Creamola Foam - Mystery Solved

Creamola Foam was a hugely popular drink produced in Scotland in the 1950's until the late 1990's. It was powdered crystals sold in small tins with a plastic lid and was available in four different flavours: cola, orange, lemon and (my personal favourite) raspberry. We had cupboards full of the stuff at home when I was a kid in the 1970's. Apparently it was only available to buy in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and for some reason it didn't seem to make the journey over the border into England. When I mentioned Creamola Foam to my English fiance, he looked at me with a blank expression on his face - it was just about as blank as Les Dawson's cheque book!

When a teaspoonful or two of this delicious powder was added to half a glass of cold water, a tasty fizzy drink appeared before your eyes. Mmmmmm, I can taste it now! Sadly it had disappeared completely by the late 1990's.

Recently while researching Glasgow for a future hub, I came across a picture of Creamola Foam and all the memories came flooding back to me. As if by magic I was transported back in time to 1973 - I was 8 years old. My mother was calling me from the kitchenette of our top floor tenement flat in Govanhill, Glasgow. "Come and get a drink, you must be thirsty." "Coming Mum" I replied as I raced across the hallway to choose which flavour I would have. All the local dentists must have been rubbing their hands together at the thought of the extra work coming their way!

Then I found something out which would totally change my life.

I stumbled across an internet site which told the story of my much loved childhood drink. Now, as legend would have it, an old tin of Creamola Foam had been found in a shop in Orkney while the owner was having the store renovated. Not being one to pass up a good business opportunity, the shopkeeper sent the tin off to be analysed in order to find out the exact ingredients, including the secret additive that made it fizz.

While researching, I found out that it has been recreated by a sweet manufacturer in Dunbartonshire, and is available to buy in around twelve shops in Scotland under the rebranded name of Kramola Fizz. YAY!! My parents still live in Scotland, so I started to write down a list of suppliers near to their home town. Even better news - I found a supplier online at www.fizzshop.co.uk Not only do they sell the four original four flavours, but have added two more to the range i.e. lime and cherry. Double Yay!! They are available to buy at £4.99 for 150g. The ingredients used are sugar, tartaric acid, extract of quina, citric acid, sodium bicarbonate, stabilisers and natural colour.

It's been a long time coming but finally its back. Guess what I'm off to order?