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Sunday, February 05, 2012

Choked Over Cherry Coke

Cherry Coke is available only sporadically in Canada, so while Sylvia and I were in Las Vegas I bought two two-litre bottles and 24 cans of the bubbly nectar and brought them back over the border. Today my precious supply ran dry.

I have a weakness for Coca-Cola and "red" flavours - cherry, strawberry, raspberry. When I first encountered Cherry Coke in the late 80s, my Coke addiction took on a new, fruitier (though sadly, not more nutritious) dimension. Even then it was hard to find; I remember encountering it only in convenience stores and gas stations, never at the supermarket. Now it's nowhere to be found, at least in western Canada.

However, while stopping for lunch in Vegas I encountered Cherry Coke's precursor, the soda fountain staple known simply as cherry cola. In fact, I found the fountain concoction superior to the canned variety. Inspired, I scoured the Internet for a home-brewed cherry cola recipe, and discovered that it's as simple as adding 30 mL of maraschino cherry juice to a glass of Coca-Cola. It'll make the perfect beverage for my blackened Cajun strips. By the way, thanks to Jeff Shyluk for emailing me a very complex but clear method for that project. I haven't abandoned it!

3 comments:

"1100Jeff1001" said...

Maraschino might be a bit too sweet. I prefer using the flavours that you see in the coffee shops. Torani is excellent quality.

Cherry is the best.
Also, vanilla is very good.
Lime = ok.
lemon = decent (squeeze a fresh lemon, but I find it very acidic)
orange = wierd, but a few folks like it.
cocoa = try it once: 1 tb cocoa powder to make chocolate coke.

Also try Coke Pork Chops. Do not laugh until you try it. In a medium hot pan, place two pork chops. Pour in one can of Coke. Turn the chops occasionally. When the hot bubbly slime disappears, the chops are done. They will be tender and have a subtle sweet-sour flavour. Serve with rice or oriental veg.

Earl J. Woods said...

I hadn't thought of looking for syrup in coffee shops - thanks! The supermarkeet only had black cherry, which I found a little too...I don't know...sour-ish.

"1100Jeff1001" (a) said...

If you combine black cherry, vanilla, and cola, you can approximate the Dr. Pepper flavour. I've done that with Slurpee, but I haven't tried with soda.