Kosher Coke

If by some chance you are an American who is craving the real version of the "real thing," the only way you can have it is by purchasing Coca Cola that has been prepared in a way that complies with the laws of Passover.  No grains = no corn syrup.  Only Coke that been prepared for Passover consumption is made the old-fashioned way in this country, using sugar:

American Coca-Cola connoisseurs are celebrating the start of the most important season in their calendar. They say the perfect can of Coke is only available for a few weeks a year - and if you want the authentic taste of the Real Thing, you need to buy the Jewish Thing. Passover begins on April 2. For eight days, observant Jews keep kosher for Passover by not consuming any product containing grains, apart from matzo, the cracker eaten in place of bread. This poses a problem in the US, where cheap high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) has been used instead of sugar to sweeten American Coke since the drink's relaunch in 1985. Corn is a grain, so Coke isn't kosher.

The company responded by manufacturing a limited quantity of Kosher Coke, sweetened with sugar, in cans and bottles with "OU-P" or "Kosher L'Pesach" printed in Hebrew on a yellow cap. Kosher Coke is only available during March and April in areas with high Jewish populations, such as New York, Los Angeles, Miami and Boston.

Kosher Coke has been hard to find in recent years because non-Jewish aficionados are bulk-buying the product while stocks last. They say sugared Coke doesn't have the cloying aftertaste associated with HFCS, and could be less harmful to your health, as recent research has shown a link between increased HFCS consumption and the growing incidence of obesity and type 2 diabetes.

In Britain, the article reports, sugar is still being used. Read more.

I wouldn't drink either real sugar Coke or corn syrup coke myself.  As I've mentioned, I am a diehard Diet Coke fan. I did like to drink regular Coke way back in my youth, before the dinosaurs roamed the earth.  I remember drinking it out of the small glass bottles that required a bottle opener.  It always seemed to taste better in glass bottles than it did in a can.

Speaking of Baby Boomer memories, I recently received this in email.  It's a terrific site to stimulate remembrances of things past - - when airports had no security, Life magazine, Joe Namath wearing panty hose, red plaque disclosing tablets...