1

Jones Cream Soda

Image: Kevin Butz

Cream soda is a sweet soft drink, typically flavored with vanilla and inspired by the taste of an ice cream float . Many brands and variations can be found across America, and its roots can be traced to at least 150 years ago. Interestingly, Jones Cream Soda, which started in 1886, is not even the oldest one around.

This drink is available in both regular and diet options, and it's also one of the most popular mixers for alcoholic beverages. Cream soda is one of those drinks people associate with their childhood, and it's the perfect perfect pairing for ice cream.

2

Dr. Brown’s Root Beer

Image: David Trinks

Root beer is a sweet and classic American soft drink traditionally made using the root bark of the sassafras tree as the primary flavor . Root beer is usually alcohol and caffeine-free, sweet, and carbonated, with a thick, foamy head.

Dr. Brown's version of this classic soda is unbeatable, offering a harmonious blend of sugar and spice. It’s not just sweet—it boasts a distinct celery seed earthiness that keeps every sip interesting.

3

Olipop Lemon Lime

Image: Mariah Hewines

Lemon lime drinks have been around for a long time now (just ask Sprite or 7-Up), but Olipop manages to add a new twist to this old classic. This fizzy tonic boasts prebiotics, plant fiber, and botanicals, which not only taste great but also help your digestive health.

Olipop is also low in sugar, but that doesn’t mean it’s lacking in sweetness. It uses cassava root and other alternative sweeteners to maintain its delicious flavor.

4

Fever-Tree Mediterranean Tonic Water

Image: Nick Fewings

Tonic water is often considered a soda for adults due to its bitter taste. However, the brave ones who love this delicious beverage will find Fever-Tree’s Mediterranean Tonic Water has the perfect mix of bitterness for tonic water fans, but a balanced flavor that makes it appropriate for people who are just dipping their toe into the tonic water.

In addition to that traditional quinine flavor, this tonic is infused with rosemary and lemon thyme , adding a layer of complexity to its taste.

5

Cheerwine

Image: sq lim

Named for its color and taste, Cheerwine is a cherry-flavored soft drink with a mildly sweet flavor with strong cherry notes, most notably black cherry . It is burgundy-colored and has an unusually high degree of carbonation compared to other soft drinks.

Cheerwine is widely available throughout the southeastern United States, from Maryland to Florida, but it is best known and beloved in the Carolinas.

6

Sangrita Blast Mountain Dew

Image: Ashley Kirk

As the "Limited Edition" tag implies, this product was only available for a limited time, but it was enough to leave a lasting impression. Sangrita Blast, a Citrus Punch-flavored Mountain Dew with a maroon hue, was available at Taco Bell restaurants from 2013 to 2017. It was also released in cans and bottles in 2015 for a short period.

7

Cactus Cooler

Image: Thomas Verbruggen

Cactus Cooler is an orange-pineapple-flavored soft drink sold primarily in Southern California and the surrounding Southwestern region. The orange flavor is very present, with the pineapple appearing a bit behind but adding a layer of complexity to the overall flavor.

This soda has no caffeine, making it a safe product for anyone who gets the jitters from caffeine-infused beverages.

8

United Sodas Toasted Coconut

Image: Jonas Dücker

The words "healthy" and "soda" are not usually heard together but this is one of those occasions. United Sodas is a healthy soda brand that offers products with a lightly carbonated fizz and low sugar content.

Their Toasted Coconut flavor stands out with its distinctive coconut taste. Each can contains fewer than 30 calories, has no artificial ingredients, and is organically sweetened —making it the perfect alternative for health-conscious soda lovers.

9

Boylan Creme Soda

Image: Gourmet Lenz

Even if we started this list with a cream soda, we couldn’t leave out Boylan’s version. This glass-bottled beverage has a rich vanilla flavor and a robust amount of carbonation that make it very easy to drink.

While many cream sodas can be overly sweet, Boylan’s is refreshing, complex, and downright delicious. The use of cane sugar gives it a crisp, clean flavor all the way to the last drop.

10

Moxie

Image: Tom Paolini

The last entry on our list is a bitter and herbal soda named Moxie. It originated in Maine in the late 1800s as a patent medicine called "Moxie Nerve Food." It is flavored with gentian root, sassafras, wintergreen, and other herbs.

