Food Lush

How to Keep the Fizz in Your Drink When Pouring Over Ice

by Caitlin

My husband has said that living with me is like living with a G-rated drug addict (an analogy that I hope you'll forgive and that I promise is tongue-in-cheek): He finds paraphernalia all over the house and I have nearly uncontrollable cravings that should be addressed quickly before things get ugly. But it's not white powder I crave: It's fizz.

Fizzy, clear, bubbly, cold, delicious sparkling water.

There are often several bottles in our fridge, but in a pinch I might have to grab a warm one out of the pack. I hate to do this, though, because as soon as the drink goes over the ice it starts to fizz like mad and by the time it settles down it's flat. By then, why bother?

My husband has saved the day (as he is wont to do), though, and my addiction to The Juice shall live on, un-threatened by a lack of pre-chilled bottles! So, how to keep your fizzy drinks from out-fizzing themselves over ice?

Wet the cubes first.

Have you noticed that the fizz stays for a second round of drink if you refill your glass? That's because the beverage has smoothed out the microscopic surface of the ice, which means there are fewer nucleation sites. In other words, there are fewer places for the CO2 to cling and make bubbles. Or something something blah blah science.

So! Rinse your ice cubes with cold water, drain the water out (stick your hand over the top of the glass and strain it loosely through your fingers. No need to get fancy. Just don't let your company see), and then pour your beverage over those beautiful, cold cubes while preserving every last thirst-quenching bubble. Voila!

(Pretend this glass has ice in it. THAT'S what your drink will look like. QUENCHING!)

 Photo from wisegeek.com.

Sore throat soothers

by Elsha

Well, it seems I've caught my first cold of the season, thanks to my 20 month old who had it last week. Along with the usual runny nose, congestion, and sneezing, this one came with a bonus -- a terrible sore throat. I'm a surprisingly big baby when it comes to sore throats. Before I had my tonsils out at age 22, I had them all the time and got used to it, but since then, they're pretty rare. So now when I have a sore throat I'm always surprised, and want it to go away as soon as possible. Unfortunately, there's no magic cure, so I have to make due with some throat soothers.  

My go-to throat soother is ice water. The cold feels nice, and who doesn't need to drink more water right? In the winter I like herbal tea with honey, but it's still a little hot around here for that. My husband prefers carbonated drinks, he likes the bubbles on a sore throat, but for me the bubbles are more irritating than anything.  

What about you, what's your favorite drink for a sore throat? 

Candy Corner: Candy and Kids

by Erik

It's nearing Easter, which ranks third in the order of Candy High Holidays (Halloween is #1, Valentine's Day is #2).  There isn't another candy holiday until, well, next Halloween -- although nothing celebrates Arbor Day like a good chunk of Maple Syrup Candy.  

Anyway, Easter.  Lots of candy.  How do you deal, as a parent?  Do you let 'em go whole hog?  Do you ration it out?  Is Easter Candy strictly forbidden?  

I'd like to think that every parent knows their own kids limits, and how much is appropriate for them.  However, I know from my own personal experience that this isn't really true. I generally show extremely poor judgment in terms of allowing my kids to have candy.  This is coming from someone who let his four year old chug Orange Crush at a sushi restaurant while giving his 10-month old pieces of partially-chewed Skittles just so she would shut the hell up for ten minutes!  It totally worked, too.  Plus, my sister is a pediatric dentist who regularly has to tell people not to put Mountain Dew into their toddler's baby bottles.  So, obviously, there are those out there that are unaware that there probably should be limits on how much sugar to give your kid.  

It's hard to talk about this on the internet without sounding judgmental and rude -- really, when it comes right down to it, it's none of my business how much sugar you give your kid.  If you want to crush up Sweet Tarts and add them to their spinach, you go for it!  It's probably not the greatest nutritional decision one can make as a parent... but who am I to judge?  Still, it's one of those topics that seems to incite anger and wrath.  The whole reason I even bring this up is due to a recent blog post of an old college frenemy who is without a doubt one of the most smug, self-satisfiedly annoying parents in the history of all time (seriously), who stated "Time to start taking away the Easter Candy!"  and it's like, ok, we get it.  You're the greatest mom in the history of the world.  Take your award, go home, go blankety blank yourself, and leave the rest of us alone.  (Do I have unresolved anger issues?  Probably.)   

Besides, a little candy or a little soda for breakfast never hurt anyone.  When I was in high school, and still watching my younger siblings before they'd go off to school, I'd occasionally give them Mt. Dew.  And we all turned out mostly fine.    

So, what's my point here?  This is my point: Skittles can make a perfectly acceptable breakfast food.  I know from experience.

Now go home and taste the motherfucking rainbow.

{Photo credit: amazon.com}

Hot Lips Soda

By Jessica

 

I am not a fan of coke, the umbrella heading for every soda in Texas other than Dr. Pepper, they are overly cloying and all the chemicals tear my stomach to bits. I can tolerate them with the addition of whiskey or rum but that's about the only way unless it's a more natural soda like Jones or Boylan or maybe Hot Lips. 

Hot Lips Soda looks the most intriguing to me because their sodas are actually made with real sustainable berries (or pears), organic lemon juice, cane syrup and even recycled bottles. I find the fact that they contain pulp interesting and certainly can imagine the freshness of taste you'd experience with those ingredients. I also love that they have pairing/mixer suggestions for each flavor. 

Available online, in the Portland area, or you can search for a local retailer.

Have you ever tried Hot Lips Soda? What is your favorite "coke"?

{Photo credit: Hot Lips.com}