"Jones Soda" news and stories

It wasn't a rash of espresso-guzzling Italian immigrants or even an enterprising chancer like Starbucks founder Howard Schultz who turned Seattle into America's coffee HQ: it was the weather. The damp, London-esque climate here has been an overpowering influence on its food scene, according to Seattleite Ethan Lowry, co-founder of urbanspoon.com. "Our notoriously grey weather, coupled with those long, dark winters - we're one of the most northern cities in the continental US - means we need things that are pick-me-ups. Coffee was a natural fit."

Food writer and cookbook author Cynthia Nims agrees. "Sitting down over some great coffee was one of those things you could do easily on a misty winter day," she laughs. Lowry goes further, suggesting that Seattle's warm, unfussy vibe is also meteorological. "In so many cities, there's the option to sit outside. But here, there's a dearth of outdoor cafes and a cozy feel to a lot of Seattle's restaurants," he says. The city is as ingredient obsessed as San Francisco, yet without its showoffish snobbery - chanterelle mushrooms or Dungeness crab, both staples here, were foraged casually rather than farmed and marketed to foodies. Nims sees the influx of Scandinavians as underscoring that understatement, in all aspects of local life.

Read on about Seattle's coffee, salmon and more, after the jump...

When Slashfood saw these cute 8-ounce cans of limited-edition Halloween flavors, we had to try them. Every year Seattle's Jones Soda puts out four flavors suitable for trick-or-treaters -- and this year, they're tempting us with Buried Pomegranate, Spooookiwi, Candy Corn and Lemon Drop Dead.

We cracked open each so you don't have to. See how they stack up after the jump.

When it comes to the end of the wedding, you're faced with the decision of whether or not the wedding favor is worth even picking up to take home. Let's face it: Mints and almonds just don't make the cut anymore. With all the creative and tasty ideas available today, the bar has been raised for increasingly unique favors.

It's safe to say that with me as the bride, my guests will assume they should take home something edible, but what, exactly? So far, the best favors I've come across are miniature milk and cookies, but that can add up quickly.

The ever topical entrepreneurs behind Jones Soda have set up an ancillary site at campaigncola.com to tout their new line of politically-based sodas, and spill a little electoral info while they're at it. While copy touts the benefits of being able to ensure the victory of one's chosen candidate via financial support (the "winner" is the candidate whose bottles sell in greatest quantity), the site also contains a handy "Voting Vernacular" page, information about voter registration, and access to a politically-oriented section of the Jones Soda message boards.

While some might argue that save for a few cosmetic details, the "candidates" are essentially identical, or that Jones is just trying to make a buck off the partisan divide, I'm thinking that's pretty much politics as usual.

[via Campaign Cola]

OMG, icanhascheezburger.com is teaming up with Jones Soda! If you don't know about the wildly popular lol cats, you've been buried further under the rock than I have. The trend combines a cute cat image with a funny caption, and its been tremendously popular on the internet.

Now this movement is headed out into the real world as a label on Jones Soda brand drinks. The soda maker approached the website icanhascheezburger.com about using this imagery, and the website agreed. There's also a contest on the website to create more lol cat images specifically to adorn the front of Jones Soda bottles.

Jones Soda is known for its interesting and offbeat labels, as well as for being a higher end soft drink. Now they may be known for bringing an internet trend to the unconnected masses. Don't look now, but Jones Soda is in ur internet, stealin ur trends!

[Via So Good]