Slurpees....

[kermitology]

So from the WTF files.. why are Slurpees in the US carbonated while the ones in Canada are not?

[Incinerator]

they're carbonated down south? that's news to me haha

[RedHot25]

I have no idea, Kermitology....but my question is why do they seem to not exist here down east, and ones that do are some real vague cop out that shouldn't even really be considered a slurpee to being with?

Sorry to get a bit off topic there.

[SpitFire40]

Ever had an Icee? Fricken disgusting...

[kermitology]

Well.. to that I ask.. WTF is with Beckers?

[ericschand]

Aren't Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta the Slurpee capitals?
I thought 7-11 said that they sell the most Slurpees on the Praries.

I didn't know they carbonate them in the US. I bought one down
there, and it was similar, but not the same. What I did notice is
that when you fill your cup they mix air, so it's really fluffy. The
downside is that the Slurpee settles...giving you a lot less than you
think you are getting.

ers

[ken0042]

Doesn't freezing remove the carbonation? Is it maybe more of a "why bother" point in Canada?

[looooob]

Aren't Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta the Slurpee capitals?
I thought 7-11 said that they sell the most Slurpees on the Praries.

I didn't know they carbonate them in the US. I bought one down
there, and it was similar, but not the same. What I did notice is
that when you fill your cup they mix air, so it's really fluffy. The
downside is that the Slurpee settles...giving you a lot less than you
think you are getting.

ersWinnipeg is the world slurpee capital, I believe Calgary, Detroit and Edmonton are next in line...and fluffy is a good word to describe most slurpees I have had in the US

I don't know whether the Detroit slurpees are Canadian or US in their quality

[jam26]

Having moved from Ontario to Alberta, and then back again, I was always amazed by the popularity of the Slurpee in Calgary. I have always been a slurpee fan, so I felt right at home in Calgary.
Now that I've moved back to Ontario, I find it difficult to get a slurpee - the stores have very few choices and I'm reluctant to even buy them because the machines always look unsanitary due to lack of use and cleaning.

[calf]

I'm sure that slurpees in Canada are carbonated as well...probably in different proportions from what you're getting down in the States, but there is carbonation so to make sure you're not drinking a half-melted, syrupy popsicle, but rather the consistency we all know and love.

What's the difference between what you're having now?

[kermitology]

What's the difference between what you're having now?

Well when you pour it out it puffs up for a second then settles. But you can really tell that it's slightly fizzy compared to what I'm used to in Canada.

[Agamemnon]

They have carbonated slurpees here, they came out 2-3 years ago. They're the ones that look like pure liquid in the funny looking machines beside the normal ones in most places.

You have to fill up the cup, stir it for a minute, then fill it up again because the CO2 causes lots of air pockets to build up when pouring.

[SpitFire40]

You have to fill up the cup, stir it for a minute, then fill it up again because the CO2 causes lots of air pockets to build up when pouring.

Damn... Al Gore was right!!

I had a slurpee in San Jose, it wasn't one of those wierd Fluffy ones.

[Bent Wookie]

Damn... Al Gore was right!!

I had a slurpee in San Jose, it wasn't one of those wierd Fluffy ones.


Stirring works.... however THE best method is the tap or hit the bottom of the cup with the palm of yer hand a few times... that gets most of the air out.

[kermitology]

Alright, next time I get a Slurpee I'm hitting the bottom and stirring it. Will post results.

[Draug]

So from the WTF files.. why are Slurpees in the US carbonated while the ones in Canada are not?

There is the odd place in Calgary that has carbonated slurpees. I know that the Petro Canada at Sarcee and Richmond does. Also, the Shell in Airdrie, on the highway near McDonalds, used to have them a few years ago but I am not sure they still do.

[socalwingfan]

I've bitched about the before on CP - the first thing I get whenever I go home to visit is a Slurpee - and a Wunderbar

[RougeUnderoos]

Also, why in the US doe smazzarella exist in the form it was meant to be but we get this scam cube of white crap that EVERY cheese company tries to pass off as mozzarella. REal mozzarella is nothing like what we know it up here.

