Who's Been Messin' with My Whoppers?

Take a trip back in time with me. Actually, to the recent past. Saturday at the movies. An enticing sci-fi feature or western or whatever your taste in movies is, a large Coke, a giant bag of fresh-popped movie popcorn, and a large box of Whoppers. Can you see it? Are you there?

Let's focus in on that box of Whoppers. Chocolate-covered malted milk candy pieces that melt in your mouth if you can resist the urge to crunch them. When eaten in combination with the salty taste of popcorn, they give the muncher a distinct pleasure of sweet and salty. Do men enjoy the mixed tastes? Note to self: maybe another great subject to secure a healthy government grant - check into it.

Now, back to the Whoppers. The original malted milk ball candy was introduced in 1939 by the Overland Candy Company and called "Giants". After a merge in 1947 Leaf Brands reintroduced the candy in 1949 as Whoppers. Currently, Whoppers are manufactured by the Hershey Corporation. From 1949 until 2006 Whoppers were balls of malted milk covered in milk chocolate. What happened in 2006 to change Whoppers? A new version of the malted milk ball was introduced - strawberry flavored. Not just the malted milk ball itself, but the outer coating is strawberry-flavored as well. Another icon has fallen.

It took me over a year to decide to try the new flavor. My thoughts? It's okay, though I probably won't buy them again. Just not the same. What's that ... you think I'm stuck in a rut? Probably. But my tongue didn't love the new taste. I don't think strawberry Whoppers will have the same reaction in my mouth in combo with the popcorn and Coke.

I don't like changes. No, I'll restate that. There are a lot of things that should not be changed, just for the sake of changing. Give me a concrete reason, logical and well-thought out, and I sometimes agree a change is needed. But, don't go around changing things willy-nilly.

My sister walked into the room and asked to try the new Whoppers. Her reaction? They're okay, but hey wouldn't it be great if the company produced a Root Beer flavor? Yuck. Double Yuck.

My final word on the subject - quit messin' around with my Whoppers.