I eat a whole helluva lot of ice cream, but I can’t remember the last time I had Neapolitan.
The tri-flavor container of chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla is said to have originated in the late 19th century in Naples, Italy, and as far as I’m concerned is only enjoyed at an eight-year-old’s birthday party next to a slice of Power Rangers cake.
How the city responsible for some of the most pristine and perfectly simple pizza known to man can also create one of the silliest ice cream flavors that no one really eats is mind-boggling, but leave it to Peeps to make the mundane even more readily consumable.
The latest addition to the Filled Delights line pairs a strawberry marshmallow with decadent chocolate filling that’s dipped in creamy white fudge. Hey…that actually sounds kinda good.
The aroma is a super strong sweet strawberry with a notable creaminess that does evoke Neapolitan ice cream. There’s no chocolate on the nose, which is to be expected with all of the fudgy goodness hiding on the inside. There’s something always oddly nostalgic about artificial strawberry and the way it mingles with the vanilla marshmallow scent is inviting.
Going in for the kill, the ‘mallow isn’t as sweet as I was expecting and is surprisingly pretty well balanced for something composed almost entirely of sugar. The sometimes harsh over-the-top fake strawberry notes are mellowed by the cool and creamy white fudge, which, as with all Delights, brings a nice smooth foundation and slight crunch to the bouncy Peeps body. The fudge also helps bring to mind the mouthfeel of ice cream and a legitimate vanilla component that’s necessary to the create the Neapolitan trifecta.
The chocolate filling is ample and erupts from the midsection of the Peep with a mellow milky cocoa quality very similar to Hershey’s Syrup and an appearance like a snapshot from a Law & Order: SVU crime scene. It’s runny enough to bring a completely different texture than the vanilla dip, but firm enough that it stays in place while biting. The chocolate is pretty sweet, but again, not over the top, and all three desired flavors come through on their own, but also work in harmony.
I’ve gotta say, for a Peep that I had no intention of ever seeing exist (like all Peeps?) I enjoyed the execution of this oft-neglected style of ice cream turned into candy. In fact, I enjoyed these Peeps more than my last scoop of actual Neapolitan ice cream. But after eating two in a row, the sugar rush consumed my body. It’s best to leave these chicks with a one-and-done mentality.
(Nutrition Facts – 3 chicks – 180 calories, 4.5 grams of fat, 3.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 30 milligrams of sodium, 36 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 32 grams of sugar, and 1 gram of protein.)
Purchased Price: $1.99
Size: 1.75 oz. package/3 chicks
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 8 out of 10
Pros: Great nostalgic strawberry flavor. Gooey chocolate filling. Creamy smooth vanilla.
Cons: Eating multiple chicks can lead to stomach ache. Epic sugar rush. Crime scene photos of Peeps.
