I have always been a big fan of Jewish delicatessens. I grew up in Los Angeles, a city where delicatessens are plentiful, but often considered—in the delicatessen universe—as an “associate” compared to the “senior partner” of New York City. But that paradigm may be shifting. In his book “Save the Deli,” writer David Sax boldly asserts that Los Angeles has replaced New York as the leading Deli City in America.
Going to delicatessens was an integral part of my childhood. Although my order for breakfast would vary, ordering lunch in a Jewish delicatessen was very ritualistic in nature. For me, it was always a corned beef or a pastrami sandwich. The sandwich was always ordered on rye bread, with some mustard and a side of kosher dill pickles. And accompanying the sandwich was a large scoop of either coleslaw or potato salad. Absent some cataclysmic event—that was always the order.
And the order ALWAYS included a Dr. Brown’s soda. The brand’s six flavors—Cream Soda, Black Cherry, Root Beer, Orange Soda, and the always mysterious Cel-Ray, plus a couple of diet versions—are all available in Dr. Brown’s signature long-neck bottles. The sodas were all clearly identified as kosher, so they were ideal to serve in Jewish delicatessens. They were the perfect accoutrement to the delicatessen dining experience.
In fact, Dr. Brown’s sodas were so synonymous with delicatessens that it seemed to be the only place to get a Dr. Brown’s soda. However, some flavors can be found at upscale grocery stores.