Hot Dr Pepper Was Once Considered A Holiday Tradition

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If there is one thing we know about Dr Pepper, it is that Texans love it. For many of us, nothing beats a cold, refreshing Dr Pepper on a hot Summer day, or even a cool winter night. But did you know there is a different way of drinking Dr Pepper?

If today, you ordered a Dr Pepper and it was brought to you hot, most likely you would ask for ice or you'd send it back.

But in the 1960's Hot Dr Pepper was considered the "Happy Holiday Idea That Pleases Everybody". And when I write Hot Dr Pepper, I mean it HOT, not room temperature. According to seriouseats.com, 180 degrees was how hot one needed to heat up the beverage.

With all the other long-lost trends that have returned to the culinary mainstream lately, it's about time we gave Hot Dr. Pepper another chance. Served by itself, with lemon, it is a little sweet for my taste, though I wouldn't turn down a mugful now and then. With a splash of rum, though (making it a "Boomer," according to mid-century advertisements), it's not half bad on an icy afternoon.

You don't need a recipe to heat Dr. Pepper, but for, what it's worth, the Dr. Pepper website suggests heating the soda to 180 degrees in a stovetop saucepan, then pouring it over a thin slice of lemon (thin is keythe lemon can become overpowering quickly) before enjoying. If you can get your hands on glass-bottled, sugar-sweetened Dr. Pepper, you'll be glad you did.

Dr Pepper even rolled out advertisements like the one below promoting Dr Pepper as the go to hot holiday drink.

So why not try out an old-time, lost, tradition and try a hot Dr Pepper this holiday season?