Shadows of icons in big spring
Soft drink bottling companies that once called Big Spring home
I have always loved Coca-cola. Not just the drink, although drinking a cold one after an extended break from the beverage is, dare I say, a magical experience, but like many millions of others I appreciate the iconic place the brand has taken in our culture.
From the jingle in the 70s inspiring us to ‘...buy the world a coke and keep it company’ while growing apple trees and honey bees and being nice to everyone to the global presence it has today in popular culture, the iconic brand continues to make a mark in our lives.
Growing up in the 70s Christmas was always made special with the Coca-cola commercials featuring their 18 wheelers all lit up and sparkly for the holidays; and who could forget Santa drinking a coke left out by a hopeful child during his delivery run on Christmas Eve. The child’s note directing Santa to ‘Please pause here.’
The Charlie Brown Christmas Special was a
favorite in my household and we watched it every year so when I found a copy in Wal-mart I bought it. Among the special features included on the disc was a documentary explaining how the cartoon came to be. Coca-cola was responsible for that as well. Check it out the next time you pull out that old DVD for the kids to watch at Christmas.
In doing some research on the old bottling companies in Big Spring I found a couple of good websites that might inspire a road trip sometime in the future.
The website Roadsidearchitecture.com has information and photos chronicling some of the soft drink history in Texas, including Big Spring.
The Coca-cola building on 1008 E. 3rd was built in 1927, according to the limited information I could find. It has an owner who bought it in 2009.
Along with Coca-cola, Dr. Pepper also had a bottling plant in Big Spring.
The Coca-cola building on West Hwy 80 still sits abandoned. There wasn’t much information on it, but hopefully I will be able to do a little more
research on these buildings in the future and find photos of the inside.
I have to give special thanks to Tammy Schrecengost at the Heritage Museum for her help and providing the historical photos you see below.
Information from Roadsidearchitecture and from Flickr:
Big Spring Dr. Pepper Bottling Company The Dr. Pepper Bottling Company of Big Spring (sic) was located at 1006 West Third Street. This company began in 1927 as a partnership between Harry Staloup and Mr. H. A. Ledkowski. They distributed beer until 1940, when Staloup bought out the interests of his partner and Ledkowski took the beer component of the business. Eventually, Harry Staloup’s son, Tot Staloup, became co-owner and co-manager alongside his father.
•••
Fun Facts:
• Alongside Dr Pepper, Orange Crush, Delaware Punch, 7Up, Nugrape and Squirt were all bottled
• Phone Number: 1079
on cookie sheets in a warm place. If it is hot out, lay the cookie sheets in the sun. Or, you could put them in an oven set to “warm.” You can also put the acorns in a dehydrator set on low heat. How to Grind Acorns for Flour
When partially dry, coarse grind a few acorns at a time in a blender. Spread the ground acorns to dry on cookie sheets, then grind again in a blender. Repeat until you are left with a flour- or cornmeallike substance.
You can also freeze your fresh acorn meal. Store dried flour in jars in the fridge.
Eating Roasted Acorns
Making acorn flour isn't the only way you can enjoy acorns. Here's how to roast the nuts:
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Pour the acorns into a single layer on an ungreased, rimmed cookie sheet.
3. Cook the nuts for about 60 minutes or until they turn a chocolate brown color.
4. Remove the acorns from the oven and let them cool. Salt to taste.
Acorn Recipe Ideas
• Mix up cooked acorns with raisins or other dried fruit to make a trail mix.
• Substitute acorns for chestnuts in baking recipes.
• Use acorn flour in bread, cake, pancakes, and more! Try this acorn flour flatbread recipe (similar to tortilla).
• Or, try this acorn flour honey cake, which tastes a little like gingerbread cake.
• The flour also makes an excellent pasta dough when mixed with regular flour.
• How about adding acorn flour to a pancake recipe for that nutty taste and nutrition? Acorn Pancakes Recipe
This recipe adapted from Sharon Hendricks.
Source: Texas A&M University Agrilife Extension
Ingredients:
• One egg
• 1 tsp. salad oil
• 1 tsp. honey or sugar
• ½ cup leached and ground acorns
• ½ cup cornmeal
• ½ cup whole wheat or white flour
• 2 tsp. double action baking powder
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ cup milk
Instructions:
Break egg into bowl and add all ingredients, beating to create a batter. If batter is too thick, thin with additional milk. Pour batter onto hot, greased griddle and cook slowly until brown. Flip to brown opposite side. Serve with butter and syrup or jam— and enjoy!