Review (x3): Mystery Flavor Peeps! & Does Maple Syrup Go In The Fridge?
JFG Nation, riddle me this: after you’ve opened a wonderful bottle of maple syrup, whether it’s that corn syrup crap or the real stuff – does it go in the fridge? I can’t decide, and my office is split 50/50 on it. It’s sugar and doesn’t really contain water (well, not a TON of water), and it’s definitely better consistency at room temp. Plus, it never really touches anything that could pass on germs or bacteria right? I’m not sucking on the maple syrup bottle with my lips. That said, one spore and that little bit of water could become a petri dish. Ugh. I dunno, what do you think, JFG Nation? Tell me in the comments below.
(BTW, I hope you’ve been enjoying the games. My eyes are about to fall out of my head – I’ve been college basketballed out for the past three weeks. And THERE’S NO END IN SIGHT.)
Today’s junk food: Mystery Flavor Peeps!!
Peeps had Mystery Flavors last year, and they’re back this year again in Walmart! Last year, many people correctly guessed the flavors of buttered popcorn, chocolate milk, and fruit punch. This year: more colorful packaging and more mystery flavors! When the good people at Walmart asked if I wanted to try these flavor puzzles for Easter, I said YES. SEND. JFG WILL EAT. REVIEW. SUGAR CRASH. SLEEP.
I enlisted the JFGal to help me taste. Two tongues, DOUBLE THE TASTING FURY. LET’S DANCE, PEEPS.
Mystery Flavor #1!
DO THESE TASTE GOOD? Yes.
WHY OR WHY NOT?
The JFGal: “MMM this tastes like maple syrup. Sort of like pancakes. Definitely maple, though – could easily just be maple sugar flavored.”
Me: “Definitely pancakes. I sense a buttery background to this which pushes it from merely maple syrup into pancake territory. Really on point flavor, despite being on a squishy peep. Nailed this one.”
Mystery Flavor #2!
DO THESE TASTE GOOD? Uh, I guess so.
WHY OR WHY NOT?
The JFGal: “Fruity…not really sure. Some sort of orange?”
Me: “Yeah, this isn’t quite just orange flavored, nor is it orange creamsicle. There a few tiny bits of acid here and there, but these aren’t sour. Sort of tastes like…Orange Certs. Does anyone remember those? Like orange flavor flashes on top of a general sweet flavor. Not getting a good read on this one. Sherbet?
Mystery Flavor #3!
DO THESE TASTE GOOD? Yes.
WHY OR WHY NOT?
The JFGal: “This tastes like Sour Apple Now and Laters! You know, the kind with the wax paper wrapping. Definitely tastes like that, or Sour Apple Jolly Ranchers.”
Me: “I go back and forth on this – this is either Sour Apple or Sour Grape. It’s much more fruity than flavor #2, and crisper, if that makes sense. It has more bite. Tastes like fruit that has some sort of acidity to it. Really really flavorful.”
ANYTHING ELSE I SHOULD KNOW? Surprisingly, these were really good! No weird flavors, and I felt like I nailed flavors 1 and 3. The JFGal and I had no idea what #2 was. Did you try these, JFG Nation? I’d love to hear what you guys tasted in the comments below. But these were among the tastier Peeps I’d ever had. If this is the direction Peeps are going in (with a variety of flavors ala Jelly Belly), I’m all-in for that development.
PURCHASED AT: Sent to me by my good friends at Walmart, but you can buy them AT Walmart! Thanks again, W!
WHERE FOUND IN STORE? I’ve seen them in endcap displays by the register and generally among the Easter candy seasonal section.
COST? I’ve seen them for $2 on sale.
Sincerely,
The JFG
Discuss - 11 Comments
You definitely need to refrigerate your maple syrup if it’s real maple. The imitation syrup might have a preservative chemical to prevent growth of mold or bacteria, but the real stuff will not.
We liked these in our household and we’re generally not Peeps fans. I thought #1 was pancakes and maple syrup, #2 I absolutely could not figure out (liked it, but the constant refrain was “I still don’t know what I’m eating. What IS that?”), and I thought #3 tasted like margarita mix.
Dude, you MUST refrigerate the real stuff. Pretty sure it says it on the label, but also I know this from my own foolishness. It will get moldy. Not sure about the fake stuff, don’t keep that in the house, as it is grounds for divorce.
My real maple syrup says refrigerate after opening on the back of the label. I’m so disappointed that there are no more brownie bottomed, caramel filled peeps in my area. They were awesome. Have not seen these yet.
Generally use the sugar free fake stuff. It’s normally in the fridge…until it gets used and sits on the kitchen table for 3 days before anyone puts it away.
My guesses
1. Maple syrup
2. I don’t know what this one was it tasted bad
3. Berry lemonade
I don’t like to put (fake) maple syrup in the fridge. I think it just tastes better. Plus I’m lazy and have to fight to get the syrup to come out if its less than half full lol
I’m also firmly in the do not refridgerate soy sauce or peanut butter (looking at my grandfather) camp. Apparently he likes tore up pb&j sammies.
But, to each their own! ?
I do whatever the label on the syrup tells me to do.
I’ve never seen these Peeps.
Depending on the sugar to water ratio, highly-concentrated sugar solutions and syrups can inhibit bacterial growth if water is not freely available for the bacteria to utilize.
I much prefer room temperature syrup, but I would be wary about contamination around the outside/lid being an issue. Once the container is opened and exposed to air, the water content is affected and provides an opportunity for bacterial growth. The non-exposed syrup is likely still viable, but the surface layer may develop a mold or film of growth.
Ultimately, I guess it is a matter of choice for risk vs. benefit. You could keep it at room temperature, but you may need to skim the mold off and heat/boil the remaining syrup to kill any bacteria.
If it still tastes good after leaving it out of the fridge, it’s bad syrup.
The flavors have been revealed!
1. Maple Syrup
2. Blueberry
3. Grape Slushee