For a supposed guilty pleasure blogger, I don’t think I talk nearly enough about one of the most mind-frenchingly awesome pairings the world has ever known. No no, not Brad Pitt and Gwyneth Paltrow Angelina Jolie Jennifer Aniston. I’m talking:
Peanut Butter and Chocolate.
The master of this holy union, the mother of this ship, the queen bee to this hive, is, of course, none other than the:
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup
Let us have a moment of silence to pay our respects to dairy farmer H.B. Reese (who invented this wonder in 1923), shall we?
…
…Much obliged. So, if you’re like me, you probably can’t recall the first time you tasted a Reese’s peanut butter cup, but they’ve always been your Numero Uno. Remember Halloween? What would it take to trade one of your Reese’s cups? That’s right. It would take nothing. Because ain’t nobody laying a finger on your Butterfinger Reese’s.
There’s a noticeable passion associated with Reese’s peanut butter cups. We don’t just like them. We love them. We don’t just nibble on a mini one and call it a day. Even those so-called ‘gourmet’ peanut butter cups never seem to stack up to the original.
Reese’s peanut butter cups are an intrinsic part of American culture. They’ve come up with plenty of variations over the last 20 years, and there’s a cup for what seems like every holiday. (Whether or not you just celebrated Easter, I hope you picked up some Reese’s eggs – it’s the perfect chocolate to peanut butter ratio.) There are t-shirts, magnets, even peanut butter cup-flavored lip balm stamped with the iconic Reese’s logo.
An internet search on Reese’s peanut butter cups brings up the corporate
website, and then hundreds of recipes. To me this is a simple sign that peanut butter and chocolate are welcome in any home, for any occasion. If that Reese’s pie didn’t win over your girlfriend’s parents? Heck, you didn’t want to be a part of that family anyway.
The evolution of the Reese’s peanut butter cup slogan is also indicative of their influence – and I can’t argue with any of them:
1970s-1980s: Two great tastes that taste great together.
1990s: There’s no wrong way to eat a Reese’s.
2000s: Perfect.
This year Reese’s peanut butter cups were the sponsor of NCAA’s March Madness basketball tournament. They’ve already been an official sponsor of the NCAA for 4 years running. You couldn’t get me to watch 2 minutes of the college basketball that was on a continuous loop in my house last month, but even I noticed the giant Reese’s logo on the court floor (and subsequently started salivating). I wondered how the players kept focus. Or maybe it was the perfect motivator.
Do you have a favorite Reese’s memory? A favorite kind of cup? Do you not like Reese’s peanut butter cups? (If not, what’s wrong with you why not?)
P.S. – When I did a Google image search for “reese’s chipmunk” (you never know! That squirrel got its paws on one!), a picture of me under the “How to Succeed In Business Without Really Trying” marquee was the first picture to come up! That has to mean something. Something very, very good.
***TODAY’S SPECIAL***
On this historic day, otherwise known as Wednesday, 19 of your favorite humor bloggers are staging a WordPress coup. We have banded together to address the important topic, Better Living Through Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.
Yes, you read that right. Your eyes are fine. Well, they may not be fine – I really don’t know. But it does say “19 of your favorite humor bloggers” (or who SHOULD be your favorite bloggers). We are all presenting the same topic, each from his or her particularly unique perspective.
Why this topic? Why now?
Why not?
Click on the bloggers’ links below to gobble up the entire, yummy bag of 19 posts.
Go Jules Go 
You gave me the perfect idea for the 5k I’m running, er walking, this weekend. I’ll tie a Reese’s PB cup to the person in front of me. I bet I finish in record time.
Are you doing the 5k for that WordPress thingy?? I was kinda tempted to!
There’s a WordPress 5k? This is a local one for troubled teams. Now I feel like I should look into the WordPress one.
Here’s their post about it – it sounded like a lot of trouble to me, but do I owe a sacrifice to the WordPress gods? 😉
http://en.blog.wordpress.com/2011/03/29/automattic%E2%80%99s-worldwide-wp-5k/
So there’s no wrong way, really? So it’s OK that I eat all the chocolate and throw the peanut butter away? I feel better about this now.
