What is red soda water?

Red Soda Water (and anything else that's red)

The classic color symbolizes blood lost during the struggle for emancipation or the hibiscus tea that was frequently drunk by slaves during celebrations, depending on who you talk to.

Why is Juneteenth soda red?

A traditional drink to serve at a Juneteenth celebration is Strawberry Soda. This drink along with other red foods and beverages symbolizes the bloodshed of the slaves, and pays homage to their sacrifice that led African Americans to the freedom that they have today.

How do you make red soda?

What does red soda mean?

Red Sodas Are a Mainstay at Texas Celebrations Red soda water is as much a part of the Juneteenth celebration as are parades and barbecue. Tuesday is the Texas holiday that celebrates the liberation of black American slaves in Texas on June 19, 1865.

What is the flavor of Big Red soda?

3. Some mistake the flavor for being bubble gum or maybe hints of cinnamon, but Big Red is actually made of citrus oils blended with the vanilla of a traditional cream soda.

Hate It or Love It: The Origins of Sparkling Water

Why is Big Red only sold in Texas?

Until the 1970s, Big Red couldn't be found outside of Texas, Kentucky, and southern Indiana; today, it's distributed by Dr. Pepper, meaning those unlucky enough to live outside of Texas may not have to drive so far.

Is Big Red soda still made?

Dr Pepper distributes almost 80% of Big Red annually. Although the production facility is still in Waco, Texas, Big Red relocated their corporate headquarters to Austin, Texas, in 2009. In 2020, Islla St. Brewery in San Antonio, Texas created a Big Red flavored beer called Big Rojo (later renamed Wild Rojo).

What did Juneteenth slaves eat?

“In some places in Texas, Juneteenth was all about having goat. It was about the whole hog in some places, and in other places, it was about beef. And then, in some places, it could be all three.” Another essential addition to the Juneteenth culinary tradition is red drinks, a staple across the diaspora.

What did Juneteenth people eat?

What is the official drink of Juneteenth?

Red Hibiscus Drink

Hibiscus flowers are native to West Africa, and hibiscus drink or 'tea' is a popular drink still made there today. It's been a part of Juneteenth celebrations since the beginning and it's tangy flavor comes to life when you boil the hibiscus flowers for about 10 mins and add ice and sugar to taste.

Is Red Bull a soda?

What is Red Bull? First sold in 1987 in Austria, Red Bull is a carbonated beverage containing caffeine, as well as other energy-boosting compounds, including several B vitamins and taurine ( 1 ).

What is in red cream soda?

CARBONATED WATER, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, SODIUM BENZOATE (TO PROTECT TASTE), CITRIC ACID, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS, RED 40.

Is grapefruit soda sweet?

The BA staff agrees: Grapefruit soda is the ultimate no-brainer summer cocktail mixer. It's bitter, it's tart, it's sweet—what's not to like? But when it came to picking a preferred brand, well, things got a little bit heated.

What did slaves drink?

in which slaves obtained alcohol outside of the special occasions on which their masters allowed them to drink it. Some female house slaves were assigned to brew cider, beer, and/or brandy on their plantations.

Is watermelon a Juneteenth food?

Common red foods seen at Juneteenth celebrations include red soda or lemonade, red velvet cake, and watermelon. (Plus barbecue and great sides.)

How red food and drink joined the Juneteenth feast?

Food coloring came to preeminence in the late 1800s, and by the 1920s, red-colored carbonated drinks like the Texas-made soda Big Red became part of Juneteenth culinary tradition. Whatever the origin of each item on the Juneteenth table, collectively, they hold a lot of symbolic meaning.

What did Texas slaves eat?

Rations dispensed once a week typically included a gallon of corn, some farm-raised rice, molasses, three pounds of salt pork or beef and occasionally buttermilk and clabber.

Why is the holiday called Juneteenth instead of June 19th?

Juneteenth is a holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. It is also called Emancipation Day or Juneteenth Independence Day. The name "Juneteenth" references the date of the holiday, combining the words "June" and "nineteenth."

Why do they say Juneteenth?

Also known as "Emancipation Day" or "Freedom Day," Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865 when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas and gave word to enslaved African Americans that they were free — more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed.

What does the Juneteenth flag look like?

The original Juneteenth flag was designed in 1997 by Ben Haith, activist and founder of the National Juneteenth Celebration Foundation. The flag has a blue and red stripe, a white star in the middle, an outline and an arc that extends across the width of the flag.

How is red velvet cake related to Juneteenth?

According to Adrian Lipscombe, red velvet cake's relationship to Juneteenth stems from its red color, which became popular in the 20th century after a specific red food coloring brand became the popular choice for tinting the cake. “The red color it is today was given credit to Adams Extract, a Texas company.

What is the significance of strawberry soda?

Strawberry soda is a common feature of the Juneteenth holiday as a nod to the celebrations of slaves in Galveston, Texas, who on June 19, 1865, learned they were free. Those celebrations, according to the Journal Sentinel story, included red food and beverages “to symbolize the blood that was shed by the slaves.”

Is Big Red same as Big Blue?

Description. Big Blue is a variant of Big Red which is blue in color, similar to Crush Berry Punch. Its flavor is a Blue Creme. There was speculation from many people saying that the flavor tastes like cotton candy with a blue bubblegum feel.

Does Big Red cure hangovers?

4. It cures hangovers. ... which is ironic because it also makes some killer adult beverages, like the Melted Snowcone (Big Red and rum) or the Texas Sunrise (Big Red and tequila). So, here's the solution: use it as your mixer and save some for the morning after.

Why is Big Red so good?

Though Big Red has classically been marketed as a "red cream soda", its flavor is described as "deliciously different" for a good reason. The unique taste of the soda has been compared to everything from bubblegum to cotton candy. The real flavor is a combination of lemon and orange oil along with vanilla.