Top 5 at the Dr Pepper Museum

 Previously:

Top 5 at the National Videogame Museum

There's no official state beverage of Texas but if there were, it would probably be Dr Pepper.  It's constantly consumed across the state and across the world but it got its start in Waco.  Everybody has heard the origin story of its humble beginnings as a mixture of 23 flavors at the Old Corner Drug Store and the many urban legends that surround the legendary elixir.   

But the record is set straight at Waco's Dr Pepper Museum where history and memorabilia are on display for thirsty enthusiasts to peruse.  It had been years since my last visit so on a recent trip to Waco, I decided  to stop by and pick my top 5 favorites of the collection.

5.  Football Shaped Cooler

There are a lot of coolers from over the years that are displayed at the museum but this one caught my eye.    I've always been a fan of the "things shaped as other things" genre and this one just seems to set the stage for a fun time.  I imagine events elevated from "picnic" to "party" status when one of these bad boys was packed with ice cold Dr Pepper and Big Red.

4.  Hot Dr Pepper Pot

Years ago, there was a big push to serve warm Dr Pepper as a seasonal treat.  I even whipped up a batch last Christmas.  Part of the promotion involved releasing this Hot Dr Pepper Pot as a way to make it even easier to prepare and serve mug after mug at a winter get-together.  I think Hot Dr Pepper is a treat whose time hasn't yet come.  I predict that someday hot DP will take its place among the coffees and hot cocoas of the world.

3.  Iron Man Vending Machine

Dr Pepper has had a ton of superhero movie related promotions including the Iron Man movies.  In one commercial a janitor at Tony Stark's compound attempts to try on an Iron Man suit and ends up inside an Iron Man Dr Pepper Vending Machine.  The prop from that commercial is on display at the museum with plenty of signs warning visitors to NOT touch and that it's not an actual vending machine. 

2.  Dr Pepper Land Cruiser

It's hard to tell the scale in this picture but this thing is pretty big.  The museum describes it as a "space-age go-kart" and was released in 1985 to celebrate the soda's 100th anniversary.  I assume this is just the body because I don't see any wheels and hover technology wasn't too advanced in the 80s (despite what you might have heard).  I can imagine being the coolest kid at the race track when pulling up in this beauty.

1.  Dr Pepper Nautilus Cooler

Another cooler?  That's right, but this gets our top spot because most of the world seems to have forgotten that Dr Pepper Nautilus ever existed.  It was an early 90s sports drink that was meant to compete with Gatorade but there's hardly any information about it on the internet.  In order to get a good look at any Nautilus memorabilia you'll have to take a road trip to Waco...which is fitting since that's where it all began...

Never Bean Better

 Previously:

Crunch Time  - -  Chicken & Somethin'

Since it was invented at the Old Corner Drugstore in Waco, Dr Pepper has been a big part of Texas culture.  It's everywhere you look.  Check out the score at a little league game and you'll probably see the DP logo on the scoreboard.  Go to the downtown area of any small Texas town and you'll probably see a faded, hand-painted Dr Pepper mural on an old brick wall.  The most misunderstood soft drink has also become one of the most popular and its unique flavor can't be contained to the soda aisle of the grocery store an more.  

These days you can get lots of your favorite foods in Dr Pepper flavor.  Licorice, cotton candy, barbecue sauce, pound cake and even lip balm.  I've tried one or two of these but today I tried something new:  Dr Pepper Baked Beans:

Dubbed "Sweet & a Bit Sassy," these are made by Serious Bean Co., a company known for their unique take on the canned classic as well as their little Bean Guy mascots, a different one for each of their flavors.  You can see that the little guy for the Dr Pepper variety has a #23 on it, representing 23 flavors said to be in the recipe for the legendary beverage.  But were they actually able to incorporate all of them into their beans?

I gotta say the taste is...interesting.  While there was nothing I enjoyed more on a hot summer day than a cold Dr Pepper as a kid, I actually haven't drank soda regularly in decades.  So my palate my be a little unrefined.  But I do eat beans on a semi-regular basis so I usually know what to expect.  But I didn't expect this.  The best I can say is that they are very "soda-esque."  I'd almost say they're "zesty"...which is not a term I typically use to describe beans.  

The Dr Pepper flavor is definitely noticeable, impossible to ignore, even.  These are not a subtle side dish.  In fact if you served them without announcing that they're Dr Pepper flavored you'd definitely get a "What's up with these beans?' type of reaction from your dinner guests.  But knowing what flavor they're shooting for would definitely lessen the surprise.  

These would be great for a festive picnic but maybe not for a simple side during a quick lunch.  These guys want to be noticed, not just relegated to the side of the plate.  With that being said, I'm not sure when I'll serve them again.  I'm thinking I'll keep the soda in my memories of hot summers cold drinks.