Most of us know what a milkshake is. Take ice cream, a splash of milk, perhaps some chocolate syrup, peanut butter, fruit, (or malt if you want to get fancy), and blend it all together until it is smooth, creamy, and so thick it’s impossible to suck it through a straw.

At least, that's probably what the majority of us envision when we hear the word “milkshake”. Apparently, we’re wrong. A true New Englander will tell you, “what you got there ain't a milkshake, it's a frappe”. (Please note - that's pronounced "frap," not "fra-pay", like those silly frou-frou drinks made of coffee, and foamed iced milk.)

Ask for a milkshake in New England, and you might get a frothy, shaken mixture of milk and syrup. You take milk, you add some flavored syrup (chocolate or vanilla are classic), and you shake it. Shake it good. Milk. Shake. Get it? (Not to be confused with chocolate milk, which is merely stirred.)

Actually (truth be told) if you order a milkshake in New England with anything other than the local accent, what you'll probably get is a puzzled server who says "You mean a frappe, right?" Because 10 times out of 10, when that server hears a flatlander order a milkshake, he (or she) knows what the customer really wants is a frappe, (the “proper” name for what the rest of the world calls a milkshake).

To confuse matters even more, if you’re in Rhode Island and you want a coffee milkshake, you’ll need to order a “cabinet.” (Because that’s where the blender is kept.)

More Info: newengland.com