Archive for September, 2011

Dr Pepper issue the Ten Man’Ments. Broken any, men?

September 28th, 2011 | Tags:
Posted in News and Updates, Soda
4 Comments »

Dr PepperTo promote their new 10 calorie range of drinks, Dr Pepper have issued Ten Man’Ments, which they describe as “The Definitive Guide to Social Protocol for Men”. Now we don’t subscribe to the idea that a 10 calorie Dr Pepper should be aimed only at men (they’ve gone so far as to say “It’s not for women”!), but the Ten Man’Ments are actually very good guidelines for us blokes to follow when using social media!

You can pop over to the Dr Pepper Facebook page and see them for yourself (you’ll have to Like the page)…or you can just read them here :) :

1 – THOU SHALT NOT OMG
If it’s not exploding, it’s not exciting.

2 – THOU SHALT NOT PUCKER UP
Kissy faces are never manly.

3 – THOU SHALT NOT POST PICS OF YOUR OUTFIT
Unless it’s battle armour and you have a gigantic sword and/or small bazooka.

4 – THOU SHALT NOT POST FURRY ANIMAL VIDEOS
Exceptions made for beasts fighting to the death and bears destroying idyllic picnic scenes.

5 – THOU SHALT NOT MAKE A ‘MAN-GAGEMENT’ ALBUM
That is all.

6 – THOUGH SHALT NOT SHARE YOUR HOROSCOPE
Daily.

7 – THOU SHALT NOT INSTAGRAM YOUR LUNCH
Real men eat lunch, not tweet it.

8 – THOU SHALT NOT UNTAG UNFLATTERING PICS
We know you were there.

9 – THOU SHALT NOT END A COMMENT WITH A =)
(Oops…I do that all the time!)

10 –  THOU SHALT NOT MAKE A FACEBOOK PROFILE FOR YOUR PET,
baby and/or imaginary friend.

So go on – how many have you broken? I’m sad to say at least two…

And ladies, this implies you’re guilty of all ten – is it true? :)

Two of our favourite recipes, supplied by you!

September 20th, 2011 | Tags: , ,
Posted in Recipes
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Every now and then, some of our valuable customers are kind enough to share their culinary secrets with us. We love receiving these recipes as it gives us the opportunity to try out something new using the products we supply – all too often we just follow the on-pack instructions or (I say guiltily) scoff it straight from the packet or box!

Here’s two recipes that are well worth trying out that were shared with us on our Facebook page.

Blueberry Syrup

Recipe supplied by Claire Manning

Blueberry Syrup on WafflesNot too long ago it was National Waffle Week in the US and we asked what toppings were people’s favourites to have on their waffles. Claire intrigued us by mentioning blueberry syrup. We had to know how to make that, and she happily obliged!

What You’ll Need:

2 cups fresh blueberries
1/4 cup water
1 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup cold water
3 tablespoons cornflour
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Generous pinch kosher salt

What To Do:

1) Gently mix the blueberries, 1/4 cup of water, orange juice, salt and sugar in a pan and bring to a boil.

2) Mix together the cornflour and 1/4 cup cold water in a small bowl.

3) Stir the cornflour mixture into the blueberries gently so as not to mash the berries up.

4) Simmer gently until thickened and to your desired consistency.

5) Remove from heat and stir in the almond extract and cinnamon.

Then pour over delicious waffles made from either Aunt Jemima Original Pancake & Waffle Mix or Mississippi Complete Pancake & Waffle Mix – your choice!

Peanut Butter Cookies

Recipe supplied by Kearsten Hall

Peanut Butter CookiesWhen we asked what uses people had for Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips (other than scoffing them straight from the bag, of course!), Kearsten gave us this idea for peanut butter cookies. Now, you don’t have to use the Peanut Butter Chips in this, you can use chocolate chips instead, but as the cookie is made with a decent amount of peanut butter it will remain a Peanut Butter Cookie no matter what!

What You’ll Need:

3/4 cup (170 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup (105 grams) light brown sugar
1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated white sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup (185 grams) peanut butter (smooth or crunchy – we prefer the smooth!)
2 cups (260 grams) all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup peanut butter chips or 1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Makes about 40 cookies.

What To Do:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2) In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugars until light and fluffy (about 2 – 3 minutes).

3) Beat in the peanut butter. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat to combine.

4) In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the peanut butter mixture and beat until incorporated.

5) Fold in the peanut butter or chocolate chips, if using. (If the batter is too soft to form into balls, place in the refrigerator for about an hour or until firm.)

6) Roll the batter into 1 inch (2.5 cm) balls.

7) Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheet, placing about 2 inches (5 cm) apart.

8 ) Using the tines of the fork that has been dipped in white granulated sugar, make a crisscross pattern.

9) Bake the cookies for about 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly browned around the edges.

10) Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

The cookies can be stored at room temperature, in an airtight container, for about a week. Freeze for longer storage.

Don’t they both sound great? Give them a try and let us know what you think.

So…anyone else got any fantastic recipes we can try out using the stuff we provide? We’ll pick the best ones for another blog post. :)

New Foursquare Offer for Shop Visitors!

September 15th, 2011 | Tags: , , ,
Posted in News and Updates
13 Comments »

foursquare-logoHi there!

As you may know, we’re now on Foursquare, which means we can offer you exclusive offers when you check in at our store in Manchester. Our first offer was fairly conservative, we gave away a free bag of Warheads Sour to anyone who checked in. We were testing the waters, so to speak.

Turns out it was quite successful, with 22 people claiming their free sweets. That’s why we’re upping the ante a bit with our latest offer!

