-=> Mike Powell wrote to DAVE DRUM <=-

 > My friend, Laszlo, who has been a scout leader for a few years is of
 > the impression that it will be one big "rainbow connection" with straight,
 > gay, bi, transexual, ambisexual, etx. all under the same tent. I wouldn't
 > want to supervise that varied a bunch who are in the learning and trying
 > new stuff phase of growing up.

 MP> Certainly not.  Sounds like a recipe for trouble (no pun intended!).

Laszlo says he's going to enlist Rhetta (his wife) to help. She just gives
him one of those "looks".  Bv)=

 >  MP> regional.  You are not too far north of one of those "regional" areas.
 >  MP> Excel Bottling is somewhere in Southern Illiois -- Breese, I think.
 >  MP> Other hotspots include Evansville, IN; South Central Ohio; and South
 >  MP> Central/Western Kentucky.

 > Breese is in the St. Louis Metro-East area - so, 8 or so miles from me.

 MP> They bottle most of the glass bottled Ski and Double Cola that one
 MP> would find available in this area, now that Greensburg Bottling is no
 MP> more.

 >  MP> Coke pretty much ran Double Cola out of its former Kentucky region,
 >  MP> when they bought out Greensburg Bottling, but Ski is still around (and
 >  MP> is now distributed locally by Ale-8-One).

 > Ski, IIRC, is a lemon-ginger product and similar to Ale-8. Hmmmmmm.

 MP> Ski is a citrus soda.  Mountain Dew and Mello Yello are like it, except
 MP> it has (at least some) real lemon and orange juice in it, and it tastes
 MP> better.

Tasting better than Mello Yello and Mount & Do is not a high bar to jump.

 > I wish there was a local presence of Cheer wine (cherry) soda. I first
 > met it in North Carolina where it's a regional favourite.

 MP> I can find that here locally, in glass bottles, at Kroger stores.  It
 MP> is a little pricey here, though.

 MP> Fun fact:  Cheerwine is based on a cola that was originally created in
 MP> Maysville, Kentucky.  The Cheerwine folks acquired the formula and
 MP> added the cherry flavoring, making it a hit.

 MP> Last time I was through the Carolinas I was also able to find Red Rock
 MP> Cola, which is another treat.

My Cola preference is, and always has been, Coca Cola. Pepsi is waaaaay
too sweet. And the other Colas not as tasty/zippy - altho Royal Crown is
"the best of the rest" and will do in a pinch.

My current carbonated favourite is A&W/7-UP's zero sugar Dr. Pepper & 
Cream Soda which is wildly popular in this area and hard to find in the
stupormarkups.

MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06
 
      Title: Bean Dip a la Dr. Pepper
 Categories: Dips, Snacks, Beans, Chilies, Pork
      Yield: 2 Servings
 
     15 oz Can red kidney beans;
           - drained
      3 tb Tomato Paste
      2 tb Oil
      1 ts Salt
    1/4 ts Black Pepper
      1 cl Garlic; minced
    1/2 c  Dr. Pepper
      4 oz Can chopped green chilies;
           - drained
      1 ts Worcestershire sauce
      1 c  Sharp cheddar; shredded
           Crisp chopped bacon
 
  Combine all ingredients except the last 2 in saucepan;
  heat to boiling. Pour into blender or electric mixer;
  add cheese. Blend on high speed until well mixed. Pour
  into warmer dish; cover with bacon. Serve with chips,
  crackers.
  
  Source: Cookin' with Dr. Pepper
  
  From: http://www.recipesource.com
  
  Uncle Dirty Dave's Archives
 
MMMMM

... No one can feel as helpless as the owner of a sick goldfish.
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