NY Chefs Valiantly Defend Full-Sugar Coke

New York magazine got a bunch of fancy restaurateurs talking about (and mostly ripping on) the "obesity tax" on non-diet soda about to come crashing down on their heads: Half fiscal health measure, half physical health measure, the 18 percent tax is supposed to slim the population and fatten the state budget.

Gabrielle Hamilton, the chef and owner of the ultra-hot restaurant Prune had the best reply:

I question the idea of legislating or taxing the "symptom" and not addressing the root problem. A well-timed ice-cold Coca-Cola is one of life's greatest taste and sensory experiences: the way it makes your eyes sting and tear up, and the back of your throat gets that chalky moment as good or better even than some of the highest tannins in a big red wine, and then the full sugar and caffeine rush that completely cures what ails you. I'm not saying every day and I'm not saying three a day. I mean one perfectly placed Coke in your week.

Hamilton proposed taxing restaurants that serve small plates and have waiters who call customers "dude." Jim Lahey, owner of the Sullivan St Bakery, Co.: "I would impose a tax on any diner who asks that their meal be deconstructed (pasta or pizza with sauce on the side, salad without dressing)." David Lynch of  the John Dory: "I'd tax apple-tinis, espresso-tinis, and all other non-martini martinis. And any cappuccinos ordered for anything but breakfast." Drew Nieporent of Corton and Nobu: "Tax people who make reservations in restaurants and don't show up or call to cancel."

They're all kidding, of course, but jokes like these make me even more nervous about sin taxes. Some of the chefs come off a bit snobby—so what if I want a cappuccino after lunch?—and you get the feeling that if they woke up one morning  with the power to tax (as Paterson essentially did) they might actually give some of these proposals a second look. A few of these ideas wouldn't be much more absurd than an 18 percent tax on full-sugar soda.

UPDATE: Anthony Bourdain wasn't included in the forum, but everyone knows he likes coke.

Comments

[Pro Libertate]

Bring sugared Coke back to America!

[smacky]

ultra-hot restaurant Prune

Are you kidding? I imagine a diner where septuagenarians go to induce a bowel movement.

[Warren]

"I would impose a tax on any diner who asks that their meal be deconstructed (pasta or pizza with sauce on the side, salad without dressing)."

Why should I have to pay because you feel the need to drown your crappy food in whatever sweet syrup you're calling sauce/dressing?

[EJM]

NY Chefs Valiantly Defend Full-Sugar Coke

To echo Pro Lib, the chefs may actually be defending full-corn-syrup Coca-Cola.

[SugarFree]

Fried sweetbreads with bacon and capers

But I'm with smacky, terrible name.

[Firas]

The problem is not that you want to put espresso sauce in your vanilla vodka; the problem is that you're calling it a martini!

They should just call it something accurate. They need a name for the whole class of vodka based cocktails instead of poaching the name of another drink.

[Jim Bob]

Foodies can make anything sound ridiculous. Coke and all that other crap is carbonated sugar water, not a fucking full-on sensory orgasm.

[SugarFree]

They need a name for the whole class of vodka based cocktails instead of poaching the name of another drink.

Whale snot.

[..]

They're all kidding, of course, but jokes like these make me even more nervous

These are the kinds of folks who should die in an Ayn Rand-like tunnel disaster. Most of them probably support seat belt laws and billion-dollar tobacco settlements.

[Warren]

"I'd tax apple-tinis, espresso-tinis, and all other non-martini martinis. And any cappuccinos ordered for anything but breakfast."

I don't understand why PM cappuccinos are verboten, but I'm with you on the all non-martini tini tax. Furthermore, I'd put a 100% tax on anyone who orders a call-brand liquor to be mixed with pop (Jack n' coke e.g.)

[StupendousMan]

"Bring sugared Coke back to America!"

Go to a Mexican grocery store, they usually have Coke with sugar.

It really is more refreshing.

[Episiarch]

Most people cut coke with speed...

Fried sweetbreads with bacon and capers

What is it with marrow bones lately? Everyone seems to be offering them. Not that I'm complaining, they're delicious.

[SugarFree]

I imagine the profit margins are sky high on marrow bones. I suspect that is also behind the rise in hanger/skirt steaks on menus. (I'm not complaining about either, both are yummy eats.)

[Ska]

Jack might be a call liquor, but it's shitty enough to drink with coke. Same with Bacardi.

