“There is no enemy outside our mind. The real enemies live inside us: ego, anger, greed, and hatred.” ~ Dalai Lama
Cracker Barrel has a selection of candies and sodas that were popular when I was a kid. That was a long time ago; today, they can no longer easily be found. In fact, Cracker Barrel is the only place I’ve seen some of the stuff in more than 40 years. Take Sioux City Sasparilla, for example (lower right, third from the end). The first time I had a sasparilla was in Tucson in 1975, and it was Sioux City Sasparilla. I had never seen Saparilla in Kentucky, and one rarely sees it still, except at Cracker Barrel. Many folks liken sasparilla to root beer, but it’s not, though it has a similar flavor. Sioux City Sasparilla used to come in distinctive bottles, sort of short and fat with designs in the glass, but now they’re like all the others. When I go to Oklahoma, I’m always surprised at folks asking about Ale 8-1. They can’t get it there, and for those who have a taste for it, it’s almost mythical to think Kentuckians get it near as easily as water. That’s why it’s in the rack of speciality drinks at Cracker Barrel, even in Kentucky.
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