I will not miss: No ginger ale anywhere

This isn't just about ginger ale. Ginger ale is just a symptom of a bigger problem.

When I first moved to Indiana, I noticed that ginger ale was really hard to find. One day I felt sick while I was driving and I stopped at a convenient store to get a ginger ale to settle my stomach. I searched every inch of the store coolers (and it was a pretty big Marathon-Village Pantry) and there were no varieties of ginger ale to be found. I walked back and forth like 5 times in disbelief. I walked out with a 7-Up and heavy heart. This experience led to a revelation for me: ginger ale is not as readily available in the Midwest. This was a big deal for me. My people love ginger ale. My dad is French Canadian and Canada Dry is number one. As a child, my grandma and grandpa used to buy these adorable little 10-ounce glass bottles of Canada Dry. They were my favorite! In addition, the Adirondack Beverage Company made regular ginger ale, plus a wide selection of flavored ones, like raspberry, cranberry, and blueberry. I love them all. Even poor substitute Seagram's and nasty-ass Schwepp's had several different types of ginger ale, all readily available. And every grocery store has their own generic type, as well. We don't have Vernor's, though. Vernor's is gross and Midwest/West. Ok so clearly, I am a ginger connoisseur.

My people love ginger ale.

That is why I was so incredibly pissed the other day when I was in Lowe's Corner Market and I wanted a bottle of ginger ale and there was literally not one in the whole store, even in the fancy soda section. The next day in Market Street, I was only able to find Canada Dry (thank the lord) and one fancy type. I am sick of not being able to find a decent bottle of ginger ale at any old store, let alone multiple flavor. For that matter, I would never be able to find ginger on tap at a bar for cocktail like Pimms or Dark & Stormy or a nice Whiskey Highball. I once had a bartender in Lafayette say, "I can give you Sprite with a splash of Coke.....it's the same color." What? Wait, what?

Apparently, ginger ale is a Canadian/northeast thing. I never realized that dry ginger ale was invented and bottled by a Canadian pharmacist, so it makes sense that it is more common in the northeast. It is in every store, every bar, most restaurants, and even, sometimes, in fountains at average gas stations. So basically, ginger ale is one example of a product/store/service that is common in the northeast, that I have missed while I have been in Texas.

Another one is Dunkin Donuts. Oh sweet, sweet Dunkin. You cannot throw a stick in New England without hitting a DD. Then there is Cumberland Farms. Cumby's is basically just a shitty gas station, but it had these yummy Coach House candy bars that I love! I miss it. Also, Friendly's. Give me an order of frunions, a bowl of chicken noodle soup, a thanksgiving melt sandwich, and a sundae for dessert. "Friendly's! You bet we are!" I miss Cabot products. Cottage cheese, sour cream, whipped cream, and most of all, cheddar cheese. Hard, sharp, Vermont cheddar. And speaking of Vermont. Ben and Jerry's. Nuff said.

There are definitely a few Texas businesses and products that I will miss, which I will cover in another post, but I will not miss the lack of ginger ale, et al, in Texas.