No, this is not a misplaced Father’s Day post. It’s actually both a confession and a celebration, all inspired by the 125th anniversary of Dr Pepper.
Some of you may be wondering, “What is this pop of which you speak?” Some of you, on the other hand, went to college with me, in the town located approximately midway between the soda-drinking St. Louis and the pop-swilling Kansas City.
And some of you, bless your hearts, may not understand why we don’t just simplify our lives and call the stuff “Coke.” Even when it’s technically a Sprite. (Or – gasp! The horror! – a Pepsi.)
But no matter what you call it, carbonated and (usually) caffeinated beverages have gotten a bad rap around my house, and it’s time for that to stop.
See, I used to be one of THOSE people. You know, the kind who say, oh-so-casually, “Well, it would never occur to me to buy a candy bar at the grocery store.” or “Oh, we never miss church. I mean, what would we DO on a Sunday morning?” Right. Only my version of this was, “I just don’t drink much pop/soda/Coke at all.”
Enter pregnancy. The only time I really shouldn’t have been partaking of the caffeine. And enter, also, the strongest craving for McDonald’s liquid crack Coke I’ve ever felt.
Don’t even get me started on the evil that is $1 large drinks at McDonald’s. Don’t even get me started.
Growing up, we only drank pop on special occasions and with certain foods. And even then, it was store brand cola – so I’m not certain that even counts. (Although it has to count more than the Diet Rite my Granny would drink. Because that stuff? Is not pop. Or soda.)
When I went to college, I quickly found that the soda fountains were on at all hours of the day – and I reacted appropriately. Or not so much, depending on how you feel about Mountain Dew for breakfast.
Thankfully, my pop preference didn’t last nearly as long as my addiction to scrambled eggs and hashbrowns for breakfast every single morning (thank you, dorm cafeteria, for a ridiculous Freshman THIRTY). And for several years, I’ve mainly stuck to water most all the time.
But as I’ve battled my new-found love of Coke since my pregnancy, I’ve realized that for all my “I don’t drink pop” proclamations, I have, in fact, enjoyed quite a few different sodas over the years. (Did you see how I did that? I used Coke, pop AND soda in one sentence! Yeah.)
So, in honor of Dr Pepper (my husband’s beverage of choice), here are all the pops I’ve loved before:
1.Mountain Dew – What slumber party is complete without a two-liter of this sickeningly sweet drink?
2.Diet Mountain Dew – My efforts to lose weight began early, and I remember spending many summer nights with my friend Mindy, walking to the gas station and buying Diet Mountain Dew with my babysitting money. It doesn’t actually taste as bad as you might think.
3.Rootbeer – My love of rootbeer has nothing to do with an aversion to caffeine and everything to do with my family’s commitment to store-brand soda.
4.Orange pop – Crush, Sunkist and I think there’s another one. It doesn’t matter. They all taste like sugary sunshine in a bottle. And I love them all.
5.Pepsi – When I first started dating Mark, he drank a TON of Pepsi. His dad literally bought stock in the stuff because his family drank so much. And so, I started drinking it, too. (Of course.)
6.Coke – I don’t know what McDonald’s does to their Coke (although I strongly suspect extra syrup and less carbonation than normal), but it’s the best. And addictive.
7.Cherry Coke – Now, I’m not talking about the kind you get in a can, although that will do in a pinch. No, I’m talking about the kind you get at a restaurant, bar or old-fashioned drugstore with the cherry and the grenadine. These days, I can only handle one or two, but oh my, they are good.
8.Diet Cherry Vanilla Dr Pepper – When I was growing up, my friend Mindy and I used to visit the drugstore “uptown,” and that’s where I was introduced to the treat that is adding vanilla to a drink. Years later, I was so excited for this diet version, complete with (fake) cherry and everything!
9.Coke Zero – In theory, this is a good thing. It tastes better than Diet Coke and isn’t as bad for you as Diet Coke or regular Coke. But tasting better doesn’t necessarily mean tasting good, and better for you doesn’t mean good for you. This was a short-lived interest.
10.Dr Pepper – And, finally, today’s guest of honor. As I mentioned, Mark loves Dr Pepper these days, and we always have at least a 12-pack on hand. Every once in a while, water doesn’t cut it (read: weekly date with Hulu and delivered pizza), so I’ll drink one as well. And I have to admit, it IS pretty good.
So, that’s a lot of pop, right? Or soda, if you’re so inclined. What do you like to drink?
This post will be linked to Top Ten Tuesday at OhAmanda and Things I Love Thursday at Diaper Diaries.
um, yes… what IS in mcd’s coke? that is the ONLY kind (of coke) i’ll drink. my other pop/soda of choice is pepsi and barq’s rootbeer. and NOT A&W!! geesh, i’m quite picky with my pop!
