Dr. Phil's Dreamwidth Journal

Even The Bubbles Taste Good

Cheerwine is one of those regional products which don't translate well to people and places outside their comfort zones. Yes, there are various types of red soda pop and cherry flavored soft drinks, including Cherry Coke, but Cheerwine is something special. We even ate dinner in Greensboro NC in a lovely restaurant where I was able to get a glass bottle of real Cheerwine with real cane sugar with dinner. (grin) Apparently it's a big seller and our waiter played it up by presenting the label to me before opening the bottle tableside. (big red bubbles grin)

Created by L.D. Peeler in 1917, Cheerwine is the one-of-a-kind, sparkling soft drink that wins loyal fans with just one sip. Originating in Salisbury, North Carolina, we have it on good authority that we’re the last soda company in America still run by the same family who started it way back when. To us, Cheerwine is not just a delicious soft drink, it’s a unique take on life. When you have one of these ice-cold beauties in your hand, things seem to magically become that much more chill. There really is nothing better than kicking back with a Cheerwine and soaking in the moment. It’s time to let the secret out about this thing we call Cheerwine. We’re glad you’re a part of it.

Limited Time Availability

A while ago on Facebook I joined/friended a Cheerwine sponsored group. Fortunately they don't publish too many postings, but it has been amusing. Today, however, they broke the bank with the announcement of a special one-month product for North and South Carolina:

SNEAK PEEK: You asked for it, we did it! CHEERWINE KREME FILLED KRISPY KREME DOUGHNUTS hit grocery stores on July 1 in the Carolina's (we're really sorry folks outside of the Carolina's but Cheerwine and Krispy Kreme go way back in these parts). JULY ONLY... LIMITED EDITION Cheerwine Doughnut... Snacktacular! Long Live Leisure!

I loved the comments to Cheerwine's announcement. One of them was typically priceless: "Helloooooo diabetes. Not stopping till full on paralysis sets in." I mean, let's be practical -- I'm not sure I'd be able to handle eating a regular Krispy Kreme washed down by a full bottle of Cheerwine. Yet somehow the perverse streak in me would be willing to try one Cheerwine Kreme Filled Krispy Kreme. Once.

Eek! My teeth hurt just thinking about this!

Dr. Phil

Mmm... Sigh

Finally, happier notes. Less grumpy. Surrounded by family here, phonelinks to family afar and echoes of friends and family online. And full from a delightful dinner.

Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, baked root vegetables (potatoes, turnips, carrots, leeks, onions), two kinds of cranberries (canned jelly and homemade cranberry-orange relish), gravy, a bottle of homemade Malbec (from a friend of Mrs. Dr. Phil in trade for some homemade bagels) -- and two kinds of pies, pumpkin and pecan. Oh. My. Yum.

Okay, So Much For The Big, Pig-Out Meal, But What About That Thankful Bit?

I am thankful that there's still a little sanity left in the world. That not everyone has to turn the holidays into a crass money grab. That I know many families who are visiting each other, meeting up with friends, and playing with their children. That not everyone is hellbent on trying to destroy the Earth (and each other). That there are still people interested in learning new things. And that there are people who are will to lighten up and have a little fun every now and then.

Yeah, Dr. Phil is pretty thankful every day -- and really, I'm much more of an optimist than a pessimist. Really.

(grin)

Dr. Phil

The Latest Big Food Outrage... In West Michigan!

The West Michigan Whitecaps Single-A minor league baseball team has a really nice ballpark and one helluva great park management operation. Originally named Old Kent Park, when the venerable and local Old Kent Bank was snapped up by Fifth-Third Bank, the new bank couldn't leave well enough alone and had the name changed to Fifth-Third, despite there already being another Fifth-Third park in the Midwest League.

Now they've always done great food. One tasty treat is the Loaded Pig Swimming -- a BBQ pork chop sandwich which Mrs. Dr. Phil and I usually split, rather than trying to choke them down by ourselves. But their new item...

Behold The Fifth-Third Burger



The stats: Five one-third pound patties (Fifth-Third, get it?), "with lettuce, tomato, salsa, sour cream, chili and Fritos on an eight-inch sesame seed bun" and is intended to serve four for twenty bucks. Or one person can try to eat it all in one sitting and get a T-shirt.

Need calories? Have 4889. Want some fat? We got it -- 299 grams. Sodium? 10.887 grams. No, really, not milligrams... grams. Even before the baseball season starts, this has made news -- even on CNBC. Maybe the Travel Channel's Man vs. Food guy will come here. I may be very large and fat, but I couldn't possibly consume one by myself. It'd hurt, I'd explode, I'd die.

The T-shirts don't come in my size anyway.

Dr. Phil