Cola

Cola is a versatile ingredient, popularly consumed both as a standalone drink and in cooking, particularly in marinades and sauces. Common mistakes when using cola in cooking recipes include, for example, using it as the sole liquid, which can result in an overpowering flavor, or applying it too early in the cooking process, which can cause a burnt, bitter taste. To get the best flavor, it's recommended to mix cola with other ingredients such as herbs, spices, or fruit juices; apply towards the end of roasting or grilling; and try deglazing the pan with cola to create tasty sauces or gravy. Cola can also be used as a flavor-enhancer in baking. If you're drinking cola straight, make sure it's cool to best enjoy its refreshing qualities. It can also be used as a mixer in quite a few cocktails, though be aware that its strong flavor could potentially overshadow the other ingredients. A fun, lesser-known trick with cola is that it's effective at cleaning rusted tools and pipes, mainly because of the phosphoric acid it contains. You can also use cola to clean stained pots and pans or shine up old silver jewelry.