I have to say that I don’t know the difference between rootbeers. Perhaps you should educate me?
I only drink pop occasionally, but I do like a good root beer with my pizza. We almost never drank pop as kids b/c with 7 kids it was just too expensive, esp. when eating out. But we always got a pitcher of root beer at the pizza place (the pitcher was a good deal, after all, compared to individual drinks). And I used to love a little Dr. Pepper when I waited tables and had to close the restaurant.
Number 8 is my absolute favorite. :)
I don’t like the fizzy anymore, now that I’m grown up. But, if I do ever partake in a “pop” (you definitely use the correct term!), it has to be regular–Coke (never Pepsi), root beer, or 7-Up. I absolutely cannot stand diet pop. That stuff is vile.
Diet pop IS vile. I’d rather drink water over diet pop any day!
Mountain Dew and Root Beer FTW!
From what my husband tells me, McDonalds does do something special that makes their Diet Coke taste so splendidly. Not Evil. Delicious. MMmm. He tells me that they adjust the brix on the machine everyday. The brix controls the syrup to water ratio. Adjusting it everday means that it never has a chance to get out of whack.
I so wish they still made cherry vanilla dr pepper. We’re Diet Pepsi folk here. Is it too early for one?
I knew it! Also, I really like knowing that McDonald’s is committed to adjusting the brix every single day. Not that I know what brix is. But still. Way to go, McD’s!
What did Mindy do to us? It’s a conspiracy of the friendship kind! She too took me to the drugstore and introduced me to Cherry/Vanilla Dr. Pepper…I’ve been addicted since and that’s what i get at Quick Trip.
I guess we (and our parents) should be glad this is the worst vice our friends introduced us to! :)
I am also addicted to Dr. Pepper… I could care less about any other (soda/pop/coke) but give me some D.P.!
I thought it was just my imagination about McD’s Coke. I guess I’m not the only one that tastes the magic! LOL! I grew up in East Central Indiana and we always said pop, but now in Southern Indiana people say soda or sodi. It’s weird.
Isn’t it funny how a few hundred miles makes a difference like that!?
I’ve always preferred Coke over other soft drinks…I really like Cherry Coke. Your photo is making me thirsty! :)
Oh I so agree with you on the McDonald’s Coke. It is absolutely THE best! I don’t know what they do to it but it is definitely different. And their big ole straws are perfect with it too : )
Thanks for stopping by and checking out my recipe earlier.
I am anxious to read more of your blog!
Mug RootBeer :)
When I was in high school, Welch’s Grape Soda was my soda of choice. LOVED it & takes me back on the rare times I buy it. (My family prefers all the Pepsi flavs for the special occasions :)
Wow! I don’t even know if I’ve ever HAD grape soda! I do think I’ve heard that the fruit sodas (like grape and my favorite, orange) have more sugar than any other drink. I could be making that up, though.
My hubby loves Dr. Pepper too. It is so much better from a fountain isn’t it? I love a good fountain “coke” and yes just a regualr coke :)
Fountain drinks are always better!!
Although I have lived in Texas all my life, I call the stuff soda. I was a devoted Dr. Pepper drinker through high school. I would buy one can every morning (from the vending machine at school!) and drink half and give the rest to my best friend. She still loves the stuff.
When I went to college the school had a deal with Coca-Cola, so I became a Coke drinker. Even while pregnant.
Then I went back to Dr. Pepper for a while. I think McDonald’s has excellent DP.
Now I drink Coke Zero at home and Coke while out, as an indulgence. My go-to drink is UNsweet iced tea though. That stuff is the nectar of the gods.
With pizza I like to have a Coke Slurpee or cold Coke Zero (from a can) in a glass with no ice. Weird much?
So, let me get this straight – you gave your best friend your Dr Pepper backwash? :) Kidding. However, I just don’t know about unsweet tea. Ick.
Coke. It is always Coke. Although, I just spent the last six years in Iowa and every now and again for simplicity sake, I’d call it pop. Although, call me a dork, but I always got a kick out of going down the “pop” aisle and the sign above saying “pop, popcorn”. Always made me giggle like a school girl. Told you I was a dork.
My favs: Coke and DP. And you know it’s real love when I call Dr Pepper, DP. But never Pepsi. *gag*
A sign saying “pop, popcorn” IS pretty silly!
Confession: I frequent the McD’s drive-thru near my house so often for a large Diet Coke that I once ran into one of the workers at Wal-Mart, and he greeted me like an old friend and introduced me to his girlfriend. I wouldn’t let myself go back for a solid week, I was so embarassed.
Oh my gosh, I know what you mean! I avoid going to a certain McD’s in the morning because I was going there so often that the drive-thru lady knew me!