Random Roots

If you've been reading this blog for awhile, you may remember my beverage ramble about Dry Lavender Soda. Well yesterday, I had an encounter with a pop of another kind while randomly wandering my local Homesense with my mama and our family friend, Val. I was looking at agave nectar and exotic kinds of pink salt from all over the world when the displays of soda pop in glass bottles caught my eye. (Be it known henceforth, pop comes in cans, soda pop comes in bottles.)
The discovery was the Root Beer by the maine root pop company. Their claim to fame (or lack thereof) is that their product is all natural and hand crafted. Their claim to infamy is that the company is spearheaded by a guy in a tri-coloured headband, and another guy who looks like a deer in headlights... They make great soda pop though, and it's free trade. I know that this is coming from somebody who is probably going to drop dead one day as a result of aspartame poisoning, but I really enjoy the fact that I recognized every single ingredient on the list and could pronounce it on my first try. Purified water, cane sugar juice...etc... Small but mighty.

I'd like to think my small affair with weird pops and cane sugar started in my trip to Texas in November when my friend Josh (and photographer and general awesome) insisted we track down Dr. Pepper made with REAL CANE SUGAR. It was one of those things you could only get in Texas, in the States.... Forget about it, Canada.
One night after a day of filming we went out for dinner and then we cruised our way around Houston, to try and find this stuff. We ended up at a really fancy grocery store. (They had a security guard on a segue in the the parking lot...) where we wandered around, marveling at the novelties the American people are privy to. It was there that we finally found the pop in little glass bottles.

I think I bought two six packs and Josh bought.... three? The smoothness and the difference in quality turned us into instant fanatics. For the rest of the trip, those were the answer to a long hot day filming in the Texan sun, and Josh even took some back in his suitcase for his family, like a badass smuggler. I finished my last one waiting for our flight out of Texas, at 4 in the morning or something... Crazy.

Josh n' me, on our infamous Texas trip.

ANYWAY--

As far as taste goes, this stuff has the smooth personality of a jazz musician and a texture that puts other kinds of root beer to shame. It's carbonated but it doesn't burn on the way down. The aftertaste is a mere hint and it's pleasant. Yeah, I'm getting REALLY connoisseur on you now.
It IS 165 calories a bottle, but if you're one of those people who doesn't like to put chemicals into their body, or you're looking for a good treat, I'd recommend this in an instant.

The Odd Couple

My current job is working as an unpaid intern at a literary agency in downtown Toronto. I'm at the bottom of the food chain, a script reader who is basically paying to do work.
I read about one script per day, five days a week, and I'd like to say in my six weeks there, I've come across ONE script that was worth making into an actual movie. ONE.
Needless to say, I have read a lot of interesting and colourful scripts....and that's me being polite about it. Sometimes, the stories in them have combine some very unexpected elements. A few examples:

Comical Romance + Football
Giants + Teenage Murder
The Big Foot Myth + The Merlin Myth
Merry Poppins + Monster Slaying

As the person who sat through 100 pages of each of these scripts, I can tell you straight up that none of these combinations worked particularly well together. You know what works well together? Lavender and soda pop. I'm serious. Lavender Soda Pop.
I came home from work today to a visit from my mama, and you know what she brought me? One of my favourite things. You guessed it:
It was the perfect gift to end a long day where I read a 132 pages of a script that combined a PSA about the environment with a bunch of action movie explosions and Native American clichés. Sigh.

I first discovered this stuff when I was shopping at a health food store over the holidays with my family. They had a smorgasbord of amazing flavours from cucumber, juniper berry, blood orange to the beautiful one displayed above. I love off the wall foods and I immediately needed to try these. Lavender was my first bottle and my instant favourite. It's flowery, fragant and sweet....but not too sweet.

It feels totally sophisticated. (It's the only pop I've ever seen that suggests it would be worthwhile to serve with roast duck.) In addition, it's all natural and only 70 calories a bottle! Fancy!
This is why strange combinations can be GOOD. Whether it's lavender pop, or mixing prints in your clothing or eating peanut butter and pickle sandwiches, switch it up and try something new! I dare you!

P.S. Don't actually eat peanut butter and pickle sandwiches. I did it once on the suggestion from my dad, the man who puts seasoning salt on EVERYTHING. It's the last time I'll take culinary advice from him.