Really? You can buy that pillow-shaped stuff at Safeway. Is that not "real mozarella"? I think it tastes pretty good but I don't know if I ever had "real mozzarella". It has an Italian name and is not in brick form like the awful brick form of mozzarella with a generic label.

Veering even further off topic -- on CNN today they were talking about how Yanks now (or will soon) spend more money on wine than Frenchies. Whatever, seems odd to me, but she ended it by saying "overall consumption has not gone up but instead sales of premium wines have risen dramatically. Premium wines are wines that cost more than 5 dollars a bottle".

I know booze is cheaper there, but that can't be true. Can it? The vino must be mighty cheap if 5 bucks is considered expensive.

[@theCBE]

At least you can get slurpee's in the US.. they don't have anything in the UK

[the crispy badger]

at least you have sluprees down there..we don't even have a 7-11 here.

[Temporary_User]

There is the odd place in Calgary that has carbonated slurpees. I know that the Petro Canada at Sarcee and Richmond does. Also, the Shell in Airdrie, on the highway near McDonalds, used to have them a few years ago but I am not sure they still do.
are those slurpee's? As much as i know you can only buy slurpee's from 7-11.
the rest are all imitations.

[Teh_Bandwagoner]

The Mohawk in Coventry Hills used to have carbonated slurpees, but it's recently changed to a Husky. I have yet to determine whether the slurpees are still carbonated or not.

[LockedOut]

I remember Red Rooster slurpees were carbonated and they were better than Mac's and 7-11 slurpees at the time but were a pain to fill cause of all the air pockets.

[Sainters7]

Ever had an Icee? Fricken disgusting...

haha I remember being in Vegas and getting one, I thought something was wrong with it. How can people actually LIKE that down there?? Its just cold tea with ice cubes!

EDIT: Just re-read your post, I thought you said Iced Tea :s

[kermitology]

EDIT: Just re-read your post, I thought you said Iced Tea :s

If you want what we like as Iced Tea you have to ask for Sweet Tea I think.

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

At least you can get slurpee's in the US.. they don't have anything in the UK

This is very true and I think that in the summer months a business such as Tesco could make a killing selling slurpies, I mean just look at the bottled water that they sell in England each year, the amount is huge. If they could ever get the slurpee machines inside some of the stores I would have no doubt that they would be huge sellers. Every Brit I have talked to that has come over the Canada agrees with me that they would be popular.

The one thing I can see holding this back would be the lack of convenience stores such as a 7-11 in England... they seemed to be everywhere else in Europe but not in England for some reason,

[Russic]

my god . . . I knew we were different, but man. I didn't even know that the slurpee isn't as popular outside the prairies. I've never lived more than an hour away from calgary. This is truely incredible.

[SpitFire40]

I love the plain Iced Tea in the states... it's so refreshing

[notoepik]

"overall consumption has not gone up but instead sales of premium wines have risen dramatically. Premium wines are wines that cost more than 5 dollars a bottle".

I know booze is cheaper there, but that can't be true. Can it? The vino must be mighty cheap if 5 bucks is considered expensive.

5 bucks a bottle, lol you still have to cover that with a plain brown bag ;)

I too have noticed that more people are drinkig more expensive wine. In my family, expensive is $20-30 a bottle. We use to be cheap drunks though, on the $3-4 a bottle stuff :p

[looooob]

This is very true and I think that in the summer months a business such as Tesco could make a killing selling slurpies, I mean just look at the bottled water that they sell in England each year, the amount is huge. If they could ever get the slurpee machines inside some of the stores I would have no doubt that they would be huge sellers. Every Brit I have talked to that has come over the Canada agrees with me that they would be popular.

