Monster Combos

Three years ago, the appearance of Monster Mash cereal inspired me to combine my own mix of the Monster Cereals together for a frightful concoction. The result was disappointing; there was just too much going on in the bowl. So I'd been thinking of trying out different combinations of these cereals, two at a time. And with last year's introduction of Carmella Creeper to the lineup - a caramel apple cereal - the possibilities show even more promise. Step into my kitchen laboratory, and we'll try some experiments!

Chocolate/Caramel Apple

I thought this sounded like a good combination - chocolate and caramel go well together, and it's in a similar vein to the classic fall treat, the candy apple. And it does taste good. Honestly, I think the chocolate draws out the caramel flavor better. I'm surprised General Mills hasn't done something like this yet, although Carmella Creeper is still pretty new. Maybe it'll be next year's version of Monster Mash. I'd like that.

Strawberry/Blueberry

Mixing the two berry cereals together seemed like a no-brainer, although their similarity means the combination lacks distinction. And though, as expected, the flavors complement each other well, it's not as fruity as I would have thought. It tastes mostly of corn. Even the milk is surprisingly plain. Once again, it's the marshmallows alone that carry this cereal.

Caramel Apple/Strawberry

Visually, the green balances out that vibrant pink, and the marshmallows kind of fade into the background. When I eat Carmella Creeper alone, the flavors don't really stand out, but pairing it with something else seems to make the caramel pop. This is like plain Carmella Creeper, but with a slightly fruitier balance. I'd say it's an improvement over either cereal alone.

Caramel Apple/Blueberry

As far as I can tell, this is the combination they use for Monster Mash Remix - although they probably use a different mix of marshmallows, and who can be sure what flavors they might add without telegraphing it with the proper dyes? On that note, the colors complement each other well - bright green contrasted with dark purple. And the flavors do, too - better than you might think, pouring caramel over blueberries. This is pretty similar to caramel apple/strawberry, but I think Boo Berry has a slightly better flavor than Franken Berry, so this is a little bit better. It's not a bad choice for a Monster Mash; although I would still prefer chocolate/caramel apple.

Strawberry/Chocolate

Chocolate-covered strawberries, anyone? The brown and pink make a nice contrast. I feel like the fruity flavor is more front-and-center, but there's a nice chocolate undercurrent. It's not a bad combination - it certainly makes Franken Berry more palatable. I don't think I like it as much as chocolate/caramel apple, though. Every once in awhile, I get a bite that seems to clash, but I'm not sure why.

Blueberry/Chocolate

Although conceptually very similar to strawberry/chocolate, I think blueberries and chocolate is a somewhat less common combination. But still good. The purple Boo Berry pieces are so dark, you can hardly distinguish them from the brown Count Chocula pieces. It's a shame it doesn't make as good a visual impression (looks do matter), because I think it tastes better than the mix with Franken Berry. Which was to be expected.

Caramel Apple/Berry

I did this with Count Chocula way back when, so I thought it would only be fair to give Carmella Creeper a chance. And it's not bad. I used two parts caramel apple (1 cup) to each part strawberry and blueberry (half cup each) for a proper balance of flavors. It's really not that much different from using Franken Berry or Boo Berry alone. And the mix of colors looks much more lively. I have no idea why they don't use this as their Monster Mash; I think it's just as good.

Berry/Chocolate

Although I did this once before, with all the other combinations I was mixing together, I figured I could stand to give it a second chance. And this time, like with my caramel apple/berry concoction, I mixed the chocolate 2:1 with the strawberry and blueberry, so it's equal parts chocolate and fruity. The blending of the Count Chocula and Boo Berry pieces does dull the visual impression a little - on the other hand, it has more of a gradient look. I taste the chocolate more than the fruitiness. That said, the fruitiness kind of clashes with the chocolate for some reason. I honestly can't say why this combination doesn't work better, but the success of Monster Mash clearly relies on the presence of newcomer Carmella Creeper.

Monster Medley

I'm calling this "Monster Medley" because Monster Mash was already taken. You know I had to do it. But yeah, there's a lot going on in this cereal. The flavors aren't bad, but it doesn't really coalesce into a single flavor experience. Even if you take the time to mix it up evenly, you're bound to get a different concentration of pieces in every spoonful. It looks interesting, though - with all those colors. And now, I'm kinda sick of the Monster Cereals. I don't think I wanna eat them again for a whole year... :-p