That means we’re a match made in heaven, because I’d rather eat just the middles than the edges.
Well, it looks as if I finally found someone who likes to eat Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups just about as much as I do, but eat just the middle? My dear Ms. Jules, are you crazy? That kind of talk should be reserved strictly for the bedroom (in my opinion). You see, the Reese’s peanut butter cup is — not unlike myself — a little rough around the edges, and that slightly jaggedy texture, mixed with a little peanut butter, is really where one finds the true beauty of the peanut butter cup.
After reading all of these PB cup posts, Ray, you and I have some serious competition [in the “Who Loves Them Best?” arena]!
See, now, my feeling is that if I can conquer those rough edges first, I can save the best for last – and savor the sensitive, oh-so-fulfilling, creamy center.
LOL This comment thread got so intense. I need a beverage.
“This comment thread got so intense. I need a beverage.”
Me too.
And a cigarette.
Felicitations, by the way, on making the WordPress front page. You deserve all your success — and I mean that very sincerely.
You have outdone yourself on these photos, my friend! The “outta my way” one still has my giggling.
Also? “Amen” to this: Heck, you didn’t want to be a part of that family anyway.
And the rest. 🙂
Deb, after I emailed you last night (mentioning my post was boring), I looked at the post again and was like, “Maybe I can save her, Doc!” That’s when I spiced up the bball pic. And I added the squirrel pic.
So, THANK YOU! 🙂
You speak truth in a meaningful way – the eggs have the perfect chocolate to creamy center ratio. Can I get an AMEN in here??
Woo hoo hoo!
AMEN! And preach! And hallelujah! The eggs really are the best. I find their smooth shape pleasing as well.
UhHbmmnn. I mean, Amen. My mouth was full. Never mind.
The pie caught my attention!
I hope you don’t expect me to share. 😉
Absolutely I expect sharing. After all, I’m the guest.
There’s a Reese’s lip balm?!
I loved the moment of silence. In that moment I ate three pb cups (they were very tiny)
There is! I think you can get it at places like Claire’s. But chocolate ‘flavored’ things have always creeped me out.
hahaha That is a most fitting tribute to Sir Reese.
Yummy post. Great pictures!
Thanks so much, Elyse! Glad to have been a part of this with you!
OK, so here’s my Reese’s story–shared only here–do ya feel special?
At some point soon after my younger sister became a mom, she morphed into Martha Stewart. I hadn’t really noticed the frightening transition until I asked her for ideas for C’s 4th birthday. (Her oldest is 6 months older than C so she had recently run the same gauntlet of birthday mania.) Upon the discussion of food, she suggested I serve fresh strawberries with creme fraiche (OK, a little over the top, but I’ll role with it….) and, wait for it….HOMEMADE peanut butter cups. That’s when I realized she hadn’t morphed into Martha but the devil himself. Such blasphemy spoken around a 4 year old’s birthday! There’s nothing that can compare to the original!
I DO feel special!! And that is hilarious. I really don’t know that I’ve had a better peanut butter cup than Reese’s brand. At Pizzaria Uno, they serve this GIANT cup, with an Oreo cake-like bottom, hot with vanilla ice cream. OMG. That might be even better than the Friendly’s peanut butter cup sundae.
Excellent post, Jules! Reese’s PB Cups have always been my favorite, too. I don’t know many people who don’t love them (or would admit to it, anyway–pariahs!). My sweetie gave me a Reese’s Peanut Butter Heart for VD. I’m pretty sure it’s OK to eat those in one sitting since it’s just the one piece. Right? Love the (annotated) photo!
Thanks so much, Chris! Apparently these people DO exist…but more peanut butter cups for us, I guess!
It is not only okay to eat that all in one sitting, but it is mandatory.
Haha! Thanks for clarifying.
Should we start planning now for the 2023 centennial celebration of the birth of the Reese’s peanut butter cup?
Now THERE’S a party I wouldn’t play sick for! 🙂
Yes, I’m in for that.
I always chalk-in Peanut Butter and Chocolate at the top of my March Madness bracket. I know thesy aren’t NCAA ‘schools’… ‘exactly’… but… you know… academia’s loss.