[Pro Libertate]

Coke with sugar rules. It's much better than the corn syrup variety. I last had it in Malaysia, though I've heard about the Mexican alternative. I suggest that Coke keep the "Coke Classic" brand that they are in the process of dropping and start selling sugared coke under that label.

If Cuba is ever liberated, the sugar market may be flooded, freeing us from the corn sweetener demons forever.

[SugarFree]

I caught a dinner guest mixing Laphroaig with a Diet Sprite. All the good liquor is put away when semi-strangers come over.

[Episiarch]

I imagine the profit margins are sky high on marrow bones.

Sure, but profits are sky high on a lot of stuff. I think that they are popular for novelty value, and restaurants with clientele who will look at a menu and say "bone marrow--I've never had that before, so I want to order it" will add it to the menu. I expect to see more classic food that went away because of "ick" value on menus in the trendier places in the future, like brain, tongue, tripe, etc.

[SugarFree]

Oh, sure. There is a lot of things on a typical fancy menu that are mostly there for dares.

Brain: Yuck*
Tongue: Delicious
Tripe: Depends, but can be very good.

*Consistency mostly, and it is almost all cholesterol. 5.5oz of pork brains has 1170% of your daily allowance.

[EJM]

Coke with sugar rules. It's much better than the corn syrup variety.

I'm not even sure how many U.S. manufacturers of specialty/gourmet sodas make cola with sugar (although Boylan appears to be one that does); many don't offer cola flavors (although they use sugar as their primary sweetener in what they do produce), while Sprecher apparently uses other sweeteners in its colas (like honey).

[Warren]

If Cuba is ever liberated, the sugar market may be flooded, freeing us from the corn sweetener demons forever.

Cuba ain't got shit to do with it. The sugar and corn lobbies have the reigns of power firmly in their grasp. The tariffs and subsidies are obscene.

[dhex]

"I caught a dinner guest mixing Laphroaig with a Diet Sprite."

i'm not one for drink rules on the general, but damn.

[Pro Libertate]

Haggis--Catch the Offalness!

[Pro Libertate]

Warren,

Free Cuba, and it will be politically impossible for the U.S. not to allow their sugar to overwhelm our marketplace. You heard it here first.

[Matthew]

All this talk about sugar is making me crazy. As a distiller, cheap sugar is what I crave. The cheaper, the better. Right now, I can't do better than 58 cents/lb.

[Reinmoose]

I don't get the knock on cappuccinos either, especially since almost nobody orders them anymore. They were really big in the late 90s, but now lattes seem to be bigger. Maybe what he means is that people should be ordering cafe cremes at night instead...

[Episiarch]

As a distiller, cheap sugar is what I crave.

White Lightning?

ProL, I've had haggis in Scotland and it tastes fine--you don't get overpowered by organ meat. But my problem (with that particular place's haggis, anyway) with it was that it had way too much fat in it. And I like fat. But it was too much.

[Warren]

Jack might be a call liquor, but it's shitty enough to drink with coke. Same with Bacardi.

That's true today. But I remember my late Uncle Wayne. Back in the 70's he got tired of pouring his JD in sugar water. So he filled an empty Jack bottle with Seagrams just for people (mostly one guy) who requested "Jack and Coke"

[TofuSushi]

As long as they don't tax tofu I am fine with it.

[Episiarch]

I don't get the knock on cappuccinos either, especially since almost nobody orders them anymore.

In Italy, people do not drink them after breakfast. It's considered weird if you do, sort of like a lot of people think it's weird if you eat bacon and eggs for dinner or pizza for breakfast. The guy was just being a traditionalist.

[Warren]

Pro Lib,

How will that work? You figure smugglers are going to to be making night drops just outside Atlanta?

[SugarFree]

Pizza for breakfast is one of the few things that makes my miserable life bearable.

[Warren]

In Italy, people do not drink them after breakfast.

Horseshit. I've been to Italy. They drink cappuccinos all day long and into the night.

[Reinmoose]

Sugarfree - right on!

Thing is, I don't appologize for the American way of eating food, what order its eaten in, what time of day its eaten, etc. I find that people who come here from abroad actually find that to be endearing about us - that we are so laid back that we'll make fish tacos, have cold pizza for breakfast, drink coffee 24 hours a day, and walk or drive around where everyone can see you while eating it.

This being said - I really hate food trends. I don't know if I can take one more place offering "applewood" anything. Seriously - enough!

[Episiarch]

Horseshit. I've been to Italy. They drink cappuccinos all day long and into the night.

20 years ago they didn't. I ordered one and got "those crazy Americans" reactions. They drink espresso later in the day.

