WFAN Host Says New York Can Thank Him For Shamrock Shakes
"That's stupid," former quarterback Boomer Esiason said, sipping his McDonald's Shamrock Shake.
"Stupid good," responded his co-host Craig Carton of Boomer and Carton, WFAN 660's morning sports talk show.
The conversation continued after the commercial break. Not bad airtime for a milkshake. But it wasn't just any milkshake. The shake in question was the much-anticipated annual special that McDonald's launches every March to celebrate St. Patrick's Day.
Apparently, New Yorkers have Boomer and Carton to thank for the return of the Shamrock Shake to the Metropolitan area, at least if you believe the show's co-host. "We demanded it!" Carton declared.
That's a tough claim to prove. It is true that until recent years, the Shamrock Shake was tough to find in New York City. In 2009, Gothamist quoted McDonald's admitting, "The Shamrock Shake has been offered seasonally in regions throughout the country. We are always listening to our customers' needs and changing tastes. It's a regional decision and currently the New York market is not offering the Shamrock Shake."
They could, in fact, be found in limited quantities in 2010. And last year saw Manhattan ablaze with sightings documented on the web and on Twitter. But are Boomer and Carton to thank for the minty green shake's full-fledged presence? Well, Jimmy Fallon has touted them on his show — in 2010 he bought 100 shakes for audience members and caused fans seeking the shake at McDonald's much consternation because he bought up the entire supply, and last year he gave shake shout-outs, too. So the demand instigated can probably be shared among several sources in pop culture.
Those surprised by the airtime on a sports show shouldn't be surprised. Boomer and Carton regularly mention local food spots, alternately calling each other out for "bougie" dinners. But the culinary claims didn't stop with the Shamrock Shake this morning. The lovable loudmouth went one further, claiming to have created the equivalent of a McDonald's Thin Mint shake, an homage to the famous Girl Scout cookie: half chocolate, half Shamrock Shake.
Did Carton indeed invent the McDonald's Thin Mint shake? Who knows, but if you want to try it yourself, check out the Shamrock tracker to find a local McDonald's serving the March mint shake special.
Arthur Bovino is the senior editor for The Daily Meal. Click here to follow Arthur on Twitter.