As long as I’ve known about kosher for Passover Coke, I’ve needed it. Coca-cola made with sugar, they said, the way it used to be. I wasn’t sure I believed it existed, but I was hopeful. Last year, I dropped by the KosherMart around Seder time looking for this mythical cola, but all they had was Dr. Brown’s and kosher Diet Coke. “WTF?” I asked the clerk, but he was still unable to help me.
Then, last night I spotted a crate of yellow-capped 2-liters at Giant. “w00t!” I exclaimed, as I snagged a few. Finally, I would be able to answer that age old question: is KFP Coke really better than normal Coke? (I seem to remember from last year that the company line was, “no, you are imagining things. Please go back to enjoying your corn syrup.”)
I’m all about the science, so I had my lovely assistant decant equal amounts of regular and KFP coke into glasses while I was in the other room. Not knowing which was which, I took a sip of each, and selected my favorite.
And the winner is: KFP, easily. They do taste similar enough, but the big difference is in finish. Sucrose has a clean, smooth finish, while HFCS has quite a harsh aftertaste — not Splenda harsh, mind you, but definitely noticeable if you have something to compare it against.
I approve of this religious tradition!