"PopRocks" news and stories

These are the '80s. Photo: Kasia/flickr

With the songs from "Thriller" playing nonstop on the radio this week, we've been daydreaming of the 1980s, when soda cans were pink (Tab) and the frozen treats were electric orange (Push-Ups). Our sister blog Lemondrop has been daydreaming of the decade too. What foods from that decade do you miss?

[Via Lemondrop]

Yes, those creepy little pebbles of carbon dioxide have been around, in various forms, for 50 years, according to a recent press release from Pop Rocks, Inc. I was never a big fan of the seltzer-in-your-skull feeling that Pop Rocks provided, but I found some of the history in the release pretty interesting. Apparently they were originally developed by a General Foods chemist in an attempt to create instant carbonation for soft drinks. PopRocksCandy.com has more history and background on several rumors involving CO2 candy and exploding kids. To celebrate the anniversary, Pop Rocks, Inc. is re-releasing the candy in retro packaging like the one you see here.

Kinda odd to top a chocolate sundae with a cherry tomato isn't it?  Allow me to explain. What you're looking at is not a soda fountain creation. It's the latest entry in the National Cattlemen's Beef Association's Beeflexible campaign: the Steak Sundae. The Philly "Mignon" is among the other Beeflexible ads that have run in the food service trade magazines.

A sundae composed of cubed steak, layered with mashed potatoes and gravy, topped with a dash of Pop Rocks is waaay beyond flexible. That's because it's designed to appeal to kids. That's all well and good by  me, but I'd sooner encourage a child to eat beef by offering them a forkful of steak tartare.

[photo: AgWired]

Source