M is for...

If you check the dictionary, you’ll find that “moxie" is an informal North American word that means "courage, daring, spirit, or verve” … as in, “She’s got moxie!” (Always said in an admiring tone.)

The ironic things is that the word came into our culture from the advertising for the beverage… and while you can find plenty of people who might acknowledge your courage in drinking Moxie, odds are 50/50 at best on whether or not there will be admiration in their tone.

An old-fashioned New England favorite, Moxie has one of the more distinctive tastes out there. Originally a health tonic, later sold as a soda, Moxie contains gentian root extract, which is seriously bitter stuff. It was originally marketed as “a delicious blend of bitter and sweet, a drink to satisfy everyone’s taste.” 

Now, that may have been a true statement in the early 20th century (for a while, Moxie sales rivaled those of Coca Cola,) but these days, any discussion of Moxie’s flavor is likely to turn into a heated debate. (Although possibly not in Maine, where it was designated the official state soft drink in 2005.) But for the rest of us, this is a divisive taste.

My family is split nearly down the middle on The Great Moxie Question. It’s not unheard of for a case or two of it to show up at BYOB picnics, with devotees smacking their lips in defiant appreciation. But you'll also find nearly as many sneering at the sight of the cans and decrying it as “carbonated creosote”. (Loudly and with vigor, I might add.)

Personally, I’m one of the few holding the middle ground. I don’t have much truck with the carbonated sugar water drinks that rule the marketplaces today, so I can appreciate the complexity of flavor in Moxie that you simply don’t find anymore. It’s certainly an interesting flavor… I’ve always thought that it's a bit like a cola made with tonic water instead of soda water -- and I like tonic water (especially mixed with grapefruit juice!) -- so that part isn’t a problem. Indeed, I find the initial taste to be fairly pleasant. The problem is that there is some lingering base note to it that I don’t find particularly palatable. So while I can drink Moxie without complaining, it’s never quite won me over, either.

At least, the beverage hasn’t. 

The word it gave us charms me. 

There’s just something delightful about the picture of sass and adventure that it evokes.

But the soda?

Maybe check back later... :-D

Or Not...