Many Americans have guilty pleasures. So did I, although for me they mean different things from most Americans.
Where should I start? Even though there are not that many, it's a good number. And the more I thought along this line, the more I discovered that can be sorted to this category.
OK, let's start from things I really miss if I could not have it in an extended period of time. As I mentioned before, the No. 1 thing I craved for when I was outside America is nothing but a common drink you'll find almost in every corner store--Dr. Pepper.
I've seen two types of people when it comes to preference of Dr. Pepper--they either like it to death or can't stand it. I've yet to know anyone in the middle. What's more interesting is a lot of the Chinese I know who, like me, loves it, all began as a hater. A number of tries after (for whatever reason), they became hooked, and could never let go. For me, Dr. Pepper is the only suger liquid (otherwise known as carbonated) I drink.
I don't remember when I got fixated to this brownish liquid with a weird flavor (pepper is not a good description), but I guess living in Texas for six years didn't hurt. Teenage girls walking around holding one of those 32-oz jumbo size seven-11 cup full of DP are as common as grandmas driving in 4x4 Ford F-150s.
So now, even after moving up to the mid-west for so long--a lifeless region from my standpoint, where DP is hard to find, I'm still holding on. And have no plan to let go, even being as health-conscious as I can be.
This thing is too good to resist.
I have many to list too! But drinks-wise, I'd say diet Pepsi.
Used to be a hardcore Coke fan, but after I came to the States and was forced to pay attention to the calories listed on every freakin' thing, I began to drink diet Coke. My oh my, hated it. So I switched to diet Pepsi, and the rest was history.
Posted by: Yan at October 21, 2004 04:42 PMfor me it's Diet Mountain Dew. Can't find it anywhere in India.
Posted by: Prince Roy at October 22, 2004 09:50 PMActually, I don't have strong feelings about Dr. Pepper. Don't hate it, don't love it. It's a nice change every once in a while.
I've heard that the weird flavor is prune juice. Not sure if that's true or not, but it does sort of taste like prune juice....
Posted by: John at November 6, 2004 10:22 AMPrune juice. That's also a favorite. I like dried prunes. Prunes are the closest snack to Chinese 果脯。
Posted by: shamu at November 6, 2004 10:54 PM