In some of my recent posts I have been extolling my love for the classic Reese's Peanut Butter Egg.
I hadn't had one this year yet because I was trying to force myself into trying some of the newer Easter candies- and I was secure in the knowledge I could head over to Wally World and stock up before they were gone. And then it happened...
I was checking out the always fab Cybele's Candy Blog when I got the shocking news: Hershey's has changed the Egg! (read Cybele's review HERE) The Egg in it's former state had Milk Chocolate both prominently on the label over the Reese's name, and it had been first on the ingredient listing. On the currant season's Egg's Milk Chocolate is no longer prominently on the front and is now second to peanuts on the ingredient list. Oh no they didn't (picture sassy head cocking and Ricki Lake audience style snapping here)
So how does this years version stack up to last years?
Appearance-wise my Egg was a duller brown then the average Reese's cup for a comparison. It also seems to be a thinner layer of chocolate then I remember- but I am willing to say that may be my memory being wonky. The chocolate seems to take an even bigger back seat then it used to- but I really am not complaining about that because I am a bigger fan of the peanut butter to the chocolate anyway.
The peanut butter is pretty much as I remember it. Soft but still grainy-- Something about peanut butter that's completely smooth in candy grosses me out--. The peanut butter also seems saltier. I know they have increased the sodium level from last years batch but I think it's the fact that there is less sweetness from the reduced chocolate level that brings it out more.
In the end even I, loving the classic Egg as I do-- barely noticed a difference between the '08 batch and the '09 variety. What really has me concerned is the possibility that Hershey's is using this change for the eventual removal of real chocolate entirely- as they have done with some of the companies other products such as Krackle, Take 5, Kissables and many more. Hershey has already paved the way in the Reese's line when they swapped the milk chocolate to mockolate in the Reese's Sticks. The Reese's Whipped bars also have mockolate coating.
Maybe I am asking or expecting too much. Maybe it is unreasonable of me to expect a CHOCOLATE company to be making actual CHOCOLATE.
I'm disappointed to hear about the change in the peanut butter eggs. I've preferred British chocolate for a long time now, but the eggs have always been special for me as my grandmother always had them at Easter time, and whenever we would visit she would give my sister and I each one. I like to have as much an even balance between the peanut butter and chocolate as possible, and Hershey's chocolate was weak enough without them using the mockolate.
ReplyDeleteTell me about it!
ReplyDeleteThose egg's were like the epitome of Reese's goodness. To be fair to Hershey's for the moment there is not a huge difference, but I just have a sinking feeling this is the beginning of the end for another REAL chocolate based confection.