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Genre: Hysterical Fiction
Word Count: 100
TANG TALES
“Tang. NASA sent it to outer space.” Russell stirred orange powder into his water. “Remember the commercials when we were kids? I wanted to be an astronaut like John Glenn.”
“Just like I remember. Fortified with vitamin C and full of sugar.” Rochelle raised her glass. “To William A. Mitchell, the Montana farm boy who grew up to be a food chemist and invented not only Tang, but Cool Whip and Pop Rocks as well.”
“A toast to our maven of trivia,” Russell took a sip and grimaced. “Blecch! Gimme a beer instead. To quote astronaut Buzz Aldrin, ‘Tang sucks.’”
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields-Addicted to Purple 
I don’t think we ever had any of those in the UK. But we do have marmite
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Dear Neil,
What Marmite lacks in sugar it makes up for in salt. I’ve actually had it and like it. Akin to Vegamite from Australia.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Never knew its origin. Good one. Liked …maven of trivia…had gto look up maven. Lovelyt story, again, Rochelle.
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Dear Neel,
I remember the hype about the astronauts drinking Tang in space. Sold an otherwise not-that-great drink. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I am with Neil, never heard of these products, instead we have Bovil. I enjoyed watching the period commercial
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Dear Michael,
I looked up Bovril. Hmm…doesn’t sound too appetizing but one shouldn’t knock something until they’ve tried it. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I’ll never forgive the guy who invented Sanka. Those things were all unavoidable staples of me early years and now they’re never so much as referred to even in passing lately. I so enjoyed Cool ~Whip
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Dear Larry,
I remember Danny Thomas hawking Sanka. Wonder what happened to it? Cool Whip still abounds and my husband has to have it on his pumpkin pie. Nothing else will do.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Sanka was poison and I’m so happy that it, like Tab, Rula Lenska, and Pia Zadora, is forgotten. Shalom~
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Good to be reminded of Tang 🙂 our childhood drink.
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Dear Reena,
I remember drinking plenty of it growing up. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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The things I missed out on. Sounds like flat Fanta? Is Tang still around?
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Dear Tanille,
Flat Fanta is an apt description. Trust me, you didn’t miss out on much. 😉 I guess Tang is still around…since I never look for it…
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I agree with Buzz and Russel, Tang sucks, though I guess if sucking Tang out of little plastic tubes would be what it took to get to the Moon, I might do it 😉 One of the greatest marketing coups of all time.
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Dear Trent,
I read that the actual purpose of using Tang on Apollo 11 was due to the foul tasting water on the shuttle. Apparently Buzz didn’t think much of NASA’s problem solver. 😉 Thank you for flying by.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I am always ready for such drinks 🙂 Tang is great!
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Dear Anita,
Glad you liked Tang. I guess enough people did since it’s still on the market.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Good one. I just re-read The Right Stuff and there was nary a mention of Tang in the book, though they did talk about Alan Shepard wetting his space suit on the first Mercury launch.
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Dear Josh,
I guess an astronaut whizzing in his suit is more interesting than drinking something that tastes like it. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I never was a fan of Tang. I tried it but that was about it. Now, Cool Whip is a different story. Love it. I do remember the ads with the Astronauts. Good history lesson and fun story.
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Dear Jan,
I did like Tang growing up. After all it was cold and sweet. I used to like to eat Cool Whip while it was still frozen. Like ice cream. I know you certainly love your Cool Whip. Pie? What pie? I think there’s a slice of it underneath all the synthetic white stuff. Love you, too, honey. 😉
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I love putting myself in my stories. I like how you did this one. These vitamin drinks are often awful!
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Dear Mason,
Every so often, I like to put myself into a story and take another FF’r along for the read. Russell did get me back as he often does. 😀 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I think that’s a lovely idea.
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I didn’t realize that Tang had an inventor, William A. Mitchell. But someone must have come up with the idea. I remember drinking Tang and almost remember that commercial.
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Dear Frank,
So many food inventions have come and gone, haven’t they? I guess they all have to start somewhere. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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That one flew over my head at about 100 kilometres, I’m afraid, but it starred two of my favourite FF characters, so I enjoyed it anyway!
