Mexican Fresca (above) apparently contains sugar
An ad from 1980. I drank a whole lot of those.
Today's ugly canWe're currently in the midst of Fresca season, which, as I define it, begins April 1 and ends October 1, roughly coinciding with baseball season (although I do not watch baseball). There are those who drink this sparkling grapefruit deliciousness year round; I do not condone such immoderate behavior. Fresca is a warm weather beverage. To all things a season.
I have tried to keep my Fresca consumption to one can a day ever since I noticed that it contains Ester of Wood Rosin (hello FDA, is that even edible?). The manufacturer now calls the ingredient Glycerol Ester of Rosin; maybe that seems a little less like something you wax your car with?
No matter, this soda is seriously delicious, and when the weather goes over 85 I have been known to pound Fresca. Fresca mixed with Vodka is a pure slice of heaven, although I don't really drink the hard stuff very often anymore. It might be a little worrisome if I was sucking cocktails down while watching Gavin & Stacey in my pjs.
I should note that Fresca is a diet beverage, and though I am against diet beverages, and diets in general (they don't work, they screw up your metabolism, they cause eating disorders and they are a buzzkill), I am for Fresca. On Monday my French teacher was railing (in French) about sugar-free sweeteners. Blah, blah, blah. I realize that they are bad for you, but I have never smoked, I don't do drugs, and I don't eat red meat. All of my vices are related to beverages, and I think I am entitled to my 2 cups of coffee in the morning, my lunch time Fresca, my afternoon tea, and a moderate consumption of wine with dinner. Anyway, the company did try introducing a sugared version of Fresca (called Citra) when I was at Jane, so that was sometime in the late 90's. This was because Mexicans living in the states wanted a Fresca like the sugary kind they get back home, but it didn't sell and instead there's a sugared grapefruit soda in the Fanta line. I don't care; just give me my Fresca.
I am a diehard fan, and so I have some issues. Before I tell you about them, just know that this vintage sign is awesome. I'm not too technical, and it isn't falling really where I want it in the post, and neither are the cans, but you do the best you can. Now, the current can design:
Could it be any uglier? Fresca had a classy look when it was introduced in 1963. (I was 2 then, and to my knowledge, my mother did not give me Fresca at that age, though she thought nothing of putting milky Irish tea in my baby bottle and feeding it to me with a Parliament in her hand. That may explain a lot. Like my propensity for long parentheticals.) While I am at it, what's up with the other flavors of Fresca. Peach? Who green lighted that brilliant decision? For the love of God, stick to the grapefruit.Anyway. I probably shouldn't be complaining because my dream is to have Fresca as the sole sponsor for Fallen Princess. Does anyone know their media planner?
I limit my beverages to coffee, iced tea and red wine, but this makes me wanna try Fresca. And what about Ting—the grapefruit soda from Jamaica. It's pretty great—did you ever try it?
ReplyDeleteI love Fresca! Have you ever had it in hard lemonade?
ReplyDeleteOh PS i'm not Jef as the profile says I'm Kathy *waves*
In fact, if my in-laws have BBC America, I hope to be sucking cocktails and watching "Gavin & Stacey" in my PJs. Drink every time someone says "hi-ya" or "naught" or "what's occurring".
ReplyDeleteFresca is my Hitchcock Night drink when my friend has no Dr. Pepper at her house. Maybe it would've been switched, Dr. Pepper the alternative to Fresca, if I wasn't initially so put off by the awful design that can only be described as, "funky."
ReplyDeleteI love how you just wrote a whole post on Fresca, it makes me smile. (or, as my friend calls it, "Freshishka".)
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I use to drink it like
ReplyDeleteit was going out style.:)
I know it's hard to believe but the other, lesser Fresca flavors (black cherry, or hm, berry berry, or berry merry, and the peach) are actually pretty darn good. NOT as good as the original but definitely fun and better than it sounds.
ReplyDeleteAnd don't forget about a Frisky. That would be Fresca and Whiskey , YUM!
ReplyDeleteI am way into Fresca. Somehow it being grapefruit makes it seem more healthy, though I know that's silly.
ReplyDeleteMy little brother only drinks Mexican Fresca (although in Mexico it's just Fresca), and when I was in high school my drink of choice was Fresca and Tequila (they're called Palomas). I tried recreating the flavour in canada, when I found a place that sold Fresca, but it just wasn't the same.
ReplyDeleteI love Fresca but I can only drink it when I'm not on Lipitor. You aren't supposed to drink anything with grapefruit in it when you're on Lipitor.
ReplyDeleteIs Fresca very different from Squirt? I love cold Squirt + gin, and maybe a twist of lime, instead of gin and tonics. Squirt and gin was my summer jam drink this year. It was introduced to me as a "Summer Hummer."
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