Sun-drop and apple cider, ginger, mandarin marinated pork chops on the grill!

I'll be headed over to Cleveland Community College (CCC) to listen to Governor Perdue speak, dressed in my chefs coat, three foot long apron, a cold Sun-Drop in hand and one foot tall hat.  That’s how I walk around - especially when I'm feeding others!  It causes quite a stir at times, especially in supermarkets and at festivals.  After hearing Governor Perdue speak, I'll be in the TV studio filming a cooking segment showing off Sun-Drop and feeding several audience members.  And man, have I got a good ole' Charlotte fave-to-rave about!

I recently had the opportunity to design a new recipe floating around in my ticker with a favorite soda that we all love in the Metrolina region.  Oh yes, you know it's coming...  You can feel it, can't you!?

It's gonna either be Cheerwine or Sun-Drop!  And, for this recipe, Sun-Drop takes the cape and shoots into the sky like Superman.  I'll be back later, on TV or my radio show with a Cheerwine recipe.

We had some fun folks over last Sunday night and we were talking about favorite sodas.  Sun-Drop leaped right on that list and everyone was licking their chops watching me cooking my Sun-Drop and apple cider, ginger, mandarin marinated pork chops on the grill!

Sun Drop is HOT right now and working with the Schiele Museum.  Tony's Ice Cream is also helping the Schiele.  On the one hand, my son JT and I just appeared fully dressed as pirates for the new PIRATES! exhibit at the SchieleMuseum!  Why not go see the 60-foot long pirate ship until December 31.  In addition, join us scalawags for the Pirates Ball, July 17, 2010.  To support the massive pirates exhibit, Sun-Drop recently released an all-new soda can with pirates on it!  I LOVE this company!

Tony's Ice Cream has also just released a limited edition flavor celebrating the Pirates exhibit and, NO, it is not rum loaded, rum drenched or rum flavored (that's for buccaneers who like it high-octane). The flavor for the kid in all of us is Orange Pineapple Plunder.  Half gallons announce themselves with an image of Salty Sam, the museum’s animated pirate.  11-year-old Levi Davidson of Gastonia named him via a, “Name the Pirate," contest that drew hundreds and hundreds of entries.  

So, I figured I would join in the fun and create a fantastic marinade with Sun-Drop and some fresh pork chops from Ingles.  We sat around laughing and talking with our fountain bubbling water on rocks, jazz music playing, a light breeze and a ton of other good food!

Sun-Drop and apple cider, ginger, mandarin marinated pork chops on the grill!

1 package of pork chops - 1 chop per person - figure accordingly

1 can or bottle of Sun-Drop soda

32 oz of apple cider - bottled or fresh made

1 12 oz bottle of Brianna's Ginger Mandarin Salad Dressing

Chef Marti's fresh summer salsa

1 fresh peach - diced small

1 fresh nectarine - diced small

1/2 quart of fresh strawberries - remove leaves - diced small

20 red grapes - diced small

1 cup of Bolthouse Farms Mango Lemonade

Get those pork chops out of the package and stab em' a million times with a very tiny pointed knife. That's called tenderizin'.   Then mix up the soda, cider, and dressing with a whisk.  If you don't have a whisk, look for a whip.  Or, just use a fork (ha ha).  Fully immerse the chops into this marinade and let em' soak for a full day.  Before you grill them, make my - Chef Marti's fresh summer salsa, to put on top.

To make the salsa simple - add all items, toss gently with a spoon, marinating with the mango lemonade, and refrigerate.  I like to serve a grilled, flaming hot Sun-Drop chop on salad greens and spoon some ice-cold fruit salsa on top!

Yum :)

This recipe will be featured on Cleveland Community College Channel 19 television as well as on WOHS Real Country radio.  It is served at The Inn of the Patriots Bed and Breakfast in Grover, NC and we’ll cook it live, on our stage shows and tours via Cooking with Chef Marti.