Monday, December 26, 2016

Pounding Santa Claus - Reese's Newest Peanut Butter Cup

Greetings! It's been awhile since I blogged here, but I'm hoping to fix that in the New Year. 2017 will mark a return to writing for me. Since I put in a special effort on my Christmas video on my YouTube channel, it seemed appropriate to get an early start on things.

So, anyone who does any grocery shopping around Christmas time will notice that all sorts of crazy products show up on the shelves to entice people to buy them. Sellers have that motivation - to create new things to justify getting ahold of our money. There's no time like a holiday for all sorts of interesting things to hit the shelves.

Reese's is no stranger to giant peanut butter cups. They've made them for years. What's new is making these giant 1 lb peanut butter cups in the shape of particular things, and not just the usual flying saucers. I enjoyed the peanut butter-filled rabbit they whipped up at Easter. I wondered if the company might try trotting out similar giant peanut-butter filled chocolate objects at other times of year.


Enter the giant 1 lb Santa. As a product, it is a no-brainer. Chocolate Santas have been a thing for years. Ever since I was a little kid, I've seen big chocolate Santas hit the store shelves every year. I've eaten a few, for purposes of full disclosure. I consider it a rite of passage for anyone who grew up in this country. Not a wholesome rite of passage, maybe, but a rite nonetheless.

It looks pretty. Shiny. And very dense. It feels like a brick in the palm of your hand. And sadly, the peanut butter to chocolate ratio on these giant peanut butter cups never matches the brilliance of the original normally-sized products. There's way too much peanut butter, and because there's so much of it, it feels exceptionally dry and powdery inside. The chocolate on the outer edges is ridiculously thick too. In some ways, it's not a pleasant eating experience. Chocolate will dry your mouth out quickly. Don't be like me - keep a drink handy. Your mouth and throat will thank you.

Is it worth $10? The food adventurer in me thinks so, but it's definitely not something you eat everyday (or see everyday) so I'd say it was worth a one-time go. We will have to see if Reese's brings it back next year. Can't say yet if I'd buy it again, but my dentist would be thrilled if I skipped out.

Any thoughts? Make sure to drop your comments in the discussion section! Everyone have a great rest of the week and I'll talk to you soon.