Though still somewhat unique to the Northeast, Moxie has become more widely available in specialty and larger grocery stores since Coca-Cola acquired the brand in 2018. Have you ever seen it?

1

Gutenberg Bible

The Gutenberg Bible was the first book to be printed after the invention of movable type printing, around the year 1455. Nowadays, only 49 copies have survived from the 180 believed to have been printed by Gutenberg himself , and only 21 are considered complete copies. The copy kept in the Library of Congress is one of three complete copies printed in vellum —a parchment made from animal skin.

2

Draft of the Declaration of Independence

The Declaration of Independence kept at the National Archives in Washington, D.C, is the final document presented to the Second Continental Congress. Before that, six drafts were made. The copy kept in the Library of Congress is the first ‘rough draft’ written by Thomas Jefferson , with notes from Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and the other committee delegates. It was part of Jefferson’s personal library and papers, which were acquired by the Library of Congress in 1815.

3

Waldseemüller Map

The only surviving copy, this 1507 map by Martin Waldseemüller was an ambitious project that aimed to depict the geographical discoveries of the past few decades , including those made by Amerigo Vespucci after his voyages in 1501 and 1502, which confirmed that the ‘new world’ was not part of the Indies, but a separate continent altogether. To honor this, Waldseemüller named the continent America, and this map was the first to utilize the name.

4

The Stradivarius

Created by the luthier Antonio Stradivari and his family in the 17th and 18th centuries, Stradivarius instruments are renowned for their exquisite craftsmanship and sound, and are valued in the millions. It is estimated that 650 instruments have survived out of the around 1100 made . Six of them —two violas, three violins, and a cello— are kept in the Library of Congress.

5

Bay Psalm Book

This book of psalms was the first book to be printed in British North America , and it dates to the year 1640, just 20 years after the arrival of the Pilgrims. This copy lacks a title page, and 12 of its pages have been removed. One of 11 surviving copies, it is a valuable testimony to America’s printing history.

6

Leaves of Grass

Whalt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass is considered to be one of the most important poetry collections in American Literature and a celebration of the American spirit. The Library of Congress houses several editions of this book, the most important being a copy of its first edition, self-published in 1855, as well as a page of the original manuscript.

7

Wilbur and Orville Wright Papers

The Wright brothers are credited with the invention, building, and flying the world’s first successful airplane in North Carolina in 1903. This collection in the Library of Congress comprises 10,121 items related to them , including notebooks, photographs, papers, drawings, prints, correspondence, and more.

8

Giant Bible of Mainz

Before the invention of movable type printing, most Bibles were handwritten, a laborious task that could take years to complete. The Great Bible of Mainz is one of the last Bibles made in this way , and it is dated around the year 1452. Made from 459 vellum skin leaves and embellished with illuminated initial letters and borders, this Bible was gifted to the Library of Congress in 1952.

9

Huexotzinco Codex

Composed of 8 sheets of amatl —a pre-Hispanic Nahuatl type of paper—, this 1521 codex registers a legal complaint against a colonial administrator. The Nahua people of Huexotzinco were part of Hernán Cortés’s estate after aiding him in his campaign against the Aztec Empire. During one of Cortés’s trips, the administrators of the estate implemented abusive taxes. After his return, Cortés and the Nahua presented a joint formal complaint, and they were successful. The case was retried in Spain, where the courts and King Charles both agreed with the initial verdict and ruled that excess taxes were returned to the Nahua.

10

Gettysburg Address

One of the most significant speeches of the American Civil War and of American History, the Gettysburg Address was delivered by President Lincoln on the occasion of the inauguration of the Soldiers' National Cemetery , now Gettysburg National Cemetery. Of the five surviving manuscript copies of the short speech —it lasted roughly two minutes— only two were written before the occasion, which were gifted by Lincoln to his personal secretaries, and were later donated to the Library of Congress.

1

Avocado Toast

Image: Brenda Godinez

Let’s get this right out of the way first with a recipe that is as close to perfection as possible. Avocado toast has been a staple of breakfast menus for the last ten years or more, usually paired with scrambled eggs and seeds.

