ALABAMA
Buffalo Rock Ginger Ale
Born in the basement of Birmingham's Alabama Grocery Co. in 1901 when grocer Sidney Lee carbonated a pharmacist's extra-gingery stomach tonic, the formula-which fans say has a nose-tickling, almost spicy finish-has remained largely unchanged.
ALASKA
Duck Shot
If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck-or has distinct layers of coffee liqueur, Irish cream and whiskey—it's got to be a duck. In this case, the shot created one snowy December afternoon in 1987 at the Peanut Farm sports bar in Anchorage. Order it by its full (if not particularly appetizing) name: Duck Fart Shot.
ARKANSAS
Grapette
This grape soda from Camden first made a big purple splash in the 1940s, followed by its sister soda, Orangette. After trickling to near extinction in the '90s, it made an early 2000s comeback exclusively at another Arkansas-born company: Walmart.
CALIFORNIA
Wine
Prior to 1976, good wine meant French wine. But a blind taste test in Paris that year saw the underdog, California, unexpectedly win for both red and white.
ARIZONA
Lemonade
The summer sipper featuring squeezed and sweetened lemon juice became the official way to beat the (dry) heat here back in 2019, after a local teen realized the state seal included four of Arizona's five C's (cattle, copper, cotton and climate) but left out citrus, a major industry of the Grand Canyon State.
Nearly 50 years later, Napa and Sonoma counties are called Wine Country.
COLORADO
Hot cocoa
What else would you want to drink during a Rocky Mountain winter? Enjoy cocoa as an après-ski sipper, or skip the slopes and go straight to the chocolate.
CONNECTICUT
This story is from the July - August 2024 edition of Reader's Digest US.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the July - August 2024 edition of Reader's Digest US.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Election Day Memories - Stories about voting by the people, for the people
A Convincing Argument When my boyfriend and I were finally old enough to vote in our first presidential election, we spent months debating with one another about our chosen candidates. We were quite persuasive, as we discovered when we got home from the polls and learned that we'd both voted for the other's initial choice.―SHERRY FOX Appleton, WI
A New Way to Monitor Blood Sugar
Who can benefit from this wearable technology
A Flag for Dad
An old sailor made a last wish. His son was determined to see that it came true.
Sisterhood to Last a Lifetime
These college pals teach a master class in how to maintain a friendship for 50-plus years
...TO DIE ON A HOCKEY RINK
ONE MINUTE I WAS PLAYING IN MY BEER LEAGUE, THE NEXT I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL
Yes, There's a Museum for That!
These collections are wacky, wonderful and worth a visit
Town Meeting Is Called!
Once a year, the people of Elmore, Vermont, gather to practice a cherished right: democracy
Just Tight
Broken, battered and trapped in a ravine for days, a desperate driver wonders, \"Will anyone find me?\"
WHY OUR BODIES DON'T DIG DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME
Twice a year, when we spring ahead and fall back, we're more prone to sleepiness, depression and accidents
MONEYSAVING DO'S AND DON'TS
The run-up to the holidays doesn't have to bah-humbug your budget. A shopping expert shares strategies for saving big now and all year round.