🙂
Everyone is a winner at the U of RPBC!!!
You’re right — Reese’s is the perfect chocolate-to-peanut butter ratio! And you found a surprising amount of squirrels eating Reese’s. I just try to keep them from my birdseed, but now it appears I’ve got a new worry.
Yes, watch out! Squirrels and chipmunks alike luuuurve peanuts. And Dunkaroos. Extensive research led me to these alarming and adorable discoveries.
If it’s going to be Reese’s it has GOTTA be the standard-size two-pack sister!!! And I like Thought’s Appear’s idea above. Good treatment, my friend, of what for me was a tough project! xo.
You’re right. Those Halloween 1-packs are such a tease. As are the minis.
So you’re going to hold the fishing pole for Thoughtsy? I smell a blog post follow-up…
I like them frozen. Or at least very cold. There is just something about eating them hard. Wait . . . that sounded very “that’s what she said.” Unintentionally. You pretty much can’t go wrong with any variation or size of Reeses, though. And by the way, y’all and your posts are making me very hungry this early in the morning. I might have to take a break before I read any more until after lunch.
hahaha I love ’em melty. Like, give it to me on the dashboard style. (TWSS.)
I LOVE the idea of basketball players being forced to publicly enjoy a peanut butter cup at the end of each quarter, during a time out, at the free-throw line… “Don’t you dare throw up. This is our sponsorship. You can have water later. Now smile and eat the damn snack.”
Ooooh yes. I would actually watch that – and take bets on who the weakest stomach is.
Where did you find the heart-shaped Reese’s? Did you snap that during Valentine’s Day? 1923 was a very good year, eh?
Funny, funny stuff, Jules!
Thanks so much, and I’m glad you asked, Lenore! That is actually a picture I took at Target for Darla (She’s a Maineiac) back in Jan/Feb, because she didn’t know they made Reese’s hearts! (They make smaller ones, too.) We have ongoing dialogue about RPBC (ever since she vlogged about them for my guilty pleasure vlogging contest last year), LOL
I think in a past life I tried to marry H.B. He turned me down because he caught me eating Kit-Kats.
I think I may be the only one that doesn’t like the Reese’s eggs. For me, the ratio is off in the eggs. I prefer the mini-cups. I think it’s because I want a bit more chocolate than PB. Plus, they are the prefect size to just pop in your mouth and let melt on your tongue. It’s an exercise in restraint – see how long you can go before you just chew it up.
I can appreciate that, Amy! Because that’s exactly why I LIKE the eggs best – less chocolate! I wish Cadbury chocolate and Reese’s peanut butter would team up – now THAT would be amazing.
I am confused by this “restraint” you speak of… 😉
I love that you all did this together! Can’t wait to get home and find out if the coup worked! Either way, delicious reading. Off to the gift shop to pick up a little something packaged in orange! 😉
I realized too late that I did NOT properly plan for today (where’s a good professional organizer when you need one ;)) – I was reading all of these posts this morning WITHOUT any peanut butter cups! GAH!
I have to agree with you — come Halloween, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups were the highest form of candy currency around my house. Candy corn? Eh, not so much.
True dat, Angie! Candy corn can go suck a Peep. Come Oct 31st (or any time, for that matter), RPBC are pure gold.
Had to google it myself and you’re right #1 photo… I’m too embarassed to say what you have to google to get a photo of me to come up. Maybe one day over margaritas and reeses’s 🙂
hahaha I love that you Googled it, too! It makes it real.
And, um, yes, yes that day needs to happen. I’ll bring the margaritas AND the Reese’s, if you bring the shameless storytelling.
I completely agree that Easter peanutbutter eggs are the BEST form of Reese’s available. I stock up on them every year (and buy bigger pants in May).
Elastic-waisted pants are a MUST this time of year. 😉
This was great — I loved the one sideways Reese’s heart in the first picture. But you made me realize I’ve never tried a Reese’s egg. I’ll have to correct that.
