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.

One Man, 5 Pounds of Chocolate

That's right... 5 lbs of chocolate.


There's not much else to be said. The attempt to eat 5 lbs of chocolate is maniacal. But then, there's probably no better way to herald a new age in challenges than by attempting the near impossible. Bon appetit!

'Tis The Season

Looks like we're heading into the holiday season again. That means crowded stores, long lines, and incredibly over-sized packages of sugary products on supermarket shelves. Just reference the photo above.

I don't think the idea is for any single person to eat the contents of the whole package in one sitting, but I know a few people on YouTube who damn well might try. These "stunts," sometimes referred to as "home challenges," seem to be getting really popular. I've resisted the temptation thus far. I think I will continue to do so.

Honestly, though, I'm intrigued that these grotesque portions of chocolate only seem to appear around Christmas time. I figure some people must have a sweet tooth year round? Buffets offer dessert portions seven days a week. There must be some method to that madness.

If 2.5 lbs of chocolates don't grab your fancy, what about half-pound Reese's Peanut Butter Cups?


Peanut butter and chocolate, united in gargantuan proportions! 1 lb of bliss in a $10 package! I believe you can order this product year-round from the company website, but I think it's a lot more exciting to just waltz into a store and pick it up off the shelf. Maybe the thrill of amazon.com hasn't quite sunk in for me yet.

And all this, right off the heels of Halloween and weeks before Thanksgiving. I guess companies really have to push their products in down economic times.

Just what other big finds will we stumble across this holiday season?

Will anyone be crazy enough to eat the whole thing? (Count me out)

Chocolate Ice Cream, Squared

Nothing says chocolate like Ghirardelli's.

Especially if you're willing to pay extra for it.

On a recent trip to San Francisco with my cousin, I fell into the typical tourist traps in the Bay Area. I had to see the Fisherman's Wharf. Stand in that area where you can see both the Golden Gate and Oakland Bay Bridges. And yes, I paid for parking. That's something you just don't do at home. But when you're on the road, you'll do some pretty crazy things.

So we had to go to Ghirardelli's Square while in town. The place was packed, but we got to sample a free piece of peanut butter-filled chocolate as we waited. It was definitely up to par. I don't know if it justified all the waiting though. I guess I have to chalk up the whole thing to a cultural experience. You sometimes have to suffer (financially or otherwise) to enjoy something new.

The corporate propaganda was certainly in full effect! There were posters and note cards everywhere informing me that Ghirardelli's chocolates were simply the best in the world -- the best tasting, and the highest quality. Well, a double-scoop ice cream cone certainly cost more here than it did in most places. Hopefully that implied something.

I was more than a little disappointed when my food finally arrived.

I don't know, but there was something depressing about seeing my ice cream cone delivered on a silver platter. You're supposed to hold a cone in your hand, like you see in those movies on a hot summer's day. I couldn't do that in this big fancy ice cream joint. I had to eat my ice cream cone with a spoon. 

The taste? It was absolutely spot-on. I selected Ghirardelli's Chocolate and Rocky Road. Both were excellent, deep, rich, flavors. My entire gripe centered upon presentation and to a lesser degree price. The place was busy, obviously, and their name commands a high volume of customers. There is a cost to be borne for such considerations.

Don't count on me going back the next time I'm in San Francisco!