A little over 40 years ago, a father and his son opened a candy company in Randolph, Mass. They based their hand-made candies on recipes perfected by their Grandpa Francis Melville in the early 20th century. By all indications it’s been a successful business, and Melville Candy Company is today known for high-quality, whimsical treats. Check out the Halloween treats they are making this month; this stuff looks amazing!
Sadly, I’ve had a hard time finding their products here on the west coast. But the other day I did find a small selection of their Monster Marshmallow lollipops at BevMo. I picked one up to go with my pumpkin beer, and now I’ll share the results with you.
- Packaging. Another cellophane bag, which means another two points. (I continue to appreciate the manufacturer’s willingness to let the potential consumer see the actual treat before purchasing it.) But I’m also adding another point, for the attached tag. Check out these paeans to Halloween: (1) orange and black lettering; (2) cartoon illustration of a marshmallow monster complete with limbs; (3) floating, disembodied eyeballs near the top of the card; (4) the salutation “Happy Halloween.” And then this tag is tied to the stick with a festive orange ribbon. These Melville folks are really getting into the spirit of things. 3 points.
2. Appearance of the Treat. This thing is awesome! It’s got a little bit of a Sponge Bob vibe going on, at least in terms of the shape. The googly eyes are of different sizes, which adds to the comic effect. And then it’s heavily doused with yellow, orange, and blue sprinkles. The resulting monster looks like it could have been created at Jim Henson’s muppet workshop. This is an appealing confection indeed. 3 points.
3. Taste. `As you’ve seen from previous posts, I’m not enthralled with marshmallow-based treats. But Melville’s Monster Marshmallow pops are special. They start with a marshmallow center that’s well-formed and solid without being tough. Then comes the magic that sets this apart from others: It’s dipped in some kind of a “chocolately coating before the sprinkles are added. Now, this “chocolately coating definitely isn’t real chocolate. I don’t think it even qualifies as chocolatey, if you ask me. The ingredients list claims the coating is made with sugar, milk, whey, buttermilk, cocoa, lactose, and vanilla. So, maybe it’s white chocolate? Or white chocolatey? In any event, this coating seems to serve three purposes. First, it’s what the sprinkles adhere to. It’s how they’re able to get such a thick, even layer of sprinkles to stay on the pop. Second, the coating imparts a taste of its own. I’d describe it as a cross between white chocolate and the green creme of a Frankencup. Finally, this “chocolatey” coating results in a satisfying crunch as you crack through it to get to the soft marshmallow underneath. Old Man Melville sure knew a thing or two about perfecting marshmallow pops! This was a fun and tasty treat. 3 points.
4. Value. This 2-ounce treat cost me three bucks. Which seems like a lot of cabbage for a single-serve treat. But the design, mouthfeel, taste, and hand-dipped artistry of this Halloween confection certainly justifies some extra cost. Plus, it’s imported all the way from the Bay State. I’ll give it 2 points.
Steve’s Sweetoberfest Score: 11 out of 12 points, which makes it a definite TREAT. We have a new high score!
Chasing Phantoms 