COMPARATIVE LIT ESSAY:
Cram sessions are over. Mid-terms are done. (Well, not for the professors who still have to grade them) So it is time to take a break! While this spring break won’t look the same due to the pandemic, there is still less fear and uncertainty than this time last year. But maybe some will find rest and a true break, even if only for a bit. I have two ciders for upperclassmen and thirsty professors that might create a little lighthearted sunshine and tropical experience whether they are actually experiencing the sun or just stuck on campus dreaming they were. Both are based on tropical classics. The newly released Paloma by Stem Ciders is based on the Mexican beach cocktail of the same name, and Hale & True’s ode to the Hawaiian original POG (Passionfruit, Orange and Guava). So let’s break them down:
The POGA is a bit bubbly while the Paloma is almost still with its more interesting cloudy melon coloring. The nose though goes to POGA which is brighter and more tropical, though Paloma is probably deeper and fruitier. The POGA is dryer, mellower, more subdued and probably more self-assured. It is not a big bold tropical-flavored cider, but the dry essence of the drink really allows the passionfruit and orange to come out in the finish, which is killer. The Paloma is brighter, with a much higher amount of citric acid that really begins to build in the middle grapefruit phase that crescendos into a burst of lime flavor in the finish, which is almost too much.
Both of these are really good, and each is unique in their own right—I have never had these exact flavor combos in any other ciders. Choosing is difficult. The Paloma with its one-of-a-kind lime punch should be experienced, but I don’t feel I could have more than one of these, whereas it would be easy to knock out several POGAs in one sitting. So, when choosing I think I’d rather go with Hale and True, because in my imaginary, non-existent, spring break, I think I’d rather be “stuck” with this drink. It does not have the big bold passionfruit flavor of a Passport (one of my favorite ciders, earning top marks), but it provides the passion and guava flavors I love in a more subtle, dry and sophisticated way. The Paloma wants to be seen in designer swimwear at a fancy resort pool, whereas the POGA is better suited to a hammock between two palm trees where it is clam, quiet and deeply relaxing. In this fantasy, I could see myself swaying in the breeze with a good book, no kids, no students, and a handful of these for an afternoon to myself. Now that is spring break in the sunshine to me! Want a dry, sophisticated and chill tropical cider to make your spring break fantasy come true? Try a POGA, they ship to almost anywhere in America where you might be stuck. In fact, I think I might pour another. Happy grading to me.