Orangina

I always associate Orangina with Europe, mostly because it's rare to see it around the states. I haven't had it in some time, so when I came across a bottle in an international grocer I had to grab it. The dates on its origination seem to vary depending on where you look. Some places mention 1933, others 1935, or 1936. The official site of Orangina says it was introduced in 1935 at the Marseille Trade Fair. It was created by Austin Trigo and originally named Naranjina... a slight adaptation of the Spanish word for orange, Naranja. Just like Coca-Cola, they have a distinctive bottle shape that helps you identify it even far away, and just like Coke, it's evolved over time. Leon Beton, a frenchman bought the recipe prior to WWII stifling the brand until the war ended. After the war, the drink spread throughout Europe and North Africa. In 2000, Orangina was nearly sold to Coca-Cola, but the sale was blocked and instead wound up under the Cadbury Schweppes group.

One of the interesting things about Orangina is that is contains some orange pulp. In fact, the make a point of making sure you shake it before drinking, but you'll notice it creating a little orange ring in the bottle neck prior to shaking. Orangina also has a very light amount of carbonation for a soda. It carries such a fresh aroma when you open it, a mix of orange and lemon. The mix of citrus flavors is very close to a grapefruit juice and provides a tartness like a glass of squeezed juice. It accompanies breakfast nicely.