Pop Tarts

A Pop-Tart is a flat rectangular toaster pastry approximately 3 by 5.5 in (75 by 115 mm), made by the Kellogg Company. Pop-Tarts have a sugary filling sealed inside two layers of rectangular, thin pastry crust. Most varieties have frosting, but some do not. They can be eaten without being warmed, but are often warmed inside a toaster. More recently, certain varieties have been marketed as tasting best when left to cool in the freezer. They are usually sold in pairs inside foil packages, and do not require refrigeration.

Popular flavors include (but are not limited to) blueberry, frosted strawberry, frosted brown sugar, cinnamon, cherry, hot fudge sundae, and s'mores. I'm interested to have a taste of chocolate chip cookie dough, cookies and cream, cheese danish and mint chocolate chip. Too bad the more traditional flavors are the only ones available here in the Philippines. But then again, they are still delicious and addicting!

Branding certainly played a vital role in this pastry's history. Post Cereals first created the confection that would become Pop-Tarts in the early 1960s. They adapted their process of enclosing dog food in foil to keep it fresh without rotting for their new toaster0-prepared breakfast food. Intended to compliment their cold cereals, Post announced their new product in 1963 to the press, giving them the name "Country Squares." Because Post had revealed Country Squares before it was ready, Post's biggest competitor, Kellogg, was able to develop their own version in six months. Internally at Kellogg, the pastry was known as a "dolliesscone." Post released their Country Squares in the same year, but sales lagged behind Pop-Tarts. It is widely believed that Country Squares failed because of their name. In the progressive culture of the time, with TV shows like "The Beverly Hillbillies", the name "Country Squares" was associated with being backward and boring. Country Squares failed to take off, while Pop-Tarts became a sensation. At first, Pop-Tarts were not frosted because it was believed that the frosting would melt in the toaster. However, they later discovered that frosting could survive the toaster and released the first frosted Pop-Tarts in 1967.

In 1971, a cartoon character named Milton the Toaster was introduced to promote Pop-Tarts. The campaign ended when a commercial showed a child hugging the toaster, leading to complaints that children might imitate the commercial and burn themselves. In 1992, Pop-Tarts became the focus of more controversy, when Thomas Nangle sued Kellogg for damages after his Pop-Tart got stuck and caught fire in his toaster. The case gained notoriety when a humor columnist wrote a column about starting a fire in his own toaster with Pop-Tarts. In 1994, a Texas A&M University professor performed an experiment proving that, when left in the toaster too long, strawberry Pop-Tarts could produce flames over a foot high. The discovery triggered a flurry lawsuits. Since then, Pop-Tarts carry the warning: "Do not leave toasting appliances unattended due to possible risk of fire."

One thing that I really love about this product aside from it's taste is its convenience. It is vey handy and I can have it anytime of the day. It can be a meal for breakfast, lunch or dinner. I can have it for midmorning, midafternoon or midnight snack. I can have it while driving, studying, watching movies or if I'm really careful, in the shower. That's how much I love Pop-Tarts, "Crazy Good"!