The one thing I can see holding this back would be the lack of convenience stores such as a 7-11 in England... they seemed to be everywhere else in Europe but not in England for some reason,at least in 1991 there was A 7-11 in London. it was for some reason near the hostel I stayed in in Hampstead. I have photo proof somewhere. they had slurpees--I think--but they weren't good

[kipperfan]

my god . . . I knew we were different, but man. I didn't even know that the slurpee isn't as popular outside the prairies. I've never lived more than an hour away from calgary. This is truely incredible.

That was kinda of what I thought until I moved out to Ontario and here you cant find them anywhere but 7-11 and Macs and there is like 10 7-11 and Mac's combined in the GTA. Its funny out here apparently its more of a chick thing...which I found kinda odd.

[Mango]

Winter...summer...rain...snow...sunshine. I love slurpees at any time of the year. At the U of C's Stor, I was filling up those slurpee cards like there was no tomorrow.

Although, I must admit, the crystal light slurpees are atrocious.

[@theCBE]

The one thing I can see holding this back would be the lack of convenience stores such as a 7-11 in England... they seemed to be everywhere else in Europe but not in England for some reason,

I can't say specifically for England because I haven't spent much time there.. but I thought Scotland had no convenience stores until I walked into a Newspaper shop to grab a paper and realized that it was basically a Mac's or 7-11. There are tonnes of Newspaper shops everywhere..

I agree they would make a KILLING if they put in slurpee machines here

[RT14]

When I first came to China, Slurpee's never crossed my mind as something that I would miss from Canada, but when I got off the plane to 38 deg C, extremely humid weather I quickly found myself craving one. Fortunately, I was pleasently surprised to find that not only is there a 7-11 every 5-10 blocks here, but they also have Slurpee's. I couldn't believe it considering I had been to England, Ireland, and Scotland and don't remember seeing any there.

There's usually only two choices, but one is always Coke so it's never too disapointing. Others I've seen are Orange (good stuff), Mango (love the fruit, hate the Slurpee) and Strawberry (not so good). They don't taste like the Alberta slurps though, but probably more like the American ones from the sound of it. Really fluffy and the cup is 3" lower by the time you leave the store. Gotta really tap that cup to get all the air out.


...Now if only we could score a Timmy's here...Mmmmm, Ice Caps. (drooling ensues)

[icarus]

Mmm... I think I will get a Slurpee tomorrow.

Now a real prairie phenomenom is a screamer... no one in Rocky Mountain House would go for a Slurpee when they could have a screamer instead!

[ericschand]

I don't know why Slurpees aren't more common in other parts
of the world. You would think when it gets hot outside, the first thing
you want is ice with flavouring. :-) The slurpee machine is actually
more complex than just mixing syrup and ice. Certain temp and mixture,
with perfect ice is required, and the machine does all of it.

However, the thread reminds me of an incident a couple of years ago,
as I was buying a slurpee. I was in the 7-11 and a couple came in
with their kid and an oriental girl. It was obvious that the girl didn't
understand much english, maybe an exchange student?

So, they all line up at the slurpee machine, and start pouring. The mother,
talking real loud and slow so the girl would understand :bag:, said this is a
drink, and you have orange, root beer, and so on. The girl looked very
confused. Finally the word "Coke" was given, and she seemed to
understand that one.

So she watches as people mix the slurpee flavours. And then proceeds to
take a bit out of every one. She doesn't drink it, until she gets in line.

Then her eyes lit up! You could see the "Wow!" hit her. Apparently
the Slurpee made another fan... :w00t:

ers

[Seabass]

Slurpees are popular down in Florida. I stayed there for a few summers. They were the carbonated ones, as I had to wait for the pockets of air to lower. 7-11 had them up here for a while, but went back to the old method after about a year. The only thing I hate about the slurpees up here, especially Coke, is you get a white froth on the top that tastes like crap. Pepsi doesn't do it, just Coke. Personally I prefer the US ones.

