It is with excitement that I entered my local A&P just as the sun was setting on the last day of Passover. At last, I could put the passover rules behind me and reach for the Corn-chips and corn-syrup based soda.
And what do you know, my local A&P had a sale. 2 two-litre Bottles of Coke for $3. Come to think of that, Coke is now cheaper than a gallon of gasoline in New York state. And so I pony up my $3. As I open the soda I look for that satisfying FIZZ. And I hear it.
With excitement, I pour it into my 16 oz plastic cup … pure golden brown goodness. I bring it to my lips … and there the vision ceases. The Coke is FLAT!!!! Flat, acidic high-fructose corn syrup water. ARGHH!!!!
And then I think. Maybe there was a reason for that sale on Coke. Maybe, there is a shelf-life for Coke (as the CO2 oozes through the pores of plastic). Maybe, when the Soda is fresh from the factory and cost $2.49 a litre, I get better soda.
Have you ever wondered what the “expiration date” of soda is. I have been so often disappointed by “discounted soda” even from main brands, that I wonder … when is the optimal time to buy a soda, one that preserves its fizz even in the face of ice.
To my Jewish friends, Happy Passover. And to others Happy Easter or whatever applies.