When someone says milkshakes, you think 1950s America – but these days, it’s young Brits embracing this retro drink.

It’s been 90 years since the machine responsible for the milkshake – the blender – was invented, and in that time the beverage has gone from cool to passe, to hip again.

In the last few years, ‘milkshake bars’ such as Shakeaholic have started to pop up in Britain, while music festivals have embraced the milkshake stand and supermarkets have begun selling ready-to-drink shakes.

With remarkably sharp timing, American cooking columnist Adam Ried has written a new book, Thoroughly Modern Milkshakes.

A self-confessed milkshake fanatic, Adam has delved into a century’s worth of ice-cream history, and experimented in his own kitchen, he’s produced a magnificent list of concoctions to try.

From lavender, honey and vanilla shakes to mango, chili and lime, Adam has not been afraid to try something different.

Here are a few shakes to get you started....

Mocha-cardamon shake

Ingredients: 1/2 cup cold whole or low-fat milk (about 125mls); 2 tsp instant espresso powder; 1/4 tsp ground cardamom; 4 medium scoops of soft coffee ice-cream (340 grams); 4 medium scoops of soft chocolate sorbet (about 340 grams).

Method: Put the milk, espresso powder and cardamom in a blender and mix thoroughly, about 15 seconds.

Add the ice-cream and sorbet and pulse several times to begin breaking them up.

With the blender motor off, use a flexible spatula to mash the mixture down onto the blender blades. Continue pulsing, stopping, and mashing until the mixture is well blended, thick and moves easily in the blender jar, roughly 30 to 90 seconds.

Pour into a chilled glass and serve.

Peach shake with brandy and nutmeg

Ingredients: 1/4 cup cold whole or low-fat milk (about 60 mls); 1/3 cup cognac or brandy (about 75 mls); 1 1/2 tablespoons peach jam (21 grams); 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract; 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg, plus extra for garnish, if desired; 4 medium scoops of soft peach ice-cream (about 340 grams); 4 medium scoops of soft peach sorbet (about 340 grams).

Method: Put the milk, cognac, jam, vanilla extract, and nutmeg in a blender and mix thoroughly, about 15 seconds.

Add the ice-cream and sorbet and pulse several times to begin breaking them up. With the blender motor off, use a flexible spatula to mash the mixture down onto the blender blades.

Continue pulsing, stopping, and mashing until the mixture is well blended, thick and moves easily in the blender jar, roughly 30 to 90 seconds.

Pour into a chilled glass and serve.

* Thoroughly Modern Milkshakes by Adam Ried (published by WW Norton, £17.99)