Rant #2,325: Good Thing

I love Coca-Cola.

I always have, and always will.

And I am talking about Coca-Cola Classic, what amounts to the original formula of Coca-Cola after it went through its years as a medical remedy (!) and settled down to be the most popular soda drink in the world.

Of course, it is not the real "Real Thing," because it generally uses corn syrup instead of real sugar, except in certain circumstances (keep reading).

Anyway, to extend its space on the shelf in local supermarkets, it has been experimenting with adding new flavors to the brand, and many of these are fruit-flavored such as peach.

To me, they taste funny, have an aftertaste like diet sodas generally have, and fall flat of expectations.

(And don't get me started on diet sodas. I hate them all. To me, if you are going to drink soda, it can't be diet.)

They have tried a lot of these over the past two or three years or so, and they just don't cut it for me.

But finally, finally, they have hit pay dirt with their latest concoction.

Orange Vanilla Coke hit the jackpot because it delivers as advertised.

I finally had it the other day--I had to find it, it is not available in every supermarket--but it was worth the search.

Like regular Coca-Cola, it has a smooth taste, goes down easy, and simply tastes good.

And the taste ...

If you like cream soda, you will absolutely love this new drink, and yes, I do enjoy cream soda.

But this one is special, because it has a nice, not overpowering, orange taste added in, so it really tastes like a Creamsicle.

This is not a cola that you would drink with dinner; this is one that you would pop open afterwards, or even before, and it really brings you back to some semblance of normalcy, and probably tastes really good in the summer.

But it is winter, and it still passes my own personal test, so yes, it is the breakout new flavor of Coke, and it is actually touted by the company as its first trademark flavor in over a decade.

It has been in stores since February 25, so if you like Coke, do like me and look for it. You won't be sorry that you did.

And that now leads people like me to search out the yearly sensation, Coca-Cola made with real sugar.

I have noticed that local grocers here where I live have started to stock Coca-Cola in bottles from Mexico on a regular basis. Of course, this further extends the shelf for Coke products, and it also brings discerning soda drinkers what they crave--Coca-Cola with real sugar as the sweetener instead of corn syrup.

But the Jewish holiday of Passover is coming up, and thus, the yearly ritual of finding Coca-Cola using sugar--corn syrup cannot be made kosher for Passover--is almost ready to begin.

The eight-day holiday begins at sunset on April 19 and ends at sunset on April 27, so certain supermarkets will begin stocking their kosher for Passover products probably within the next two weeks or so.

Drinking Coke the way it was meant to be imbibed is an incredible experience, since corn syrup has been generally used as a sweetener in the drink for decades.

If you think that Coke goes down easy normally, you are in for a treat with kosher for Passover Coke, which is just so good and is smoother than the normal stuff.

Look for it soon. It is easy to spot, as it sports a yellow cap telling you it is kosher for Passover.

And of course, that leads to other kosher for Passover versions of foods that we normally eat, including my other holiday passion, kosher for Passover U-Bet Chocolate Syrup.

You have not had real chocolate milk--or a real egg cream--if you have not had it with U-Bet with real sugar, and that is what the holiday variation brings us.

I usually buy two or three bottles of the stuff and use it through the year.

Sure, these things add the calories and you cannot be on a diet with them.

But you know what? To me at least, they are among life's little pleasures, and I don't smoke (anything), I don't drink alcohol, and heck, I like 'em.

And anyway, what's not to like?