Thursday, October 9, 2008

Melster Peanut Butter Kisses

Melster Peanut Butter KissesI’m one of those crazy candy fantatics that loves Peanut Butter Kisses. Though I’m sure someone makes them year round, I only see them around Halloween.

It’s a molasses taffy with a pocket of peanut butter in the center. They’re wrapped in black or orange wax paper.

This bag is from Melster, but my favorite brand is Necco that makes them under the Mary Jane monikker.

At only 99 cents though, it was hard to pass up the opportunity to try another variety.

Melster Peanut Butter Kisses

The ingredients list seems impossibly long:

Corn syrup, sugar, peanut butter (peanuts, maltodextrin, hydrogenated palm stearine oil, salt), partially hydrogenated soybean oil, molasses, modified corn starch, salt, mono & diglycerides, soy lecithing.

May contain: dextrose, high fructose corn sweetener, gelatin, modified soy protein, sodium hexametaphosphate, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, butterfat, distilled monoglycerides, partially hydrogenated palm kernel & palm oils, milk, cocoa processed with alkalai, dry whey, glycerin, invertase, artficial flavors, artificial color (Yellow 5 & 6 and Red 3).

Is it just me or is that may contain list a little scary? What the heck is sodium hexametaphosphate?

Oh, here, Wikipedia has some info:

Sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP) is a hexamer of composition (NaPO3)6. It is prepared by melting monosodium orthophosphate, followed by rapid cooling. SHMP hydrolyzes in aqueous solution, particularly under acidic conditions, to sodium trimetaphosphate and sodium orthophosphate. SHMP is used as a sequestrant and has applications in a wide variety of industries, including as a food additive in which it is used under the E number E452i.

So it’s an emulsifier, a deflocculant for ceramics, tooth whitener and water softener! But who knows if my saliva will have fewer dissolved minerals and my teeth white because I don’t know if it’s actually in there.

Have I digressed enough?

Basically these are worth about 99 cents. The peanut butter flavor doesn’t pop and the molasses aspect of the chew is barely noticeable.

I’ll probably finish the bag, but I don’t think I’ll buy them again. If I’m going to have these as a treat only once a year, I want them to be as memorable as possible, even if I have to pay a dollar fifty.

Related Candies

  1. Brach’s Chocolate Candy Corn & Halloween Mix
  2. Sixlets & Limited Edition Dark Chocolate Flavored Sixlets
  3. Zachary Candy Corn & Jelly Pumpkins
  4. Circus Peanuts
  5. Melster Marshmallow Eggs
  6. Gourmet Goodies Candy Corn
Name: Peanut Butter Kisses
    RATING:
  • 10 SUPERB
  • 9 YUMMY
  • 8 TASTY
  • 7 WORTH IT
  • 6 TEMPTING
  • 5 PLEASANT
  • 4 BENIGN
  • 3 UNAPPEALING
  • 2 APPALLING
  • 1 INEDIBLE
Brand: Melster
Place Purchased: Walgreen's (Echo Park)
Price: $.99
Size: 10 ounces
Calories per ounce: 99
Categories: Chew, Peanut, United States, Melster, Halloween

POSTED BY Cybele AT 8:58 am Tracker Pixel for Entry    

Comments
  1. I always buy 2 of these; the Necco brand, at Halloween. I love them!

    Comment by Bonney on 10/09/08 at 9:39 am #
  2. When I first read the title, I thought it said “Melted Peanut Butter Kisses” and then thought, that’s awesome.  Then I put on my glasses and was disappointed.

    Comment by Marvo on 10/09/08 at 9:56 am #
  3. Tricia's avatar

    May contain cocoa or cocoa butter? Wouldn’t that make it an entirely different thing? You think you would know whether or not it was included! Crazy.

    [but what really made me chuckle was lecithing - don’t know why that extra g caught my eye…]

    Comment by Tricia on 10/09/08 at 11:20 am #
  4. Oh, my.  These rank second on my list behind circus peanuts and just ahead of Bit o’ Honey in the inedible category.

    Comment by Dave on 10/09/08 at 12:24 pm #
  5. i LOVE peanut butter kisses, and i am actually glad they are only around during Halloween b/c i eat them like it’s my job.  BUT—this year i have been unable to find the Necco brand!! What’s up with that? In desperation I checked one last Walgreens and found the bag you reviewed here. I figured i’d give them a shot, and BLAH.  They taste like wax.  Glad to hear that you concur. Still holding out for Necco….

    Comment by ginger on 10/09/08 at 3:01 pm #
  6. I think these are one of those candies that you either love or hate. I hate them!

    Comment by essiecab on 10/12/08 at 7:22 am #
  7. WTF? Gelatin…Grrr! I was so excited for Halloween to get these candies. I have been driving a truck for two years and hadn’t gotten any. Since then I have became a vegetarian and now I can’t eat them anyway. Why “may contain”? Why taunt me with the possibility that I could eat it if they were 100% sure what was in it? This holiday is no fun anymore.

    Comment by Amanda Rupe on 10/17/08 at 5:50 pm #
  8. Is there any animal or products that would be considered un-kosher in Melser Peanut Butter Kisses? If there is animal products in this candy what animal? Thank you Will

    Comment by will on 11/02/08 at 5:57 pm #
  9. Cybele's avatar

    Will - if you’re concerned about a product being Kosher, please consult the manufacturer. I’m just a blog and can only report what was on that package that I bought. (But the fact that they use gelatin is a pretty good indicator.)

    Comment by Cybele on 11/02/08 at 6:03 pm #
  10. what are the nutrition facts on these? like 2 grams of fat in 4 pieces?

    Comment by jill on 10/29/09 at 7:35 am #
  11. Question: Do peanut butter kisses fans also like those chewy red and white striped mints with the green Christmas tree in teh middle?  My theory is yes, they do.  At least I’m one of them.

    Comment by Annie on 10/28/10 at 7:11 pm #
  12. Annie, you may count me as another peanut butter kiss fan (Mary Jane brand, please) who adores those totally addictive mint chews. They seem to sell out fast, so others must share the addiction.

    Comment by Liz/PDX on 10/29/10 at 12:45 pm #
  13. Ginger, your confusion may be that you may not know of the Necco brand, it’s Mary Janes. They’re peanut butter/molasses.Chas.N.Miller was the original maker for many years, then sold out to Stark in 1985.In 1990 Necco came up…

    Comment by SteveCarras on 1/08/15 at 10:50 pm #
  14. Mary Janes and imitators are among the most recognized taffy products.

    Others:
    Abba Zabba
    any brand Salt Water Taffy
    Squirrell Nut Zippers
    Bonomo’s Turkish Taffy
    Hammond/McCraw’s Flat Taffy
    Laffy TaffyTM

    Comment by SJCarras on 7/14/17 at 10:45 pm #
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