What are some fun facts or trivia about cream soda?
Cream soda's origin is murky. The earliest known recipe, printed in the Michigan Farmer in 1852, had no vanilla and used cream of tartar and milk. Dr. Brown sold a vanilla cream soda in Brooklyn from 1868. Synthetic vanillin in the 1930s made vanilla flavoring far more available. Color and taste vary by country.
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Fun facts about cream soda
- 1852: the earliest known cream soda recipe appeared in the Michigan Farmer, written by E.M. Sheldon. It had no vanilla. Its ingredients included cream of tartar, Epsom salts, sugar, tartaric acid, milk and an egg.
- 1868: Dr. Brown, a Brooklyn physician, began selling sodas, including a vanilla-flavored, pale tan cream soda. He started selling bottles in 1886. His sodas were marketed with health claims, and the FDA later made him stop advertising them as medicine.
- Vanilla was once a luxury: it was an expensive spice, so not widely available. In the 1930s synthetic vanillin made vanilla flavoring far cheaper, and cream soda spread across the US and the world.
- Creamy without cream: the article notes that vanilla can make a drink seem creamy without any dairy.
Why is it called cream soda?
Nobody knows for sure. One theory points to cream of tartar in the 1852 recipe, though an author at Bon Appetit (republished by Fox News) is not convinced it connects to modern cream soda. The same author argues the name comes from vanilla: a 1992 study cited there found that adding vanilla to 1 percent milk made it seem creamier without changing its fat. That is an inference, not established fact.
How does cream soda differ around the world?
| Place | Cream soda style |
|---|---|
| US | Differs mainly by color: Barq’s brown, A&W tan, Jones clear |
| Canada (Crush) | Bright pink, closer to cotton candy |
| Venezuela (Frescolita) | Tastes like bubble gum |
| Australia (Bickford’s) | Bubble gum and raspberry |
| South Africa (Sparletta) | Neon green and floral |
How do you enjoy cream soda?
- As an ice cream float with vanilla ice cream.
- Cold over ice with a slice of lemon.
What should you know before buying?
Read the label for sugar and caffeine, since products differ.
Details above come from one 2017 article (Bon Appetit via Fox News), so treat dates as that author’s reporting.
People also ask
Why is it called cream soda if it has no cream?
The origin of the name is uncertain. Theories point to cream of tartar in an early recipe or to vanilla making the drink seem creamy.
Who invented cream soda?
No single inventor is documented. An 1852 recipe in the Michigan Farmer is the earliest known; Dr. Brown sold a vanilla version in Brooklyn from 1868.
Is cream soda the same everywhere?
No. In Canada it can be pink, in Venezuela it tastes like bubble gum and in South Africa it can be neon green.
Sources
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