Aha, so that’s what Coca-Cola’s yellow cap is for!
Coca-Cola has existed for centuries, and it has looked the same for centuries too: a red label, a logo with curly lettering, and a red cap or red crown cap on the bottle. But sometimes those caps are yellow. What does that mean?
That yellow cap has to do with the Jewish holiday of Passover, Pesach. During Pesach, a seven-day period, the Exodus from Egypt is commemorated. And, as with most Jewish traditions, certain meals, dishes, and food regulations are part of it. The house must be cleaned very thoroughly and, of course, there are traditional meals. All without yeast (hence that matzo, bread without yeast!), but also without legumes. And that yellow cap indicates that the cola under the cap is suitable for drinking during Pesach.
In the beans
Does cola normally contain legumes? No, but cola is sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup, a sweet syrup made from… corn, a legume. In the run-up to the Jewish holiday of Passover, Coca-Cola temporarily adjusts the recipe. The sweet syrup is replaced with sugar, just as cola used to be made in the past. A yellow cap means: no corn, so Jews may also drink the cola during Pesach.
Here too?
True Coca-Cola fans love the cola with the yellow cap; they say the cola tastes more authentic because of the sugar. Are bottles with yellow caps also available in Dutch shops? We couldn’t find out. We’ll have to be patient a little longer before testing this, because Pesach has just ended—it took place this year from March 27 to April 4.
Also read:
- From lard to schmaltz: everything about cooking with animal fat
- How do you actually make really good couscous?
- New cookbook from the Ottolenghi team (plus: a delicious recipe)
Source: Reader’s Digest
