An Italian soda is a soft drink made from carbonated water and flavored syrup.[1] Flavors can be fruit (e.g. cherry, blueberry) or modeled after the flavors of desserts, spices, or other beverages (e.g. amaretto, chai, chocolate).[2] Some vendors add cream to the drink as well, which is often then known as a French soda[3] or an Italian cream soda.
Despite its name, Italian soda originated in the United States.[1] One claimant to the introduction and increased popularity of Italian sodas is Torani: Rinaldo and Ezilda Torre brought recipes for flavored syrups from Lucca, Italy, and in 1925 introduced what became known as an Italian soda to the North Beach neighborhood of San Francisco, California.[4] The Italian-American association with Italian sodas has been reinforced by various ready-made brands of Italian sodas, such as the 2005 creation of Romano's Italian Soda Company (named after the Italian-American grandfather of the company's founder)[5] and the 2007 introduction of "The Sopranos Old Fashioned Italian Sodas" which come in three flavors: limoncello, amaretto, and Chianti.[6]
- ^ a b Brooks, Brian (October 18, 2009). "Top 4 Ways to Experience Authentic Italian Cuisine in Boston". Le Cordon Bleu. Archived from the original on 2011-11-24. Retrieved 2012-02-08.
- ^ "Products". Torani. Retrieved 2021-04-29.
- ^ Wartzman, Emma (June 21, 2018). "French Sodas Taste Like Liquid Creamsicles, and We Are Here for It". Bon Appétit.
- ^ "Our Story - For the love of flavor". Torani. Retrieved 2021-04-29.
- ^ "Romano's History". Romano's Italian Soda Company. Archived from the original on 2010-02-01. Retrieved 2010-02-19.
- ^ Thorstad, Arnold (2007-05-30). "Try THE SOPRANOS(TM) Old Fashioned Italian Sodas: Now Appearing in a Bottle Near You". Cision PR Web. Archived from the original on June 17, 2010. Retrieved 2019-06-20.