For this version, add a poached egg and top it with tuna salad or alfalfa sprouts for a healthy and satisfying meal.

2

Peanut Butter & Pomegranate

Image: Khysrow Akbari

Peanut butter? Sure. Pomegranate? Not so much, right? You might be surprised by this one, but this odd pairing works quite well. The classic PB flavor is complemented by the fresh fruit , with its natural sweetness and juiciness helping to combat peanut butter's stickiness, plus some extra fiber.

The recipe is simple: just spread a layer of peanut butter on your toast and sprinkle a healthy dose of pomegranate arils on top.

3

Fig, burrata & prosciutto

Image: Kaufmann Mercantile

As with a couple of the following recipes, this very Italian version of breakfast toast might seem a bit sophisticated, but it’s really not. Indeed, a combination of fig, burrata, and prosciutto does look and sound impressive, but it is very easy to make.

If you want to go the whole nine yards, start with sourdough bread as the base. Top it with a slice of prosciutto, a spread of burrata, and the pulp of a fig. The sweet and salty combination is delicious.

4

Spinach & blue cheese rarebit

Image: Towfiqu barbhuiya

For those who don’t know, rarebit is a hot cheese sauce served on toasted bread . This upgraded version adds spinach leaves and tangy blue cheese, balanced by delicate crème fraîche and wholegrain mustard.

The flavor and texture mix of the creamy cheese, the crunchy toast, and the spicy mustard create a combination that will provide a nice kick to your breakfast.

5

Ricotta, blackberry & pine nut

Image: Nick Sarro

The first completely sweet (or almost completely) toast on our list is packed full of health benefits, thanks to the vitamins C and K, manganese , and more found in blackberries.

For this recipe, simply spread some ricotta cheese on your toast, pack it with blackberries, and sprinkle toasted pine nuts on top. The creamy, tart, and crunchy combination will give your mornings a delicious health boost.

6

Boiled egg, avocado & quick pickled radish

Image: Jo Lanta

Yes, we said that the first item on this list was the only avocado toast recipe you will need, but in this one, avocado isn’t the star —just another ingredient alongside the mighty radish.

Place thin slices of quick-pickled, crunchy radishes on your toast , then add some avocado slices on top. Lastly, top with a soft-boiled egg. Done. The spicy-creamy combination of radish, avocado, and egg is a heavenly experience for brunch lovers.

7

Pesto eggs with crushed peas

Image: David Todd McCarty

What are pesto eggs, you might wonder? This recipe is a great way to use up the last bit of pesto in the jar by placing it in a frying pan, along with two eggs and two tomato slices .

Once the eggs are cooked to your liking, place the pesto, tomato slices, and eggs in a blender and give it a quick spin to mix everything together. Spread the resulting mixture on two pieces of toast and enjoy!

8

Air fryer yogurt custard toast

Image: Olga Petnyunene

If you have an air fryer, it will come in handy for this delicious breakfast recipe. Start by beating together 1 egg, 3 tablespoons of plain yogurt, and 2 tablespoons of honey or maple syrup in a bowl.

Once you’ve done this, spread the resulting mixture over two pieces of toast, add some raspberries on top , and air-fry for 7 to 8 minutes until the custard has set and the bread is crisp.

9

Breakfast Toasts With Cheese

Image: Jez Timms

Cheese is an almost always welcome ingredient in any dish, and breakfast toasts are no exception. From salty to neutral , from soft and creamy to hard , cheese comes in many varieties that can be part of your morning menu.

Ricotta is a versatile option that can be spread on toast with lemon juice, basil leaves, and honey, or with sliced pears, walnuts, and honey. Soft goat cheese pairs well with figs and thyme for a Mediterranean-inspired breakfast. Blue cheese can also be combined with sliced pears, walnuts, and honey. The possibilities are endless.

10

Breakfast Classics

Image: Chris Lawton

The last item on our list is devoted to the timeless classics that have always been there for us and have stood the test of time. From the delicious bacon and eggs toast with spinach leaves to the more upscale smoked salmon with lemon juice and sliced scallions , or a bagel with cream cheese, smoked trout, and cucumber , or even a simple toast topped with butter and your choice of marmalade or caramel, the classics are always there for you.