Flavors of Utah

I spent enough time in Utah during my childhood to know that it was the only place you could find chocolate Twizzlers. Each time we made a trip to visit family here, the To Do List consisted of popping in to say hello to Grandma Erla so she could remind my father what a naughty child he had been and ask him why he had to live so far away, checking out the contents of Grandpa and Grandma McClurg's cookie drawer, playing with cousins at Grandma Kay's house and taking our turn in fetching her elephant sized purse for her, spending a day at Lagoon, hitting the Jade Terrace for ham fried rice and fried shrimp, and eating chocolate licorice.

About a year ago, Twizzlers changed the recipe for their chocolate licorice, boasting that it was now made with Hershey's syrup, which was supposed to impress us, but in reality, the licorice was ruined. They took my artificially flavored waxy goodness and turned it into nothing special. Hershey's syrup has robbed me of one of the best things about Utah, and I haven't bought a bag since.

Utah was also the home of a majority of my favorite restaurants. Many of them have gone the way of the once delicious Chocolate Twizzlers. There was Mr. Z's, Jade Terrace, Charlie Chow's, and Schlotzsky's Deli - all of which are out of business, too far away, or began to smell like bathroom. Such a pity. There's nowhere left with good Chinese. Olive Garden is now the only local Italian. And when I really need a sandwich on rye, I have to make it myself. I take comfort that at least we still have Wingers.

The Beehive State is also stocked with caffeine-free Dr. Pepper. I swear it tastes different than regular Dr. Pepper. However, Barq's root beer is made here without caffeine, and it tastes the same. I can't explain it, but that is the truth.

Utah did introduce me to one drink that I can still coax most restaurants to make for me, but if not, then I am capable of doing it at home. The heavenly Chocolate Coke. You may be a fan of Cherry Coke, or Vanilla Coke, but until you've tried a Chocolate Coke, you don't know what you're missing.

So today I thought to myself, "Self, we are having a lovely day. A day that is worthy of a chocolate coke, and we just so happen to have a two liter bottle of Coca-cola in the fridge." So I went to make one, because nothing would go better with a chocolate frosted doughnut than a chocolate laced Coke, right?... but as it so happens, we have no Hershey's syrup. I now find myself in a very strong love-hate relationship with Hershey. He's never there when I need him, but pops up in the most unwelcome places. I suppose I'll have to drink my Coke naked today.