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HOT COLA

How to have hot fizzy drinks

Traditionally, fizzy drinks such as cola and fizzy pop (soda) were always served cold, maybe with ice. It was either that or at room temperature, which wasn't so interesting. But now, thanks to the modern invention of the microwave oven and some experimentation by a mad scientist trying to cure the dreaded diabetes, it's been discovered that hot cola, hot lemonade, and various other forms of heated carbonated drinks are possible, and these previously cold beverages can be served at the same high temperatures as cups of tea or coffee. Prior to the invention of the microwave oven, culinary experiments proved unsuccessful at heating fizzy drinks by boiling over a gas stove or an electric cooker ring. The fizz would disappear long before the liquid acquired the required heat. The resulting brew would be hot, but flat, and a bit disappointing.

In contrast, fizzy cola heated in a microwave oven is even fizzier than the same cola when cold, and temperatures as high as 60 or 70 degrees C can be reached with no problem. Boiling is not recommended, as the fizz tends to "go critical" like a cutprice scientific demonstration of atomic fission, which not only makes a terrible mess, but it's also hard to explain away convincingly.

A common criticism of heating fizzy drinks in a microwave oven is: "Yuck!". But this criticism is usually levelled by those who have never experienced hot cola and are merely speculating what it would taste like. The early pioneers who combined gammon and pineapple probably had similar detractions from critics who had never tried it.

Some types of cola microwave better than others. I have found best results are found with cola from soft water areas. This tastes quite nice, but also has an extra useful side effect of descaling the teeth.

More microwave tomfoolery can be seen here.

If you've never tried hot cola before, now's your chance. Never mind any preconceived ideas. Just get a glass of fizzy cola and microwave it for as long as you would to warm up a cold cup of tea. You may be pleasantly surprised at how good it is.

Safety note: When microwaving a fizzy drink, be sensible! Don't overheat it, or it will go all over the place, and besides, you can't drink it if it's too hot! Also, use a glass that's not going to break. (an almost full glass is less likely to fracture than one that's half full).