My dad called today to tell me about this amazing peach-pomegranate Italian Soda my brother had recommended. We spent probably 5-10 minutes discussing our passion for the bubbly sweet drinks and the many flavors we've tried... my favorite is still cantaloupe, though to be fair, I have not yet tried this famed peach-pomegranate. Needless to say, I couldn't get my mind off Italian Sodas, so I figured it might as well become today's Daily Doodle.
"Italian Soda" definitely makes it sound like the drink originated in Italy, but alas, it was actually created in San Francisco, California in 1925. Rinaldo and Ezilda Torre visited family in Lucca, Italy and the two returned home to their native San Francisco with handwritten recipes for flavored syrups. The couple used these syrups in combination with soda water (much like a regular soda at the time, but with their own syrup), and called their version of the drink an "Italian Soda".
The Torre's founded the company Torani that same year. At almost a century old, Torani now sells over 100 flavored syrups to more than 40 countries around the world. Even with all the bottled soda options, the Italian Sodas are here to stay, and likely Torani syrups are used. I don't know about you, but there's just something special about an Italian Soda... kind of fancy in a way... like a Shirley Temple, but with whatever flavor you want!