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Dear Jen,
We are two countries separated by a common language. 😉 When I post these types of stories, I figure they will go over someone’s head. The beauty of FF for me has always been the diversity and cultural exchanges. Like going around the world without leaving my desk. (I still remember “the Great Smelt Debate”) I hope your hair wasn’t mussed when this one flew over. I’m glad you enjoyed it anyway. 😀 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Absolutely! It’s amazing how different two (three, actually, as I’m now Canadian / British, reading American works) cultures can be. Throw in even a small age difference and you’re worlds apart! My comment certainly wasn’t a criticism of you – one can never write for every reader and shouldn’t try.
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Dear Jen,
Why your comment went to my trash folder, not once, but twice, is beyond me. Of course I didn’t take your comment as criticism. I love reading the differences in writings from people in other cultures. And of course the age difference does factor in. But the greatest takeaway in all of this is what we can learn from each other. And that makes me very happy.
Shalom, my friend,
Rochelle
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I’m surprised Tang is still around. I remember it well. It tastes better than Sunny Delite! I do have to thank the guy for inventing Cool Whip though. What would jello be without it? Cool blast to the past.
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Dear Lisa,
I never tried Sunny D. By the time it came out I was done with sugary synthetic vitamin drinks. I used to like eating Cool Whip from the tub while it was still frozen. Glad you enjoyed my story and took the time to say so. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Rochelle, I tried it once and that’s all it took. You are very welcome.
Shalom,
Lisa
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Dear Rochelle,
Talk about a marketing coup to get Tang on the rocket… I’m with Buzz and Russell… that stuff is gross!
Shalom and lots refreshing hugs,
Dale
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Dear Dale,
Give me the genuine article any day…pieces of orange and all. I drank a lot of Tang as a kid and liked it. As for marketing…well, it’s all about that, isn’t it? Thank you.
Shalom and lotsa genuine hugs,
Rochelle
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As a former chemist myself, I’m delighted you have honoured William Mitchell for his work!
Shalom
Penny
xx
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Dear Penny,
Now I know a little more about you. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I’m glad it worked for the astronauts, but I’m guessing they were glad to get back to earth and drink some real orange juice!
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Dear Linda,
Nothing beats the real thing, does it? Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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We have an orange drink called Tango – perhaps it’s the same company?
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I have no idea, Liz. Maybe?
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Tang it! I don’t think I’ve ever had Tang. I don’t think I ever will. Pop Rocks, though. Those were magically delicious. Cool Whip is wonderful on a cold winter day crowning a cup of hot chocolate. Mmm…
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Dear Nobbin,
I remember Pop Rocks. My kids and I had fun with those. My husband thinks that Cool Whip is one of the four food groups…especially if it’s smothering a slice of pumpkin pie. 😉 Hang the Tang. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Ah, Tang. If I ever had it, I didn’t know it was it … 😉 But, I’m okay without it … 😉
Left my little contribution at the froggy, perhaps not SO far from yours, conceptually … 😉
Na’ama
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Na’ama Y’karah,
Sunday is upon me and I’m catching up on those replies. 😉 As for Tang, you didn’t miss much IMHO. Thank you for participating, my friend.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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LOL! I know … if I thought I’d missed much, I’d be looking for it to try … 😉
Hugs from NY (pun and all!!)
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Rochelle,
TANG. Bleh!!!! But he more than redeemed himself with Cool Whip. Loved this gastronomical trip into not-so-long-ago.
shalom,
dora
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Dear Dora,
Love the gastronomical trip. 😀 Clever. Tang…a staple of my childhood. Loved Cool Whip until I gave up sugar. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Never had Tang, but looks awful, i’ll steer clear if its all the same with you!
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Dear Shrawly,
Wise man. Tang wasn’t one of America’s greatest contributions. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I love Tang! Now I have a craving for Tang.
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Dear Anne,
I believe it’s still available. I haven’t had it in years. Decades, in fact. 😉 Bottoms up.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Pop rocks — exploding tang!? I vaguely remember those commercials; can’t remember Tang — probably blocked it from my memory. I thought all whipped cream was cool whip! I remember eating it frozen from the tub.
