Sometimes Foodie: Pumpkin Patch Orange Pop Rocks

Pumpkin Patch Orange Pop Rocks - gift

This is a seasonal item that seems to return each fall, and ever single time I see it, I mistake it for some kind of limited edition Pumpkin Spiced Pop Rocks. Now, I have to admit that pumpkin flavored popping candy wouldn't be the best idea, but if it existed, I'd totally try it. (A sparkling apple cider version would be a lot tastier, maybe they should try that next year.)

The packaging is black with an orange and green pumpkin theme, which is festive, but it seems really out of place. Of all the flavors and color combinations they could have gone for, why this?

Why not a purple and green bubbling witch's brew theme and grape flavoring? Or maybe even purple and black? Or a golden yellow for apple cider? I feel like this is a missed opportunity to have a lot of fun with the packaging.

I opened up the pouch and took a sniff, and my first reaction was not a good one. This smells like plastic, chemicals, and a bit of musty basement. To be fair, I think the awful chemical aroma I'm smelling is coming from the packaging, and not the candy itself.

I poured the candies on to a plate, and sure enough, they were odor free. What could be wrong with this packaging? You can only smell the weird aroma when you bring it very close to your face, so it isn't something you would easily notice unless you were pouring the candy from the pouch directly into your mouth, but it's a bit worrisome. I might have to look into that. (This isn't the worst thing I have ever smelled, far from it, but it seems very chemical heavy and that's not something I want in my seasonal candy.)

Once the candy hits your tongue it's sizzles and pops just like normal pop rocks, and it has a really mild orange flavoring. It started out tasting a bit like the liquid from a mandarin fruit cocktail, sweet and a little tangy (although very mild), and then it turns into a generic orange jelly-bean like flavoring. This stuff has a decent amount of popping action, but the flavor leaves a lot to be desired. I think this is the weakest flavor of Pop Rocks I've ever had.

I'd say this seasonal candy isn't worth trying this year, or next year, unless it gets reformulated to have a bit more flavoring. If you already have some of these and you're looking for a way to use them up, you can use these to top desserts or cupcakes at your Halloween party, or use them as a salt/sugar substitute for the rim of cocktail glasses. The flavoring is so mild I can't see it over powering anything you mix it with, so it'll just add a bit of a crunchy texture and some popping sensations.