Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Do You Have Mexican Coca-Cola?

Taco trucks are a common sight in Los Angeles - they roam the city, offering cheap Mexican fare day and night.
But now there is one more reason why people line up before them: Mexican Coca-Cola. Many Americans remember wistfully the taste of Coca-Cola when they were children, as a different, better taste. When visiting countries such as Mexico, they find the very taste they lost, fresh out of the bottle. Indeed, in Mexico and other places, Coke is sweetened with actual sugar rather than with corn syrup as is now the case in the US. For a sip of childhood or to feel like a genuine Los Angeles snob, ask for Mexican Coca-Cola...

33 comments:

d. moll, l.ac. said...

LOL and straight sugar is better for you than the high fructose genetically modified corn syrup used in most drinks.
PS- Am considering writing up my Costa Rice trip since you asked. I found my journal......

Deidra said...

I am addicted to Mexican Cola! My friend Ever owns a restaurant here in town (El Rancho) that serves this delicious concoction straight from the long-neck bottle with an extra tall straw! You are so right...once you try it, other colas just don't compare!

Beverly Ash Gilbert said...

I keep hearing about the real Cola - now I know why I haven't liked Coca-Cola for so long.

Gabbi said...

Yikes! You're becoming a complete Angelno dear Mary-Laure... very neat... :) I also like the 'Boings' guava sodas. Deelicious.xo

Mary-Laure said...

D. MOLL - oh yes, please do write about your trip to Costa Rica! I hear it's a magical country.

DEIDRA - You know, I also think the glass bottle makes a difference.

BEVERLY - yes, this mythical and elusive Cola really does exist.

GABBI - oh yeeeeesssss, I just adore the taste of guava...... and their scent!

Anonymous said...

i heard this as well..and overall i actually prefer the taste of pop in a bottle (plus it is better for the environment). you are cool all day!

nancyxx

Rebecca said...

I love Mexican Coke!! I used to be able to get it at most stores in Texas, but now I'm in Tennessee so I have to go to an actual Mexican grocery store to find it. I've also discovered Kosher Coke - you can find it in regular groceries sometimes (usually around Jewish holidays): it has the yellow top and is made with sucrose instead of HFCS.

Mary-Laure said...

REBECCA - Kosher Coke? Now that's one I had never heard about. As a Coca-Cola lover, I turn up my nose at Pepsi, so I'm not sure I'll love Kosher Coke, but I may try it some time. Thanks for the tip!

d. moll, l.ac. said...

The first part is already up! thanks for motivating me :~)

Anonymous said...

Looks like I'm alone in not liking Coke at all, Mexican or otherwise lol! It IS very good for cleaning coins though =P.

- Charlotte. =].

Laura in Paris said...

I also prefer sugar ... and we know we can have a "genuine" Coca Cola at El Rancho (see Deidra) or the closest Taco Truck!

muchlove said...

I had no idea Coca-Cola is different in different countries!

ONiC said...

i never really taste any coke from other country than asian. even the american one. coke here are way sweeter, according to my ex who is american.

Sam said...

Gosh! How interesting! I'm not a huge coca-cola drinker I think for the very reasons you have outlined here...good excuse to visit Mexico!

Hey Harriet said...

I had no idea that Mexican coke was different and now I'm wishing I could get my hands on some! I'll hunt around for it but I don't like my chances of finding any over here. I had noticed that coke tastes different to how it did when I was a kid. I can't drink the stuff from a plastic bottle. Ick! Cans or glass bottles only for me. Plastic bottled coke is so wrong wrong wrong...

{Tara} said...

We have many little authentic Mexican restaurants here as well...I think one of the best parts of eating there is the Mexican Coke -- I don't usually drink a lot of soda, but it is too delicious to pass up!

Mary-Laure said...

D MOLL - yay!

CHARLOTTE - good for you!

WORLD IN A PAN - I'm sure they also use sugar in Uruguay, we need to check.

ONIC - I agree with your ex, the taste really is different in Asia.

SAM - any excuse is good to visit that beautiful country.

HEY HARRIET - I agree, I'm all for glass bottles.

TARA - I'm not big on sodas but I do have a soft spot for classic Coke and... Ginger Ale!

Chrisy said...

Wow...how amazing...I'm over in Australia and will have to check on the next bottle of coca cola I see re the sugar used....your area of the word sounds so interesting...

Mary-Laure said...

CHRISSY - I'd really like to know what they use in Australia. Corn syrup often appears as HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) in ingredient lists.
And yes, this part of the world is pretty crazy!

K8 said...

Now I really want to try Mexican Coca Cola!

TERI REES WANG said...

Cool trick!

...I usually cannot wait for winter to send out someone brave enough to go out at 7am to go score me a piping hot giant cup of Champerado, off the first 'Roach Coach' on the street!

I have to wait an hour for it to cool down enough to drink it but, keeps the winter chill off all day.

Mary-Laure said...

TERI - I've never heard of Champerado, I'm going to look it up!

Alya said...

I didn't know that Coca Cola changed some of its ingredients. I thought it was a recipe that was timeless!

By the way, I've got a Perricone MD product to give away over at my blog. Come check it out!

Miss Cavendish said...

Interesting! I haven't had a sip of soda in years but would reconsider for this nostalgic drink.

Mary-Laure said...

ALYA - the ingredients stay the same indeed except for the sweetener, which varies from corn syrup to "traditional" sugar.

MISS CAVENDISH - yay, go for a sip!

laughingwolf said...

hmm... dunno what they use here in canada, but i remember 'the real thing' coke...

mansuetude said...

we have that here in the mexican store. tried one, but not for the taste, for the feel of those old scratchy recyclable bottles.

I finally got to see Revolutionary Road! You posted way back about it, and it is amazing. Thought of you and how you connected it to the level of The Hours; it is similiar and so powerful. Thanks.

Mary-Laure said...

MANSUETUDE - I'm just so happy you liked Revolutionary Road! It moved me very deeply.

Laura Stockett Roberts said...

Just saw an article about this is Garden and Gun. I knew they were different!!

And my southern grandmother had little handmade covers to slide over the curvy Coke bottle. I wish I knew where those were!

Mary-Laure said...

ECLECTIC - thanks for the tip, I'll check out that article!

Fifi Flowers said...

We have a deli nearby that sells CocaCola hecho en Mexico... by kids LOVE it!!!

donna baker said...

Oh, I can't wait to try that when I go to LaJolla in August.

Kate vdZ said...

When I have traveled to central america, I always have prefered the coke there but I never knew why exactly. This makes total sense! uh- oh now i am in the mood for some. . .