice cream to be the best fit.

What’s great about it? What makes it stand out?
The aerated ice cream can be eaten right away and the cannoli shell stays crisp, Peter says. Even when the ice cream melts, it just turns to filling and still tastes delicious. You can also refreeze a thawed cannoli and it will turn back into ice cream.

Fill in the blank with the first word that comes to mind:
If this product didn’t exist, life would be: “less fulfilling!” (Peter LaRosa)