[daredevil]

Slurpees have changed quite a bit in the last few years.
The machines that they make now actually make a worse product IMO.
If you ever find a 7/11 that has the older model that looks more "stainless steel" in nature they are the best.
They have a larger metal bar that lies diagonally accross/behind the spout.
If you tilt it to the left you can make the texture change to a thicker consistency.
Also these machines seem to have a better syrup to water ratio, they are far less sweet and the slurpees are less foamy (not airy but actually frothy/foamy).
I prefer a thick slurpee, but not so much that there are little ice balls in it.
I've gotten so bad that I'll go into a 7/11, look at the flavor (pepsi only for me) spinning, and I can tell if I'll like it's texture/taste just by how it looks in the drum.
Sadly, I'd estimate that I spend easily over $1000/year on them and if I thought about it, I probably have spent over $20000 total over the last 30 years.
Also I've been told that the 1.3L version which I buy have over 1400 caolries per.
Ouch.


***note to self***
Seek professional help

[ken0042]

Also I've been told that the 1.3L version which I buy have over 1400 caolries per.

That sounds high. 1.3 litres of Coke would have about 640 calories; which would mean a slurpie would have to have twice as much syrop as a the regular pop.

Somehow I just don't see that.

Edit- just found a link: http://www.myslurpeecup.com/nutrition.html

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

I can't say specifically for England because I haven't spent much time there.. but I thought Scotland had no convenience stores until I walked into a Newspaper shop to grab a paper and realized that it was basically a Mac's or 7-11. There are tonnes of Newspaper shops everywhere..

I agree they would make a KILLING if they put in slurpee machines here

I know that they have Newspaper shops but they don't really have the big chain convenience stores which I think would be needed for something like this to take root in England... summer months seem to be getting hotter in England/Scotland and the main slushee type beverage is a Frapichino, which if you think are expensive here, are the same price over there just in pounds (9 dollar drinks!)

[daredevil]

That sounds high. 1.3 litres of Coke would have about 640 calories; which would mean a slurpie would have to have twice as much syrop as a the regular pop.

Somehow I just don't see that.

Edit- just found a link: http://www.myslurpeecup.com/nutrition.html

While that's great news, all it does is enable me to drink more of them with less guilt. My wife will be very displeased to hear about this.

[OilersBaby]

haha I remember being in Vegas and getting one, I thought something was wrong with it. How can people actually LIKE that down there?? Its just cold tea with ice cubes!

EDIT: Just re-read your post, I thought you said Iced Tea :s

Yeah, in the US (except for in the Southern States like Georgia, Florida, Kentucky etc where they have the same iced tea that Canada does), you have to ask for "Sweetened Iced Tea" or else you'll get COLD tea with ice cubes and have to put sugar or splenda in it yourself. It's pretty yucky.

And I have no idea what you guys are talking about when you say slurpees are carbonated. I haven't had one in a while, so after reading this thread yesterday, I went to the 7-11 and got a Coke slurpee. It tasted the same as the ones I used to get at the Mac's (Max?) in Edmonton by University when I lived there.

[@theCBE]

I know that they have Newspaper shops but they don't really have the big chain convenience stores which I think would be needed for something like this to take root in England... summer months seem to be getting hotter in England/Scotland and the main slushee type beverage is a Frapichino, which if you think are expensive here, are the same price over there just in pounds (9 dollar drinks!)

Its not just their slushee drinks that are expensive... it costs me less to buy a 6 pack of beer than it does to buy a 6 pack of Coke, and the beer comes in Tall cans! I went to tesco yesterday and a 6-pack of coke was 3.23 pounds.. thats like 7 bucks.

I thought I was coping with the lack of slurpees pretty well.. but since I read this thread yesterday my cravings have gotten so bad I considered throwing a bunch of ice in a blender and pouring a can of coke over it.
Damn you kermitology !!

[kermitology]

WTF.. I just asked a question.. Be happy with your overflowing taps of Tennents there CBE.. I'll FedEx you a Slurpee for a beer!

And OilersBaby. You've now confirmed that the San Jose area is like Canada.. Probably from all the transplanted electrical/computer/software engineers from up North :P