Maybe things have changed (that was 20 years ago). Damn globalization!!!

[Pro Libertate]

Episiarch,

Then, lad, I suppose fried haggis fritters are right out for you, aye?

Warren,

Nah, the sugar lobby will be defeated by the Cuban-American lobby.

[Nick]

"I suggest that Coke keep the "Coke Classic" brand that they are in the process of dropping and start selling sugared coke under that label."

Is this for real? I will seriously murder someone if Coke Classic goes away.

[Pro Libertate]

Warren,

Rick Steves says you lie, you lying liar! [Runs to bedroom and sobs like a little girl.] Okay, okay, I kid. I don't usually drink coffee.

I've never been to Italy. I want to go, have almost gone twice, but am cleverly defeated by fate. I will go. Yes, I will.

Nick,

Just the brand, not the drink. Coke Classic will simply be called Coke.

[Episiarch]

Pizza for breakfast is one of the few things that makes my miserable life bearable.

You eat Domino's, don't you. You disgust me.

[SugarFree]

Reinmoose,

Please make an exception for Apple-Smoked Bacon is you come across it. They dry the pulp left over after cider making and smoke the bacon with it. Delicious. Also corn-cob smoked bacon, the smokiest damn bacon I've ever run across.

Thankfully, my gallery of frozen bacon samples survived my power being off for 6 days. The bacon-tasting event is still on for May. 15 bacons enter, only one leaves. In my belly.

[SugarFree]

You eat Domino's, don't you.

That's it, motherfucker! I can normally absorb any amount of insults from you, BUT THIS DAY YOU HAVE GONE TOO FAR!

[TofuSushi]

Tofu pizza is great any time of the day too.

[Jeff P]

Chicken 'n' waffles is a crime. It ruins both ingredients.

[random thought]

Is it just me, or does Anthony Bourdain look like Clancy Brown?

[dfd]

Only thing I'd tax is anyone asking for ranch dressing.

[Pro Libertate]

Deep-fried, bacon-wrapped haggis. The perfect food.

[Episiarch]

That's it, motherfucker! I can normally absorb any amount of insults from you, BUT THIS DAY YOU HAVE GONE TOO FAR!

The truth hurts, don't it, bitch?

[Pro Libertate]

dfd,

I like Ranch dressing as a dip, but not as a dressing.

[Kane]

They should put the coca back in Coca Cola.

[Reinmoose]

You eat Domino's, don't you.

Wow, that was a low blow.

[Pro Libertate]

Episiarch,

We make our own pizzas at home. Due to time constraints, we're forced to rely on a breadmaker to start the dough, but purity is difficult in these trying times. I'm also ashamed to admit that we don't own a wood-fired pizza oven. But we will, oh yes, we will.

[Reinmoose]

I would, btw, never - NEVER - accuse anyone of eating Gatti's Pizza unless I had hard evidence to go on.

[Reinmoose]

Gatti's actually provides you with ranch dressing for your pizza, which violates on 2 accounts!

[stubby]

A coworker sent me a link yesterday to quotes by actress/writer/wit Cornelia Otis Skinner, of whom I'd never heard before (she was BF's sister) - she apparently said a lot of witty things, including this in 1950:

[T]he food choice of others is becoming more and more heatedly exclusive until it may well turn into one of those forms of bigotry against which gallant little committees are constantly planning campaigns in the cause of justice and decency.

Except, of course, the gallant little committees are constantly planning campaigns of justice and decency in support of the bigotry, not to combat it.

(Another line of hers I loved: "Women have a special corner of their hearts for sins they have never committed.")

[SugarFree]

I pretty much only make my own pizza as well, but we have a few decent places in town. Epi, despite his potty mouth, knows this.

[Episiarch]

Yes, but you grill your pizza. You're a madman!

[John Thacker]

Nah, the sugar lobby will be defeated by the Cuban-American lobby.

Indeed. After all, our current President, while debating his opponent, cited the terrible national security risks of being dependent on Brazilian sugar and Brazilian sugar ethanol if we lifted the tariff like his opponent wanted to. (OK, on sugar itself it's not so much a tariff as a quota system and a system of guaranteed loans whereby domestic producers can use their sugar to secure loans at a guaranteed valuation and then forfeit the sugar to keep the money if the price goes below that level, but it's complicated, so I often say "tariff.")

