Today we’re mixing the Orange Whip cocktail in honor of The Blues Brothers film. The delayed, over budget film was released on June 20, 1980. The movie, of course, is a wild musical comedy built around two musicians “on a mission from God” raising money to save the orphanage in which they grew up. Universal Studios didn’t expect much of it, but the film has become a cult classic. It also gave us the famous line, “we’re puttin’ the band back together” that has entered the vernacular worldwide.
The Orange Whip comes straight from the movie, where it’s ordered inside the Palace Hotel ballroom. It may not have the pedigree of other drinks we cover, but you can chuckle any time you pass an Orange Julius outlet. After all, the Orange Whip is the boozy version of what they do, the Orange Julius.
The Blues Brothers
The story starts with Jake (John Belushi) being released from prison. He’s picked up by his brother Elwood (Dan Ackroyd) in the Bluesmobile, a battered 1974 Dodge Monaco. They visit the orphanage they grew up in and learn it will be closed unless $5,000 in property taxes are paid. Jake soon has an epiphany that they can raise the money through their old band, The Blues Brothers.
Meanwhile, state troopers are trying to arrest Elwood for driving with a suspended license, 116 parking tickets and 56 moving violations. They are also pursued by Jake’s vengeful ex-fiancée, who is trying to kill him.
Putting the band back together leads to hilarity and musical appearances by such giants as Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin and James Brown. Desperate for a gig the brothers stumble across a place called Bob’s Country Bunker and play a show. Their bar tab is larger than the pay. The Good Ol’ Boys, the band that should have played, is enraged and joins the chase for the Blues Brothers.
Jake and Elwood persuade their old agent to book a show at the Palace Hotel Ballroom. They put a loudspeaker on the roof of the Bluesmobile and drive around promoting the concert. Naturally, that informs their pursuers of their whereabouts. The ballroom is packed and the head cop, played by John Candy, orders a round of Orange Whips for his table.
Realizing their nemeses are there the brothers sneak offstage where a record company executive offers them a $10,000 cash advance on a contract. They’re 106 miles from Chicago with a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it’s dark outside and they’re wearing sunglasses. So they hit it, with everyone in pursuit. Finally making it to Chicago they pay the tax bill and are arrested. The story ends with the whole band in jail, playing Jailhouse Rock for the inmates.
Orange Whip
The origin of the Orange Whip as a drink is unclear, but we suspect it was created as a parody of Orange Julius. Orange Julius is a chain of beverage stores known for their namesake drink. It all grew out of an orange juice stand in 1920’s Los Angeles, but now has hundreds of stores scatted across North America and parts of East Asia.
The Orange Julius as a drink is something of a mix between a smoothie and a milkshake. It’s made from orange juice concentrate, milk, vanilla, sugar and ice. Sweet and frothy, a bit frozen, tastes like a creamsicle. If you’re looking for an alternative to the Hard Dole Whip or a Frozen Mojito this should fit the bill.
But Orange Whip has also been used as a brand name by other drinks. The Tropical Fruit Company marketed an Orange Whip as a soda fountain beverage during the 1950s. Jeanne Carmen, an actress and pinup model from that time was even crowned Miss Orange Whip.
Somebody, but we don’t know whom, stepped up and created the cocktail version. It looks largely adapted from the Orange Julius and is simple to mix. It’s sweeter than most of the drinks we mix here. Then again, with four ounces of orange juice per serving it’s clearly a health tonic to be considered.
Orange Whip Cocktail
Equipment
- Blender
- Collins Glass
Instructions
- Add orange juice, rum, vodka and cream to your trusty blender.
- Add a handful of ice and blend to froth.
- Pour over ice cubes in tall collins glass.
- Garnish with orange wheel.
- Drink.
- Put the band back together.
