Wednesday, November 30, 2011

The Devil Made Them Heat It

Taste of Home magazine's email newsletter today listed a recipe that I thought sounded a little disgusting: Mulled Dr. Pepper.

I'm not sure I understand the recipe (particularly adding more sugar, and heating for 2 hours in a slow cooker), but that's not the point.

The point is to wonder why someone would want hot soda? The bubbles would surely be killed in the making, and you would be left with nothing to cut the syrupy sweetness. All the carbonated joy would be removed.

Upon Googling I discovered that Dr. Pepper is really the only soda that people seem to want to heat. The other big names in soft drinks leave well enough alone. (Mostly.)

But not Dr. Pepper.

Some might think it could be a plot of...

But clearly the company itself started the craze....

and continued it throughout the years.



Ok we get it. It's devilishly different. But I'm not convinced it's hot in a good way.

Let me know if you've tried it and think otherwise.

10 comments:

  1. I haven't tried it. Once the carbonation is removed, though, Dr Pepper is water, sugar, berry & fruit juices and nut extracts [almond, especially]. Warmed up, is it that different from wassail?
    I don't see any need for extra sugar, however.

    - Eric

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  2. I thought this might be a valid point until I looked up the nutrition info:

    CARBONATED WATER, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, CARAMEL COLOR, PHOSPHORIC ACID, ARTIFICIAL AND NATURAL FLAVORS, SODIUM BENZOATE (PRESERVATIVE), CAFFEINE.

    (Pardon the all caps; they come straight from the good doctor's website: http://www.drpepper.com/text/products/drpepper/nutrition/)

    I couldn't find any actual fruit or nut ingredients, though perhaps you are referring to the "natural flavors" part?

    Regardless, now I'm in the mood for wassail. Perhaps mead based...

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  3. In Canada NOBODY drinks Dr. Pepper. It was always that icky stuff that we tried once and never drank again. South of the border, especially down south it's a different story.

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  4. I always thought it was too sweet. But do like a good song and dance to the commercials

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  5. Thanks, but I'll stick to my egg nog or Tom and Jerry.

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  6. @Ron and @M2M: I always wondered what the mysterious non-cola flavor was... Was it cherry, or almond, or something else entirely? Whatever it was (is), it added a certain roundness of mouth feel. Or taste bud excitement. Or something.

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  7. Maybe the lemon makes it bearable?? Never tried it myself nor would I want to!

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  8. I used to make it for my husband all the time. He loves it and I think it's pretty good. The carbonation is not lost in the heating -- it's still fizzy when poured into a cup/glass; otherwise, I wouldn't go near it with a 10-foot pole.

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    Replies
    1. Hmmm... I'm starting to think I might want to give it a try. Perhaps I'll add it to the shopping list! I wonder if the diet version really does work just as well?

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