Strawberry-Bourbon Milkshakes

Last night Boulder gave birth to a beautiful thunderstorm, so intense that I was overwhelmed by the desire to put on my PJs, eat breakfast for dinner, and curl up with a movie and a pint of Glacier ice cream while the rain can thundering down. So that's what I did, with one small twist. In lieu of Glacier I decided to try and replicate one of my favorite summer treats, typically to be found at The West End Tavern on Pearl Street in Boulder: The Strawberry-Bourbon Milkshake.
Now, I'm not a bourbon drinker, it's too sweet for my tastes (the key to my heart can be found in just about any bottle of Islay Single Malt), but their mixologists hit the nail on the head with this combination. The syrupy-sweetness of the bourbon blends perfectly with the strawberries and cream flavors, lending the latter overtones of dry oak and more depth than any milkshake deserves.
West End actually infuses their bourbon with strawberries before it ever makes it into the shake, a hurdle I could not overcome in my spontaneous shake-making experience, so I had to make due with straight bourbon.

To make 2 shakes, you'll need:
3 shots Bourbon whiskey
2.5 cups strawberry ice cream (try to get all-natural, something with chunks of strawberry and no HF corn syrup)
A handful of fresh strawberries, green tops removed
A blender

Easier than pie: First, put two pint (or similar) glasses in the freezer for the amount of time it takes to make this shake. Put the bourbon in the blender first, followed by the strawberries. Pulse until the strawberries are chopped up but not puréed.
Then scoop in the ice cream on top. But here's the trick: DON'T hit the "Blend" setting. You want this sucker to be creamy, and since whiskey--not milk--is the blending base, it's going to be prone to over-liquifying. Instead, start with your lowest setting and work your way up until the mixture has no chunks, but remains as thick as possible. Pick out a couple of pretty strawberries as a garnish, if the fancy takes you, and serve!