There are many undeniable food pairings: tomato soup and grilled cheese, spaghetti and meatballs, peanut butter and jelly and mashed potatoes and gravy.
A pairing that isn't considered a classic? Coffee . . . and orange juice.
Ashton Kutcher apparently swears by this combination, which he recently touted while promoting his new Netflix projects "That 90s Show" and "Your Place or Mine" on Kelly Clarkson's talk show. Yes, you heard that right: Instead of grabbing cream or half-and-half, Kutcher reaches for OJ.
The topic of coffee came up as Kutcher and Clarkson played a game called "Obsessions," in which each had to sell their not-so-mainstream likes to viewers. In response to the unusual pairing, Clarkson told Kutcher "you might be alone here." Nevertheless, the actor proceeded to explain his obsession via a deep dive into the flavor notes and profiles of certain types of coffee.
"I don't like creamers. I usually drink black coffee — that is my go-to . . . But, occasionally, I like light roast black coffee," Kutcher said. "And one of the things about light roast black coffee is that it has citrus notes in it."
Kutcher then explained that "it's the acidity that sort of gives it a brightness when you're drinking coffee."
"So, if I ever have like a medium roast cofee, and I'm like, 'Ah, I really would prefer this be a little more light roast,' I take just a splash — not very much — a spalsh of orange juice and it brightens up the coffee and gives it a bit of sweetness."
"It sounds gross," Clarkson said in conclusion, "but I'm going to try it."
While that amount of acid in one mug would wreak havoc on my acid reflux, Kutcher clearly has a thorough understanding of the way in which he likes to drink his coffee. The OJ keeps the coffee entirely vegan and also doesn't require any extraneous sugar, which may be selling points for you.
The co-hosts of "Today" subsequently tried coffee and OJ, but they didn't exactly give it rave reviews. "It's not good," Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie mutually declared after Al Roker spit his sip back into his mug. Oh, well — you can't win 'em all.
One drink with a similar flavor profile is a winner, though. Salon senior writer Mary Elizabeth Williams tried a "Tootsie Roll-like" drink in Nashville, which she deemed "phenomenal." In her recipe for orange coffee soda, which approximates the original, Williams combines cold brew and Orangina, orange San Pellegrino or a similar effervescent citrus beverage with orange zest and mint sprigs. The resulting drink is undeniably crave-able.
"I had to stop myself from ordering a second one so I wouldn't be fighting heart palpitations at the Ryman later on," Williams wrote.
