Who wants ice cream in the middle of winter? We want it when it's 100-plus degrees, when our thighs stick to the patio chairs and nothing sounds better than cold refreshment. And yet, it's nigh impossible to get peppermint ice cream anytime other than the Christmas holidays. Except, of course, at the strange chain of restaurant/convenience stores called Braum's. Sure you can get a grainy, chemical-tasting shake at some fast-food drive-through, but why would you when many Braum's are open till 11 p.m.? When they scoop up that real, thick, premium ice cream into that shake-maker, we immediately start to salivate. You may face, uh, a diverse crowd and long lines (especially late at night), but when they hand you that minty, freshly swirled, too-thick-to-use-a-straw concoction, you'll know it was worth the wait.