Ginger Ale: Sweet, Spicy, and Sublime
When I was a college kid at the Philippine Women’s University, people knew almost at once that I was no ordinary kid for a number of reasons: I hung out alone, did a lot more reading than the average kid, spoke English with a decidedly Western twang, won almost every contest they threw me into (obviously, modesty isn’t my strongest point), and my softdrink of choice was neither Coke nor Pepsi. Yes, they really threw that last one into consideration because people’s eyebrows rose whenever I came out of the cafeteria carrying a can of ginger ale.
Seriously: there was this one little stall in the University food court that sold canned Canadian ginger ale between 1993 and 1997. (Alas, I forgot the brand. It has been eight years since I graduated, after all.) At PhP 18.00 a can, it was three bucks more expensive than other, more common canned sodas. I loved the stuff for its sweet spiciness that tingled through my throat as I sucked it down.
When I graduated, I felt more than a little deprived as ginger ale wasn’t exactly something you could buy from the corner mini-mart. But I made a lucky discovery recently as I was browsing through the shelves at Healthy Options: Hansen’s Diet Ginger Ale. It was everything I’d craved for over the past several years: sweet, spicy, and sublime. Sure it’s a bit pricier than other softdrinks, but the lift it gives me is absolutely priceless.
***Shopping Notes*** Hansen’s Diet Ginger Ale costs PhP 44.00 a pop at all Healthy Options stores.
