Prohibition revitalized American main streets.
Overnight dark and shuttered saloons disappeared, or so it seemed, and bright, gleaming soda fountains came in.
In these friendly palaces of chrome and glass soda jerks served up delicious treats for a dime or a quarter. Satisfying businessmen and secretaries. Delighting children and their mothers. Giving teenagers a place to share a soda with two straws in a single glass. Everyone loved soda fountains.
My book Soda Shop Salvation: Recipes and Stories from the Sweeter Side of Prohibition coordinates with the more alcohol focused exhibit now at Seattle's MOHAI -- Museum of History and Industry -- through August 23, 2015. "American Spirits: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition" is filled with fascinating exhibits drawn from the era of the speakeasy and rum runner, Al Capone and Carry Nation, bootleggers and temperance fighters.
In Soda Shop Salvation you'll meet some of those same characters and read their words. I have some swell jokes from the period and even better recipes for sodas, sundaes, non-alcoholic drinks, homemade ice creams, and even luncheonette delights. You'll find a sampling in the blog posts below.
