If you want to institute a summertime tradition with friends or family, take time out to gather at one of Rapid City's restaurants or ice cream shops for the thoroughly American indulgence of either chocolate or strawberry malts. Better yet, make it a progressive hunt for the best malt in town. You won't be sorry.

Last week, Anthony Senn served up a thick, malted ice cream drink at Arnold's Classic Diner that became the gold standard for every other malt sampled for this story.

The '50s-themed diner creates a nostalgic malt that includes four scoops of Glenville Farms ice cream, just the right amount of milk and a generous squirt of liquid malt. Senn says that powdered malt is available upon request, but the liquid malt tastes as good.

Hot fudge or the strawberry mix of syrup and fruit is added in before mixing. The diner does do try to keep it on the healthful side.

"We do use 2 percent milk instead of whole milk," Senn said.

Hot fudge or the strawberry syrup is ladled in the serving glass, creating an aesthetic design before the malted perfection is poured, then topped with whipped cream and a cherry.

At $3.99, the malt includes everything in the 20-ounce glass and what is left over in the tin mixing cup.

"We have quite a few people who just come in for the desserts, which includes the malts," he said.

On to Fjord's Ice Cream, Deli and Coffee Shop for a malt that's guaranteed to be as delicious as the next. The counter help scooped 16 ounces of the rich, homemade strawberry ice cream into the tin cup, adding 6 ounces of milk and a half-dozen shakes of powdered malt to the concoction. After a thorough stir in the blender, the classic malt was poured into the 20-ounce plastic insulated cup.

For the hot fudge malt, three ladles of homemade hot fudge were added to 16 ounces of Fjord's homemade vanilla ice cream, whole milk and powdered malt. Once poured from out of

the blender, it was evident that the hot fudge malt was somewhat thinner than the strawberry malt. The hot fudge had thinned the consistency, but it still exuded a rich flavor. The malt cost $5.08 but didn't include any presentation beyond the cup, lid and straw.

Ahleia James said it didn't take long to learn the Millstone Restaurant's recipe for the decadently rich malts served daily. A waitress at the Baken Park restaurant for nearly two years, she says it is a favorite during the summer.

For the chocolate malt, James adds powdered malt to the four to five scoops of Kemps vanilla ice cream and 2 percent milk, before adding Hershey's chocolate syrup. After a quick session in the blender, the thick chocolate malt is poured into a 21-ounce glass. Topped with whipped cream, it is served with the tin cup of remaining malt drink.

The strawberry malt includes the same strawberry topping used on the Millstone's pancakes and waffles. After its blending session, these rich, tasty chunks of strawberry float around in the rich malt only to clog up straws. It's wise to use a spoon to scoop out the biggest chunks of berries.

With nearly two full glassfuls served with each order, it is well worth its $4.25 price tag.

"They're really popular here, as are the root beer floats," James said.

Try a homemade malt

While Arnold's, Fjord's and the Millstone's hand-dipped chocolate malts are tops in richness, consistency and flavor, they can be a little hard on the pocketbook.

The following recipe was made for about $2 a glass with plenty left over for extra servings.

Wayne's World Famous

Chocolate Malt

8 scoops vanilla ice cream

4 tablespoons malted-milk powder

2 teaspoons vanilla

5 tablespoons hot fudge, unheated

1/4 cup whole milk; add more to thin

Whipped cream, optional

Maraschino cherries, optional

Combine ice cream, malted-milk powder, vanilla, hot fudge and milk in blender until no white is showing. Pour into fountain glasses, topping with whipped cream and a cherry. Serve immediately.