I wouldn't expect any change to the sugar tariff any time soon. Like ag subsidies in general, or free trade, the passion is all on the non-libertarian side on that issue. How many people would say, "Well, I disagree with him on Iraq, but hey, sugar in Coke!"

[stubby]

Breakfast food for dinner was a special treat when I was a kid - it's one of those food-as-memory/childhood nostalgia things and I kept it going. If it's storming at dinner time, we eat pancakes and eggs. My daughter loves rainy weather for that reason.

[Nick]

One thing about the food in Tallahassee was there was no good pizza there. Hmm, a business opportunity perhaps?

But I love Guthrie's and Calico Jack's with all my heart.

[Episiarch]

I'm also ashamed to admit that we don't own a wood-fired pizza oven.

My dad developed a technique where he places tiles in the oven and preheats them before sliding the pizza on it. Works very well.

[R C Dean]

Why should I have to pay because you feel the need to drown your crappy food in whatever sweet syrup you're calling sauce/dressing?

Why do you eat in restaurants the serve crappy food drowned in sweet syrup?

I caught a dinner guest mixing Laphroaig with a Diet Sprite.

I hope you administered a sound caning. Such caddishness should not go unpunished!

[EJM]

I would, btw, never - NEVER - accuse anyone of eating Gatti's Pizza unless I had hard evidence to go on.

Gatti's apparently offers green olives as a topping (as well as black), so it can't be any worse than Domino's.

[FrBunny]

Whatever happened to the test market of McDonald's pizza several years back? I can only imagine the terribleness.

[SugarFree]

FrBunny,

I ate one of those. It tasted like cardboard. Hideous.

[Pro Libertate]

Episiarch,

? la Alton Brown. He advocates the acquisition of an unglazed quarry stone. We've got a pizza stone, which is roughly the same thing, though overpriced.

[Geno]

2 cups All-purpose unbleached wheat flour
2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup + 1 Tbs water (105 degrees F)
1/2 tsp yeast

Make well with flour. Put olive oil and salt into the well.

Put yeast into water; let stand for 15 minutes (until creamy).

Slowly add water and yeast to well, pulling sides inward.

Kneed for 20 min. Place in floured bowl, cover, and let rize for 90 minutes.

Punch dough, turn over, return to covered bowl and let rise for 30 minutes. Cut dough in half, shape into two pizzas.

Top with carmelized onions, fresh rosemary and goat chese.

Bake in 550 degree F oven (or hotter) until done

[Episiarch]

Whatever happened to the test market of McDonald's pizza several years back? I can only imagine the terribleness.

They tried this once before, in the 80s, I believe. Insane. Yet now Subway and Dunkin' Donuts are trying it. What are they thinking?

[SugarFree]

At least Subways have those ovens to make them in. The McD's version was microwaved. I'm not a McD's hater, but it was nasty. Now the McGriddle? That's genius.

[Episiarch]

? la Alton Brown. He advocates the acquisition of an unglazed quarry stone.

My dad came up with this idea 25 years ago. I don't think he got it from Brown. He experimented with different tiles until he got the results he wanted.

[Pro Libertate]

Episiarch,

It's hardly an original idea with Brown. Your father is a wise and frugal man to avoid wasting money on pizza stones (aka over-priced tiles).

[FrBunny]

I remember (probably incorrectly) the pizza at McDonald's rolling out about the same time as fried chicken by the bucket at Hardees. My world turned upside down.

[swillfredo pareto]

I'm not even sure how many U.S. manufacturers of specialty/gourmet sodas make cola with sugar

Jones makes soda with cane sugar, including a cola, and it is sold nationally at Wal-Mart and Target. It is under $3.00 for an 8-pack of cans at Wal-Mart in Tampa. Their berry-lemonade is good stuff.

[TofuSushi]

Tofu pizza does not cook well on stones. However, if McDonald's had used tofu for the microwaved pizzas they would still be around.

[Pro Libertate]

Tofu pizza is only slightly less of an abomination than tofu sushi.

[TofuSushi]

Pro Libertate you have an ironic name for a totalitarian.

[Pro Libertate]

I suppose it would be ironic if I were a totalitarian. I'm a Food Nazi, I suppose, but that's something else.

[Timon19]

Warren @ 12:53:

I don't understand why PM cappuccinos are verboten, but I'm with you on the all non-martini tini tax. Furthermore, I'd put a 100% tax on anyone who orders a call-brand liquor to be mixed with pop (Jack n' coke e.g.)

If you did this, you'd make a killing off Air Force, Reserve & ANG fighter jocks and their hangers-on.

