Curiosity would yet again kill the social media editor. (That's my job here at the Obsever.) Independently, Dr Pepper and dill pickles are both fantastic. They are wonderful on their own.
However, a delightful woman on TikTok with the handle Mississippi Memaw decided to marry the two, creating a concerning concoction she calls Pickle Dr Pepper. Our first thought: “What an original name!”
Second thought: “Did Mississippi MeMaw actually just pick a peck of pickled peppers?"
Since I love Dr Pepper, as any red-blooded Texan does, and since I love pickles, with my refined flavor palate of a raccoon, I drove myself down to Sonic.
@mississippimemaw Pickle Dr Pepper #pickle #sonic #sonicdrivein #pickles #fyp #fastfood #mississippi ♬ original sound - Mississippi Memaw
The poor man over the intercom didn't know what to make of my order of a single side of pickles and a medium Dr Pepper. After telling me he didn’t think he could just ring up a side of sliced pickles, he resignedly said, “You know what, I’ve got you.”
Yes, I felt stupid, but I still got the damn pickles. After a few delicious sips of virgin Dr Pepper to make room for the pickle slices, I plopped them in, mixed it up and took my first underwhelming sip. At first, the only thing that stood out was the mouthfeel.
It had the texture of an electrolyte powder in water, but the flavor wasn’t horrible. At first, it seemed that the soda was overpowering the pickle’s acidity, leaving behind the faintest dill flavor. I was hopeful because, if nothing else, it was still drinkable. Mississippi Memaw wasn’t too far off the mark with the unusual concoction ... that is, until I let the pickles marinate for about 15 minutes.
The longer it sits, the worse it gets. In the battle between the acidity of the soda versus the acidity of the pickles, the pickles came out on top with aggressive force. The electrolyte-drink-texture worsened with time, giving it a slimy feel, and the flavor stuck to my mouth, haunting me for the poor decision of listening to someone on the internet who sounds like she would order a Dr Pepper with pickles in it. It also does not bode well for sensitive stomachs.
As I write this, stomach churning and endlessly burping with pickle breath, I offer you this nugget of personal truth: don't try to fix something that isn't broken. Let Dr Pepper and dill pickles live happily on their own. They need not be tied down by a rather disgusting union.