Thanks so much, Laura! I wish I could take credit for that artistic arrangement of the peanut butter cup hearts, but a previous Target shopper set me up for success, LOL
And yes, you do need to correct that – stat!! I’ll wait.
I live here in the (i now know) deprived country of Australia. The christmas before last, on Boxing Day, we held a Boxing Day party where we invite friends to celebrate the escape from the family party on the day itself. At this party, two amazing things happened;
1) I went into labour with my son
2) I tried my first ever Reese’s Piece.
This was thanks to my friend from Tasmania (where they actually sell Reese’s) coming to said party.
My life changed that day….
I’m still undecided which event it was that did it.
I completely understand how the birth of your son and your first Reese’s encounter are on par with one another. If you can’t decide what actually changed your life more, ask yourself this: Can your SON be made into a delicious pie?
I have all the faith in the world that there is a way to get them in Australia. Or my name isn’t gojulesgo. (BTW, I honeymooned in Australia, and I wish I was still there! Even despite the lack of Reese’s!)
Well, i’m sure he COULD be made into a pie….. yet never one so delicious as a Reese\s pie! He’d be too fatty to bake nicely.
Well, they have made their way to Tasmania, it’s only one country away from being here!! Let just hope the rain doesn’t come with them… I love the sun too much!
I remember my first Reese’s peanut butter cup. I was ten, and my aunt was visiting us (in South Africa) from New York. She brought Reese’s and Hershey’s Kisses. And I fell in love.
They’re not really sold in SA. But I make a plan…
Oh dear. And here I’ve been dying to visit South Africa… Let me know when your plan has solidified! 😉
Another great one! Good work!
Thanks so much, Hook!
Just discovered your blog, thanks to the coup. The chipmunks are cracking me up!
I will pass that on to the chipmunks! Their names are Zest and Zeal, and they like to fancy themselves my life coaches. They’re probably going to be fired soon. They keep stealing my vodka.
I love the cups. Always my favorite Reese’s. But my favorite Reese’s memory (since you asked) involved the eggs. Every trip to the store as a preteen/teen had my mom grabbing a six-pack of the yummy holiday special. The best part? Between me, her and my brother the six-pack was gone before the car left the store’s parking lot. Reese’s overindulgence heaven, at least once a week from Mid-February to April. My mom even took to sending me care packages in college around Easter so we could still enjoy the treat together, in a way. Love my Reese’s.
Hi Pippi! Always good to see another Reese’s Easter egg lover! I’m not sure if I’d be capable of sharing any from the six-pack, though. You were very generous. 😉
Peanut Butter and Chocolate is the best combination of anything ever!
I can say with assurance, after trying to come up with something comparable for this post introduction, that you are so, so right about that. 🙂
my shame after gobbling mounds of mini reese’s peanut butter cups yesterday has completely vanished after reading this post, and i feel rejuvenated. thank you!
Yessss. Gojulesgo is here to absolve you of all your guilty pleasure guilt. Thank you for helping validate my place in this world!! 🙂
I think my favorite memory involving Reeses was eating Reese cheesecake for the first time. Within the first bite, I saw the face of God. And it was glorious.
Yes, it’s glorious. So glorious. I love getting Cheesecake Factory cheesecake for my birthday, which is coming up at the end of this month, and I have been CRAVING their p.b. cup cheesecake for WEEKS. I just have to hold out a little longer… 🙂
Seriously though, why does everything taste even better in a new shape. I’m a sucker for every holiday themed candy. I just bought easter sweet tarts on sale. Just because a couldn’t resist the chicks and bunnies.
Hi Nina! I wish I could get into the Sweet Tart-type candy, but unless something has at least half a day’s worth of calories, it doesn’t seem to find its way into my shopping cart. 😉
I am eating reeses peanut butter easter eggs right now as I read this! I love them! My fiance and I love reeses so much, our wedding cake has reeses filling in it 😀
That is music to my ears! And can you BELIEVE I forgot to mention in this post that I stenciled/monogrammed Reese’s peanut butter cups as wedding favors (for my own wedding)?! I used this edible pink stuff (my wedding colors were pink and brown), and it took DAYS to do 200+! I’ve been trying to find a picture of them…
The loves of my life, home made TollHouse Chocolate chip cookies, Reeses peanut butter anything and Oreo cookies! You can’t eat just one or two or three or four or………………….
