The Dr. Pepper And Pickles Drink Might Just Be Odd Enough To Work
Are you someone who will take a swig of tangy pickle juice right out of the jar and do so proudly? If so, listen up, your new summer drink of choice might have just entered the chat. If you haven't already heard from social media where this unexpected but popular drink concoction has been making the rounds, people are putting pickles in their Dr. Pepper. Yes, slices of pickle chips are being submerged in carbonated soda, on purpose, and videos have been garnering millions of views as people react with horror and dismay, as well as delight, to the oddball pairing you'd have probably never thought to try but perhaps should.
Pickles plus Dr. Pepper are truly a pairing so bizarre it's worth giving it a chance. The tang and saltiness of the pickles marry with the sweet bubbly soda for a flavor pairing that oddly just works (depending on who you ask). To try, you'll only need some plain pickle chips, the kind you put on a hamburger versus bread and butter or sweet pickles, and a tall glass of Dr. Pepper either from a can or your nearest soda fountain. Simply add at least a few pickle slices to the beverage — or feel free to go bigger and add more, or even a splash of actual pickle juice if you're feeling extra brave — then stir to combine.
Why sweet and salty flavors work so well together in drinks
While the visuals of lime green hamburger dill chips floating in a soda foundation can appear alien — or even downright revolting — the inherent flavor pairing going on here is not as outlandish as it may sound. Sweet and salty drinks are nothing new. A perfectly made margarita, with plenty of salt, tangy lime, and sweet simple syrup, anyone? Or what about the old-fashioned Southern mainstay of dropping salted peanuts to the bottom of a can of Coke, which culinary legend says dates back 100 years?
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Generally speaking, the merging of salt and sugar works because the bit of salt gives extra dimension, interest, and punch with each sip. The salt riffs off the sweetness, which in turn helps mellow out the brininess. Salt also acts as an important flavor enhancer, bringing to life other flavors it interacts with — which is why every sweets recipe calls for a bit. And with temperatures scorching, adding some electrolytes in the form of pickle juice can help replenish what you sweat out (like Gatorade and other electrolyte drinks, another example of a beloved salty + sweet duo).
Perhaps this isn't just a flash-in-the-pan social trend. After all, is it really any stranger than a tangy pickleback shot or a flavorful bloody mary loaded with pickles and the works? There's only one way to determine if this trend is a yay or nay for your individual palate — bottoms up