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Dear Lorraine,
Eating Cool Whip from the frozen tub was my favorite way. 😉 Pop Rocks were fun. I don’t remember Tang ever exploding. Maybe it should have. Thank you for your fun comment.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I always thought of pop rocks would be like tang exploding in my mouth. Had no idea the same man invented both.
Drove my mother crazy when she would take out the cool whip and half of it would be gone!
Thanks for some fun memories and some good trivia questions!
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I think everybody had something like that in their childhood. Mine was Cremola Foam, maybe a bit like Tang? But amazing how your piece about one drink has called up so many memories. Move over Marcel Proust! 😉 AND I learned another American fact. Really enjoyed this piece.
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Dear Jenne,
My favorite things about Friday Fictioneers is the diversity. It’s my way of traveling around the world without leaving my desk. 😉 It seems we all had something in the food department that brings back memories. Thank you for your kind comments.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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As Jenne has said, I think Cremola Foam was a taste memory from my childhood. I like how you have made us look into our younger days and search for taste hood memories. Lovely.
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Dear James,
It’s fun finding out what people across the ocean remember. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I think our version of that might have been Lemfizz cubes, which came in orange flavour too. You could either eat them outright or drop them in water. I remember being violently ill in a music lesson after eating one outright. 😦 You always know how to open the door to Memory Lane, Rochelle.
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Dear Sandra,
We had something similar called Fizzies. They were flat, round tablets that fizzed in water. If your Lemfizz cubes were anything like that I can see why you became violently ill. Ugh. As always I’m happy to be your tour guide down Memory Lane. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Never heard of it. Just as well by the sounds of it 🙂
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Dear Ali,
I assure you, you haven’t missed a thing. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I didn’t know they took it with them on Apollo 11. What a great little detail. And a fun story. I never heard of the stuff until I spent some time in Canada. We took it on camping and canoe trips. Light weight and when you’re tired and thirsty, it tastes great.
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Dear Gabi,
Tang…I do remember it. Wouldn’t drink it now, though. 😉 Thank you for sharing your memories.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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it seems like it was a commercial success. to each its own, i guess. 🙂
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Dear Plaridel,
It’s all about marketing, isn’t it? Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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>D I remember that stuff. I would drink it, but it didn’t hold a candle to Koolaid.
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Dear Genia,
As Plaridel said, ‘to each his own.’ I wouldn’t drink either Tang or Koolaid now. Although I did like grape Koolaid as a kid. Who could resist a smiling pitcher?
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Dr. Joan Dale W(T)F,
I was never a big fan of “Dang.” Beer is much smoother and more satisfying to the palette. If I don’t do my part to support all those brewery workers who count on me, I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night (beer helps with that too).
I also remember a “space candy” that came in a tube. It was similar to jelly or jam in consistancy, but not as tasty.
Still wondering why they never found Alice Kramden on one of those moon visits.
Cheers,
“Buzzed” Aldrin
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Dear Buzzed Aldrin,
I’m sure your face will be used for the next Super Bowl ad campaign. Who needs Clydesdales, right?
Perhaps Alice landed on the dark side of the moon.
Dang it anyway. Thanks for Zooming by.
Shalom,
Dr. Joan Dale W(T)F
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Hats off to William A. Mitchell for the invention of cool whip. What would pumpkin pie be without it? Love that stuff in my coffee too! Tang brings back childhood memories. Fun story, Rochelle. I enjoyed as always meeting someone new.
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Dear Brenda,
I’d never heard of William A. Mitchell before I chose this prompt. 😉 I love where the threads take me. Tang is a childhood memory of mine, too. As for pumpkin pie…not my favorite…although coconut creme and chocolate are also good with Cool Whip. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Sounds yummy. Thanks for the tip! =)
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Wow. Tang. What a memory.
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A fond memory for some, maybe not for others. 😉 Thank you for reading and commenting, Athling.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Oh the things created! Science in food form. Powders and fizzy rocks and dehydration. Just add water!
A fun reminder of the past here, Rochelle
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Dear Laurie,
One of my favorites was Fizzies, at tablet you dropped in water and it made a fruit drink. Always happy to direct a tour on Memory Lane. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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