The 2-Ingredient Chocolate Soda Fountain Drink That Deserves A Comeback
During the 1950s, American culture was defined by teenagers in poodle skirts, letter jackets, and saddle shoes sitting at the counter at the soda fountain. But adding flavor to fizzy drinks actually started with 19th-century pharmacists. The first half of the 20th century was when a popular two-ingredient drink people still clamor for today was created: Chocolate Coke, one of the most popular drinks from the days when soda fountains were Americans' go-to hangout spots.
Chocolate Coke is exactly what it sounds like: Coca-Cola mixed with Hershey's syrup, served over ice and topped with whipped cream and a Maraschino cherry. Although they're not as popular as they once were, and soda fountains have largely gone the way of the dinosaur, people can still find chocolate Cokes today in retro diners and soda fountains. Places like Sonic, Culver's, and Chick-fil-A have been known to make chocolate Cokes, even if they are off-menu. If the restaurant you're patronizing has Coke and anything that involves chocolate syrup on the menu, you can always try requesting one.
Chocolate and Coca-Cola is a flavorful combination
Coca-Cola itself has never made a chocolate-flavored cola, though it has released cherry, vanilla, and orange cream versions. There are other companies, like Rocket Fizz and Grandpa Joe's, however, that produce a bottled chocolate soda of their own.
If you can't find this old-school soda fountain drink on a menu near you, it's easy to whip up at home. The typical ratio is 8 ounces of Coca-Cola and 1 ounce of Hershey's Syrup, but you can easily adjust that to your own taste. Serve it over ice with your choice of toppings. You can customize your chocolate Coke by adding a scoop of coffee or vanilla ice cream, flavored whipped cream, sprinkles, or whatever tickles your fancy.
Soda fountains may be a thing of nostalgia, but there's no doubt that their creative soda and syrup concoctions (that rival those of today's mixologists) were the early-day dirty sodas, which you can expect to see more of in the future.