The Great Pumpkin Face-Off

I want to like Russell Stover chocolate. It's an American company that bought Whitman's in 1993. I remember my Mom getting a Whitman's sampler at just about every major holiday. My brother and I usually raided it, even smashing some of the chocolates to see what was in them before committing to one. (We hated the creams.) I look back at my behavior in horror. My poor Mom!! No wonder I have no children - I don't want their grubby little fingers in my chocolate. But I wildly digress.

I do want to like Russell Stover's. They are the nation's largest manufacturer of boxed chocolates. I want to support American chocolate makers. Earlier this week I was in my local Hallmark store and saw their festive Halloween offerings. (I am always distracted by colorful, shiny candy wrappers.) I was told by the sales clerk that a customer had said the Russell Stover Peanut Butter Ghost "blew away" Reese's Peanut Butter Pumpkin. What? Them thar's fightin' words!!

Well, Pilgrim, we'll just see about that:


I have been wrong many, many times in this blog. My preconceived notions have often been blow away when confronted with reality. But not this time!!! I'm sticking with the Great Pumpkin. It's just loaded with Peanut Butter - I love it! The Ghost peanut butter may have been a little smoother, but I prefer the Reese's. The Pumpkin says PEANUT BUTTER! The Ghost says peanut butter. Go with what works for you.



But I'm not done with Russell Stover yet. They had to try and jump into the pumpkin patch with the following:

A Caramel Pumpkin, a Marshmallow Pumpkin, and a Caramel Marshmallow Pumpkin. Someone else we know also has a Marshmallow Pumpkin:

Now just look at those wrappers! Look how cute and innocent Russell Stover's Pumpkin looks. Hershey's Pumpkin looks like it just might kick some butt. It's Cage Match time!!!

Sorry, Russell Stover - you lose. Russell Stover's chocolate cracks and crumbles the minute you take a bite. It's no good. Hershey's pumpkin is just way better. Of the three Russell Stover Pumpkins, Marshmallow Caramel is the best. The Caramel alone is a little too hard and the chocolate crumbles off. So far, Russell Stover has yet to offer anything I think is really great. I'll keep trying, but so far, unimpressive.

They are going to be in real trouble when all the people who buy Whitman's Samplers die off. Get with it, RS or you're going to get gobbled up in the candy wars. (You read it here first!)

Now let's not kid ourselves, marshmallow doesn't have a whole lot of flavor. If you want something really good, get thee a Reese's Pumpkin and don't even waste your time with marshmallow.

Stay Tuned for MORE from the Halloween Pumpkin Patch!! There are two more contenders for the heavy weight title!!