Celebrity pastry chef Gale Gand doesn’t just like root beer, she Loves it. This explains why she crafted her own line of quality root beer sodas aptly enough called “Gale’s Root Beer.” On the soda bottle’s label, a blonde girl sporting a red dress is being tousled by a strong gust of wind while holding a root beer bottle and smiling at her little dog “Rootie” (the dog Gale would later adopt as an adult while working as a pastry chef in the UK).

The story is more aptly told by Gale herself on the bottle of her brew: “I got a little brown terrier puppy and named him Rootie. When Rootie and I got back to the United States, I started making my own root beer to serve in my restaurants.” She missed her favourite soda while abroad so much that she concocted what she considers one of her best flavours- the Cinnamon Ginger Vanilla. Without further ado, here’s Food Trend’s interview with Chef Gale Gand, outlining her love of the dark soda and why hers is made with a good dose of Gand TLC.

Food Trends (FT): Do you recall when you first tried root beer?

Gale Gand (GG): No, it was always there in my home when I was growing up. My parents made root beer floats as the big Saturday night treat when we watched horror movies.

FT: What is it about this particular soft drink that's so alluring to you over any other?

GG: It's not that it doesn't have caffeine, so I think it's just the unique and delicious flavor. Kind of spicy, kind of maple-y.

FT: Do you think root beer is either back in fashion in the food world or never went out of style?

GG: I think it's been back in for about 10 years, like a lot of nostalgic things form the 60's. Baby Boomers are looking to return to their childhood, me included.

FT: When did you first come up with the idea to make your own glorious root beer?

GG: 1993 when I returned from living for 3 years in root beer-free England.

FT: Where did you work on your root beer syrup recipe and how did you arrive at the first final product?

GG: I started making it in the basement of Trio the restaurant we (Gale and her business partner Chef Rick Tramonto) started in 1993. It was a lot of trial and error as no one seemed to have any answers for me on how to make it. And even though my grandfather used to make it, he died before I was born and no one had his recipe either.

FT: Tell us about your Gale's Root Beer line.

GG: My root beer is made with cinnamon bark, ginger root and vanilla extract from Neilsen Massey, one of the finest cold press vanilla makers in the world. My bottler is a third generation root beer maker in a pop shop called Filbert's on the south side of Chicago. And as Jim Crochy said, it's the baddest part of town.

FT: What's your favourite of all of the flavours you have created?

GG: I've done Maple molasses and honey star anise but the one I've been doing the longest is the cinnamon-ginger-vanilla.

FT: What is your children's favourite version?

GG: The cinnamon-ginger-vanilla, though I have a new vanilla cream soda I've been making for about a year now that he (son Gio) likes too. The girls (3 year old twins) like the original flavour.

FT: Apart from Root Beer floats- what can the home cook do with a bottle of your brew?

GG: Freeze it into granita. (Writer’s Note- this is a superlative summertime idea for a refreshing, post-BBQ quick dessert).

FT: Do you ever add liquor to make an adult version of a float or cocktail to your root beer?

GG: The Pump Room (one of Chicago’s landmark restaurants opened in 1938) developed a cocktail using my root beer and I think some cognac and it was really delicious.

FT: Where can folks buy your delightful line?

GG: Depending on where they live: gourmet grocery stores, specialty shops, boutique food stores and some large places like Central Market in Texas and Sam's Liquors in Chicago.

FT: If you had to describe yourself as a dessert- what would it be and why?

GG: Something Short and Sweet!

FT: Thanks Gale! And sorry Canadian readers- but Gale’s Root Beer isn’t available here *yet*! If you'd like to take a vicarious sip of Gale's creation, click here.