Sodafruit Pashun Froot Soda
/If a bottle of soda could talk then this bottle in front of me would have an epic tale. It started in New Zealand and boarded a wooden box with three of its friends. This wooden box toured the world for about a month and a half before arriving at my doorstep. Who knows what adventures it had out on the open seas, gallivanting with pirates and the like. Upon opening said wooden box I was happy to see my new friend, a bottle of Sodafruit Pashun Froot Soda. A particularly fun name that allows you to say the words in reverse order and still have the same beverage. Exciting to try this new (not on the market yet) soda from Sodafruit I has no hesitation that I’d love it. Then I saw the seeds.
The seeds of a passion fruit are obvious especially when they reside in a delightful orange soda. They look like a smaller version of a watermelon seed measuring about ¼ of an inch in length. I asked the CEO of Sodafruit about this off putting look and he assured me that the best flavor he can make with a passion fruit involves the seeds. Not being a soda maker I must trust this judgment, but I still researched it. Passion fruit seeds are incredibly good for you, so while my tentativeness still lingers my fear of death has quelled.
Why should I worry? Why should I care? This is from Sodafruit, one of my favorite makers of soda products. They’ve never steered me wrong before, why would it now? The ingredients listed are Carbonated Water, Cane Sugar, Passion Fruit Pulp, Lemon Juice, Spices, and a preservative that keeps it from fermenting. See, nothing to worry about.
Interestingly enough I have no personal knowledge of the singled out flavor of a passion fruit. A quick look into our database shows me I’ve never even had a passion fruit soda. I’ve had sodas that use passion fruit in combination, but never just a passion fruit. The time is ripe to try one.
Since there is a fair amount of pulp and seeds involved with this beverage I’m going to upend it prior to opening. WOW, it’s like the tropics punched me in the nose. An overwhelming aroma of passion fruit charges from the mouth of the bottle. Immediately inviting my taste buds to the party it’s holding inside. There’s no reason that I should show up fashionably late to this soiree.
Oddly enough, Twist isn't the seediest character in this picture
It’s like I’m biting into a fruit. Since I’ve never had a passion fruit I can only assume this is what one tastes like. When “passion fruit pulp” pulp is your third ingredient it’s a safe bet your soda tastes like passion fruit. Flavor aside, it’s the reaction this has with my mouth and the feel of the beverage that is reminding me of enjoying a tropical fruit. A dash of carbonation adds to the citrusy punch of the added lemon juice. This zesty sensation keeps the soda from feeling too heavy or syrupy, allowing you to go back for more without it feeling overly heavy.
As far as the seeds are concerned, the majority of them are content to sit plainly at the bottom of the bottle. Occasionally one swims up to go on its last hurrah and it’s at this point I’m not sure if I could chew them or just swallow them whole. Swallowing them whole seems to be the best bet for me, but if you decided to chew that wouldn’t create an issue for you either. Now that I’m nearing the bottom of the bottle the seed to liquid ratio is tilting toward heavy seed. This caused the mouth feel of my last sip to be a bit bumpy, which I could definitely see being off putting for some.
Now here’s where I ask myself would I rather a lower quality passion fruit soda if it meant taking out the seeds? No, I wouldn’t. Sodafruit Pashun Froot Soda may be a bit off putting to look at, but it’s excellent in all aspects. Perhaps a few less seeds would bump up the score to perfection, but like I said earlier… it’s a work in progress.
~A
This soda provided to us by Sodafruit
