Count Chocula
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| Image from the Institute collection... evidently by way of Mexico |
One of the granddaddies of the sugar-coated set, this product still manages to compete with younger and more aggressive cereals. A nice balance of sweetness, crunch and the ubiquitous marshmallows.
Appearance
These things are supposed to look like ghosts or something, we guess. They don’t, much, but they’re by no means the worst-looking cereal to come down the pike. The marshmallows, though, are disgusting: some have been dyed shades of brown we didn’t know existed. And what the cereal looks like after it’s been sitting in milk a few minutes is too gross to contemplate; let’s just say it would be a good idea to be fully awake when eating a bowl of this.
Taste and Texture, Dry
Not half bad. The Count is made of corn flour, so the mouthfeel is crisp and the texture is firm without breaking your teeth. The “chocolate” flavour is determined but not overly chemical. It’s always nice when the disguise works properly. There is a bitter aftertaste after a couple of mouthfuls, though, and the individual pieces are sized a little on the small side, so this isn’t an ideal snacking cereal.
Taste and Texture, With Milk
Doesn’t hold up too well. What can you say about a cereal where, seconds after the milk goes on, the marshmallows are crunchier? Maybe the crunch is in the “chocolate” colouring, which leeches into the milk as you’re pouring. It’s pretty cool to see the brown colour climbing up the stream of pouring milk like a spawning salmon. But it doesn’t do much for the flavour of the cereal, and the “chocolate milk” that results has all the flavour of cocoa made by boiling wood stain in water. Enough “chocolate” remains in the cereal itself, though, to make for a pleasant bowl. One bowl only, however. Don’t repeat this.
Conclusion
No North American chocolate cereal could compete with Chockles, and that’s all there is to it. [January 1993]
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