Yes Coke Yes
Some Japanese Coca Cola slogans over the years which I never thought were strange, but my U.S. friends laughed about: “Yes Coke Yes”, “I feel Coke”, “No Reason”.
Anyway, the reason I mention this is because the other day at 7/11, at the checkout, I won a bottle of real, sugary, Coke. I hadn’t drunk anything except sugar-free soft drinks for, oh, 20 years or more. Sugary soft drinks just seemed like a waste of calories, even for me. But when I got home I tried it. And was surprised. Real Coke tastes NOTHING like Coca Cola Zero (the sugar free Coke they sell here). I mean nothing at all like it. It’s like comparing margarine and butter – two other things which have no taste in common at all. Coca Cola Zero actually tastes sweeter. That was my first surprise. The real Coke, chock full of sugar, actually tastes less sweet. It has a dryer, more pleasant for adults taste I think. Also the flavor or texture (I can’t put my finger on it) in real Coke is richer. I think maybe there is something about the real sugar (or high fructose corn syrup, or whatever they use these days) which can’t be simulated well with artificial sweeteners. Will I now drink real Coke? Or course not. It’s a hideous waste of calories. But it did make me realize how bad and artificial Coca Cola Zero really tastes. I should just not drink artificially sweetened drinks at all. doug p.s. Bonus trivia question: The flavor we all think of as “cola” actually is mostly a combination of two other common flavors. What are those two flavors?
Doug: When I was there in the early ’90s, they used to have a great Coke Variant in Japan called Coke Light. It had like 50 calories and no artificial sweetener. It was awesome. Wish we had it here in the States. BTW, “I Feel Coke” is weird. It would never fly in a U.S. ad campaign. Just another example of tortured English in Japanese ads.
Grif? How have you been?I think I remember Coke Light. Not sure if I tried it. Did you know that Michael will be visiting in a week or so?But I digress.It’s hard sometimes to tell what’s “strange English” anymore… doug
Doug: I’ve been OK. I didn’t know Mike was coming over. We don’t communicate much since he moved back to California. I’m sure you guys will have a great time. I’d love to spend some time in Japan again, but that will have to wait until I can get a kidney. I don’t want to travel out of the country while on dialysis.
Michael and I don’t communicate much either. So this will be a rare visit.I had no idea you were on dialysis. When did this problem start occurring? You can email me privately if you like instead of on my blog! doug(at)lerner.net.
We only drink diet coke