Check in at the American Soda store now and you will receive a massive 10% off your next online order through an exclusive discount code – that means that while you stock up in store you can pick up some additional extras (or things you forgot!) when you get home without worrying about spending too much more!

Aren’t we generous? :)

Just remember to get your smartphone out and check in when visiting us.

UPDATE: Due to popular demand, check in now and you will be eligible for a free 18-piece pack of Now & Later candy! Just show your check in at the checkout!

Announcing our photo contest and £100 winner…

September 9th, 2011 | Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Competitions, News and Updates, Photos
4 Comments »

After 112 entries, hours spent picking 10 finalists and over 1,000 votes we finally have our winner!

But before we announce who the lucky recipient of the £100 prize is, everyone at American Soda wants to say thank you to everyone who entered and / or voted in this competition. We all had a great time looking at your creative photos and each of us had our favourite that we were secretly rooting for!

In the end though, the winner was determined by you and your votes and that winner is…

An American Breakfast by Holly Davies
An American Breakfast (Lucky Charms & Pop Tarts)

Congratulations, Holly!

This was actually one of our favourites too. We liked the quality of the shot, the simplicity of it, the array of colours the composition and, above all, the fact that it made us want that breakfast! Oh, and the cute cat helped too. :)

Fantastic work. We assume Holly will be investing her £100 in more Lucky Charms and Pop Tarts!

Here’s how it panned out in the voting. It was pretty close at the top, as you can see.

An American Breakfast 19%
Sweet summer 18%
WANTED – Strawberry Fanta 17%
emperor smithy protecting american soda castle 14%
The beauty of American Soda 10%
American Soda Safari: Can you name all 6 American treats? 7%
Lady Liberty holds a torch for AS goodies! 6%
Another special delivery from American Soda being unloaded! 4%
Root Beer Monkey 4%
Amurrrika 1%

Marshmallow Fluff Recipes

September 5th, 2011 | Tags: , , ,
Posted in Recipes
1 Comment »

Vanilla Marshmallow FluffMarshmallow Fluff is one of our most popular products but it’s surprising how many Facebook messages, Tweets and emails we get from people asking what they actually do with it once they’ve bought it!

There’s no definitive answer to this, it’s an incredibly versatile ingredient. In the past we’ve suggested trying it on toast (it’s really tasty, honestly!), making s’mores and just eating it right out of the jar, though this last one can be a bit sickly after a while!

So what we’re going to do here is give you three very different but equally delicious recipe ideas for using Marshmallow Fluff. Enjoy – and let us know if you try them and how they were. :)

Sweet Potato Soufflé

Yes, Marshmallow Fluff is sweet – but that doesn’t mean it can’t be used in savoury dishes. This is a “to-die-for” option.

You Will Need:

2 x 29 oz cans of cooked sweet potatoes (yes, you can cook your own and guess on the amount you’d need)
3 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup (2 fl ozs.) of warm milk
2 tablespoons of butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 x 7 1/2 oz. jar of Marshmallow Fluff

What To Do: 

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit
Lightly grease a 3 litre soufflé or casserole dish
Beat the sweet potato in a large bowl until smooth
Beat in the eggs, salt, butter and 1/3 of the Marshmallow Fluff
Put into the soufflé dish and bake for around 20 minutes
Remove from the oven and increase the temperature to 550 Fahrenheit
Use the remaining Marshmallow Fluff to cover the potatoes, spreading right to the edge of the dish
Return to the oven for six or seven minutes until browned and puffed up

It’ll taste sweet and delicious and will make a fantastic side dish to a main course.

Fluff Chocolate Krispie Bars

This one is great for getting the kids to help with – it’s messy, fun and makes some great treats.

You Will Need:

1 x 7 1/2 oz jar of Marshmallow Fluff
1 x 12 oz pack of semi sweet chocolate pieces
1/3 (2.7 fl ozs.) cup of butter
5 cups of Kellogg’s Rice Krispies

What To Do: 

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a low heat
Add all the Fluff and continue to heat for 5 minutes on low, stirring constantly
Stir in the chocolate until melted and blended
Remove from the heat and stir in the Rice Krispies until well coated
Using a spatula, press the mixture into a buttered, 2-inch deep pan (13in x 9in is best)
Leave to cool, then cut into 2in squares and serve

Perfect for the kids and adults alike!

Fluffernutter Shake

Time for a well earned drink, and one with the perfect American ingredients – namely, Fluff and peanut butter! Keep reading! It’s worth it.

You Will Need:

1 cup (8 fl ozs.) of chilled milk
2 tablespoons of smooth peanut butter
2 large tablespoons of Marshmallow Fluff

What To Do:

Put it in a blender. Blend it until smooth. Erm. That’s it.

How does that sound? Yes, we were sceptical too, but it’s fab!

So next time you’re browsing the shop, see the Fluff but are put off by the fact you have NO idea what to do with it, there’s three recipes to get you going. There are, of course, variations on these recipes and a whole load more on top. In the meantime, why not share your recipe ideas with us? We’ll try anything new!

Vintage Dr Pepper Commercial

September 1st, 2011 | Tags: , ,
Posted in Videos
1 Comment »

Yes, I’ve been back on YouTube mooching about and I found this little gem from the late ’70s advertising Dr Pepper. The ad itself isn’t that special, though it’s all very happy and jolly, but take a close look at the main actor…

Recognise him? If you’re of a certain age you might – it’s the star of horror film An American Werewolf in LondonDavid Naughton! So that’s what he did before getting all toothy and hairy…

Looking a lot happier in this commercial than he did in the film, not surprisingly. After all, who doesn’t love a Dr Pepper! We’ve got original Dr Pepper, Dr Pepper Cherry and diet versions of both in right now! :)