[kinnath]

I picked up some Bolyen's the other day and was disappointed. I'll stick with Virgil's -- root beer, cream soda, and black cherry.

But the Boylen's was much better than Jones, which sucks in my opinion.

[dhex]

"What are they thinking?"

that people eat dominos, so anything is possible?

i've actually had a decent vegan pizza slice, all told. (at a place called slice on the upper east side) it's not pizza per se, but it's the best imitation of pizza i'd ever eaten. would take it over dominos in a heartbeat.

[Reinmoose]

There's a cane sugar soda called blue sky

Also in Austin, TX they sell Dr. Pepper with cane sugar

[robc]

I don't know if I can take one more place offering "applewood" anything.

[rant]
I love bourbon (Im from KY, so duh). I love beer. PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS GOOD STOP AGING BEER IN BOURBON BARRELS.
[/rant]

Thank you.

[kinnath]

Back in my college days, I lived right on the edge of the delivery zone for Dominos. I got a lot of free pizzas when they were delivered 5 minutes late -- not a great pizza, but college students will eat pretty much any free food that can be found.

[EJM]

Jones makes soda with cane sugar, including a cola, and it is sold nationally at Wal-Mart and Target.

I was wondering about Jones, but forgot to double-check; apparently, they now also make a sugar-based orange cola. (However, I've never seen more than a few of their flavors being stocked in a store or restaurant at any one time.)

[TofuSushi]

I only use cane sugar in my sweet soy tofu sushi sauces. Same with the hot and sweet variety.

[Episiarch]

But the Boylen's was much better than Jones, which sucks in my opinion.

Jones blows. It uses artificial flavors.

i've actually had a decent vegan pizza slice, all told

They are few and far between, but there are actually good vegan cooks who don't seem to suffer from the hairshirt mentality that seems to afflict many vegans.

[TofuSushi]

Veganry is the future.

[Urkobold?]

THE URKOBOLD CANNOT ABIDE A MEATLESS MEAL; HOWEVER, THE PORN COMPANY THAT CALLS ITSELF PETA HAS MADE THE URKOBOLD HAVE A NEW RESPECT FOR THOSE CALLED VEGANS.

[kinnath]

Veganry is the future.

God gave me cannines so I could eat meat . . .

Or Darwin says I have cannines because meat-eater have an evolutionary advantage over you vegans . . . .

Take your pick.

[SugarFree]

Has anyone encountered a Diet Grape Soda that tasted even slightly OK? They are hard enough to find anyway, but the few I've found (Faygo in particular) tasted like the Gowanus Canal. (And Faygo turned my urine bright green.)

Diet Grape Crush exists but seems to really only be in Canada (much like Pineapple Crush.)

[EJM]

There's a cane sugar soda called blue sky

I also neglected to check out Hansen's (which also owns Blue Sky); both do offer some type of sugar-based cola.

Also in Austin, TX they sell Dr. Pepper with cane sugar

That likely comes from Dublin Dr Pepper.

[TofuSushi]

Kinnath are you really Maddox?

[Episiarch]

Has anyone encountered a Diet Grape Soda that tasted even slightly OK?

All "grape" flavor in soda is artificial, right? How would that ever taste good?

[kinnath]

Kinnath are you really Maddox?

Who is this "Maddox" of which you write?

[SugarFree]

I don't care about artificial, I just want a damn Grape Crush. I tried drinking a regular one a few years ago and the hideous corn syrup gloppiness was too much to take.

[TofuSushi]

I suspected as much.

[SugarFree]

Maddox?

[Reinmoose]

kinnath -

Do you really think you need your canines to eat meat? So much of it is premasticated these days, anyway.

[Kunal]

>>They're all kidding, of course, but jokes like these make me even more nervous

Just like the time you guys ran that poll of Reason contributors' voting preferences and asked them which President they would waterboard.

[Reinmoose]

Grape soda is OK, but artificially flavored grape creamsicles? How can you argue against artificial grape in a case like that?

[kinnath]

Do you really think you need your canines to eat meat? So much of it is premasticated these days, anyway.

If you don't get your face down in it, what's the point?

[%]

I'm a Food Nazi, I suppose, but that's something else.

You do certainly enjoy putting things in ovens.

[Pro Libertate]

I remember Maddox. He used to post stuff. Now he doesn't.

%,

Yes, baked goods and such.

[TofuSushi]

Maddox was on a book tour recently.

[Pro Libertate]

I read his book. I liked the blog much, much more.