Almost forgot to say congrat on being FP! So chocolaty peanut buttery deserved!
Hi Harold! Thank you so much, and you are a man after my own guilty pleasure heart! I absolutely LOVE homemade Tollhouse chocolate chip and Oreo cookies, too. Oreo pies are sometimes as amazing as p.b. cup pies. I made a mean Oreo pie for New Year’s Eve. (Oh yeah, partying it up with 2 other couples and a night of board games, booze and Oreo pie! Watch out for me!)
Hey…congrats on getting Pressed!
Hi Cooper! Thank you so much – what a thrill that was! 🙂
Such a fun post and I think I ate about RPB Easter Eggs…I finally gave the rest of the bag away once my sugar high left and I could think clearly:)
Hi Shannon! Can you believe I didn’t plan ahead and have some pb cups at the ready when all of these posts went up? I was dying!
Wow, you lucky Americans. I don’t think I’ve seen anything other than the standard Cup and the Reese’s Pieces. And I do remember my first Peanut Butter Cup, but the experience was so intense that it short circuited all memory of the surrounding circumstances from my brain.
I can so relate to this experience. …Maybe THAT’S why I can’t tell the difference between left and right!
Is it really bad that I don’t like them? Sorry. I do like chocolate spread and peanut butter on a toasted English muffin though, if that helps?
Suzy, that is definitely redeeming! LOL My husband has recently started buying Nutella and pb to make sandwiches (he has a long commute to work and has to plan ahead). I made the mistake of trying it myself, and now I have yet another guilty pleasure 😉
I guess I’m strange, because I’m not a huge fan of Reese’s pb cups or eggs. For some odd reason, the few times I’ve eaten them I’ve gotten a headache from them. Perhaps I’m allergic to something in them? I do love the little Reese’s pieces as much as ET does though!! (Congrats on your fortune cookie post being Freshly Pressed!)
Sprinkles! This comment made me gasp! But, if physical symptoms are a result of eating them, then, all is forgiven. I wonder what it might be… have you tried other brands of p.b. cups and had any problems?
Thank you so much – what a hoot to be FP’d with that post! LOL! 🙂
Every had the Reese’s PB Cup Sundae at Friendly’s?? Or any PB Cup Sundae at all? Mixing ice cream and Reese’s with hot fudge and peanut butter sauce is my king of heaven.
OMG, Rache. Don’t even get me started on the PB cup sundae at Friendly’s! That is my all-time favorite dessert, and I’m not even a huge ice cream fan. Do you know you can microwave regular peanut butter, and pour it over vanilla ice cream, and you get a similar effect? That was a dangerous day, when I discovered that!
Totally agree. King works. LOL
Oh, I am WELL aware of the peanut butter in the microwave trick. Best thing my dad ever taught me!
*kind, or king works too.
I call my protein shake “Reeses Pieces and Sadness” Choco protein powder + 1 tbsp peanut butter and almond milk. Blend.
It tastes like reeses, but you’re still not eating pizza.
hahaha That is the perfect name for that shake.
There really is nothing better than a reese’s peanut butter cup
They are worth every calorie
Amen to that!!
now you just made me drool….. i need to get myself reese’s peanut butter cup NOW 🙂 i miss this, we use to eat it at school 🙂
Yes! Do it! 🙂
haha 🙂 oh yeah!
Literally have a bag of Reese’s next to my bed as I write this
I consider it almost mandatory while blog surfing. Please have 1, or 7, for me. 🙂
Why did you remind me of these?! I love Reese’s peanut butter cups, with a passion compounded by the fact that they’re so hard to find here in India. Must. Find. Them.
I just started blogging and chanced upon your blog because of the Misfortune Cookies page. Loved the expressions. I’m looking forward to reading more of you. 🙂
hahaha I’m sorry! Although if you stick around, I should warn you, peanut butter cups is a fairly common topic. 😉
Thank you SO much – if you ever have any questions about blogging, let me know! I was completely new to it myself last year.