RETAIL FLAVOR TWISTS.

George Bernard Shaw's insight offered us the thought that youth is wasted on the young. Well, he just hadn't met my niece arid nephew -- Tara, 10 years old, and Reis, 13. Nothing is wasted on them -- especially the latest in syrup drinks. At dinner the other evening, when an innocent waitress merely asked them whether they'd prefer a "Shirley Temple or Roy Roger's," they politely but disdainfully informed her that they preferred "Italian Sodas." She was baffled and I was intrigued. What was their definition of an Italian soda? Was this the cutting edge of a soon-to-be mega-trend? Or merely a fad?

Tara explained, "An Italian soda is kinda like plain soda (water) only they put flavored syrup in it. And the best part is that it tastes sticky and creamy and milky and sweet and that's why I like it." Wait a minute, I say. I thought that an Italian soda was just a syrup-flavored soda water and that's it. "No," my niece patiently informed me, "the best, like a strawberry Italian soda, has a giant float of really creamy whipped cream sitting on top, waiting for you to get to the end. A chocolate Italian soda is really good too, or even my brother's favorite, an orange Italian soda."

Hmmm, I thought, sort of like a chocolate egg cream or an orange cream-sickle? Having just finished co-authoring "The Great Coffee Book," I'm acutely aware of the burgeoning milk-based, flavored-coffee drink craze. So, of course, the next logical question. "When you grow up, do you think that you will drink coffee drinks that are flavored?" And Tara's sanguine reply was simply put: "Right now, I don't think that mixing fruit or nut flavors into a totally different substance like coffee is very appealing. Coffee is a flavor all on its own. Maybe I'll change my mind later." Quote. Unquote.

Whether solid trend or fleeting fad, from teenage whimsy to sophisticated adult marketing strategy, what is consistent is the inherent desire to "play" with your food. And what better fulfillment than flavored syrups? They offer the absolutely perfect way to design your own signature drink, be it latte, hot chocolate, iced tea, or soda. Catherine Saar, vice president of marketing for Diedrich Coffee, concurs, "We are seeing more and more people who like to customize their drinks. After all, it's fun to design your own drink!"

On the other hand, Ward Fowler, president of Alterra Coffee Roasters Inc., states, "We don't sell a whole lot of syrups; we tend toward the more purist role and syrups just don't play a great part. We view syrups as a value-added service that we perform for our wholesale customers. Just as we stock coffee filters for their convenience, so too do we sell syrups for their convenience."

Henry Kalebjian of House of Coffee in San Francisco, one of the oldest specialty coffee retailers in the U.S., says that in his establishments, "Syrups are definitely less popular than they were three to five years ago. Most of the customers who request coffee flavored with syrups don't know much about coffee, or don't like the taste of coffee, or are just looking for something sweet." Saar has an interesting take on this. She believes, "The coffee market is similar to the wine market. You have a certain audience with a sophisticated palate, who wouldn't touch flavored coffees, but then you have the 'White Zinfandel' market, which is growing all the time. These are the customers who love their flavored drinks."

Add to the mix the proliferation of wonderful new flavors, all-natural syrups, and even some new sugar free syrups (they have always been fat-free), and you have a product that isn't likely, to disappear any time soon. Fowler believes that "The sales of syrups are a function of creating an environment Where syrups are featured and suggestively sold." Saar agrees: "At Diedrich, we offer our accounts tremendous support in the usage of flavors, with lots of suggestions for greater sales."

Cindy Bosnian-Eckart of R. Torre & Company Inc., which markets Torani syrups, states, "Merchandising is always a big help. The Torani Promotion Kit makes easy to let customers know about the latest in flavored drinks. The kit includes counter cards and a newsletter filled with delicious recipes, from the White Night in Venice Mocha to Skinny Mochas made with our new Sugar Free Chocolate and Caramel syrups. We think a lot about the retailers and how to help them sell our products."

Whatever side of the fence you decide your're on, syrups -- whether coffee purists like it or not - always pack a punch of flavor and add interest and dimension to a myriad of beverages, not just coffee and tea. They stand on their own in such perennial favorites as the classic Italian Soda. Like Tara and Reis say, "It's way too much fun!"

Joan Nielsen is the co-author of The "The Great Coffee Book," (Ten Speed Press) which is in stores now.