[EJM]

I don't care about artificial, I just want a damn [Diet] Grape Crush. I tried drinking a regular one a few years ago and the hideous corn syrup gloppiness was too much to take.

A very quick scan of BevNet yielded only Faygo, Crush, Slice One, and store brands (particularly the Ahold-owned stores' Sunpop).

[Reinmoose]

If you don't get your face down in it, what's the point?

I do admit that I like eating meat from the bone for exactly this reason.

[Jeff P]

Coke. Uncut. Licked from a freshly shaven taint.

Refreshing.

[Pro Libertate]

I see an opportunity here. Liberty Cola! All natural coke-like ingredients, with sugar instead of Karo.

[Not a Libertarian but You Migh]

Is it just me or would you also guess that the [totally imaginary, probably not even taken from a life study] model in the Coke ad

would be freaky-deaky in bed?

[yes it is just you-ed.]

[Isaac Bartram]

Go to a Mexican grocery store, they usually have Coke with sugar.

Fresh Market in Altamonte Springs, Fla carries it too. I would think their other store do too.

I bought a couple of bottles. They were good, but, I'm afraid, not $1.99 a bottle vs fifty cents better.

I think it's mostly because I'm not really much of a soda drinker in the first place.

[kinnath]

I do admit that I like eating meat from the bone for exactly this reason.

That too . . .

[SugarFree]

Thanks, EJM. I looks like Slice One is no longer being made. Maybe I'll just slink back to the occasional Diet-Rite White Grape.

[TofuSushi]

Soy milk makes a great creamsicle.

[Pro Libertate]

Isaac,

Say, there's a Fresh Market in north Tampa, too. I must investigate.

[R C Dean]

Is it just me or would you also guess that the [totally imaginary, probably not even taken from a life study] model in the Coke ad

Not just you. I was thinking I'd rather trade places with that teddy bear than have a coke.

[EJM]

Maybe I'll just slink back to the occasional Diet-Rite White Grape.

As it turns out, Shasta does apparently offer a Diet Grape; however, my hunch is that it would be very, very similar to Faygo's (as both brands are owned by National Beverage and share many of the same specialty flavors and product names).

[EJM]

I also forgot that Faygo may still be offering its commemorative sugar-based sodas--including Grape.

[Norbert Sykes]

Last year I had Mountain Dew with sugar in Romania (the first place I had seen Mountain Dew outside of the US and Canada) much better than the corn syrup version. Speaking of Europe and soda...why did Pepsi never bring Pepsi Gold to the US...that was a tasty beverage.

[EJM]

Last year I had Mountain Dew with sugar in Romania (the first place I had seen Mountain Dew outside of the US and Canada) much better than the corn syrup version.

As it turns out, there's one bottler in the U.S. that apparently still uses sugar in Mountain Dew--North Carolina's West Jefferson Dr Pepper (which also bottles Dr Pepper with sugar).

Speaking of Europe and soda...why did Pepsi never bring Pepsi Gold to the US...that was a tasty beverage.

Apparently, Pepsi Gold was designed as a limited-edition flavor tied in with the football (soccer) and cricket World Cups--and so wouldn't have been as marketable in the U.S. Also, it might have been too similar to Pepsi Holiday Spice/Christmas Pepsi--which has been sold in North America. (In both cases, see this Wikipedia list.)

[Timon19]

At Marc's stores here in NE Ohio, I have seen the following Crush flavors:

Grape
Strawberry
Pineapple
Cherry
Peach
Apple
Tropical Punch

all in old-school glass bottles.

Also saw Grape and Peach Nehi right next to them. Alert David Ogden Stiers.

In the Middle East, Coke and Pepsi (among others) are all made with real sugar.

[EJM]

Also saw Grape and Peach Nehi right next to them. Alert David Ogden Stiers.

It may be better to alert Gary Burghoff. 😉

[Timon19]

Doh!

[EJM]

Doh!

Don't worry: During the original run, I got Mr. Steirs (Maj. Winchester) and William Christopher (Fr. Mulcahy) mixed up.

[EJM]

...and, just now, I misspelled "Stiers".

[mark]

In Austin, TX, my local HEB (supermarket) now carries imported Mexican coke with sugar, I assume due to popular demand of Mexican ex-pats longing for a taste of home, as well as hipsters like myself longing for the taste of Real Coke, not to mention the real deal Rum and Coke.

They probably had to wrangle with the local distributors to get an OK on this, or (even cooler) went behind their backs. In any case, this development is (pardon me) sweet!