On paper (or, more specifically, on its cardboard box), Belmont’s Pumpkin Supreme Pie sounds like a surefire success: “Traditional pumpkin pie topped with a spiced pumpkin cream cheese layer, garnished with pecan pieces, caramel drizzle, and whipped topping.” How the hell can this backfire? Not only do you get a traditional pumpkin pie, but a layer of what is essentially cheesecake? Pecans? Wow, this has to be spectacular, right? Especially after the brilliance that was their Pumpkin Cheesecake?
Well, first things first: There is nothing really outstanding about this pie. While the picture on the box seems to insinuate that there is quite a bit of caramel drizzle and pecan pieces, I found the amount of both in the actual product to be quite lackluster. Even the bites that did have some of each, it didn’t really seem to make it any richer, or any more extraordinary. And the pecan pieces are so soft from being frozen (and thawed out) that there’s no satisfying crunch, or even any noticeable change in texture when taken with the pie. So in other words, neither of those things really affect the overall flavor to the extent that one would expect them to. And speaking of the flavor…let’s talk about it, shall we?
The actual “flavor” of the pie is good, in that it tastes just like a pumpkin pie. Which is also simultaneously the main qualm I have with it, because, according to the packaging, I did not just buy a pumpkin pie. I bought a “supreme” version of a pumpkin pie. If I wanted a regular pumpkin pie, Aldi also sells those, but for half the price of this one. I expected something mind-blowing, or very good…hell, I would have been really happy with a pie that tried to be something different, and failed miserably. But instead I got a regular pie, with the slight addition of pecans and caramel drizzle, trying to be passed off as something unique and exciting. Even the consistency of the top “cream cheese” layer doesn’t feel any different from that of the “traditional” layer, and although you can occasionally get the taste of pumpkin cheesecake in there somewhere, I thought it was overwhelmed by the traditional pumpkin layer.
This is all a shame, because both of these things are good on their own. The pumpkin cheesecake, in fact, is quite extraordinary, while their traditional pumpkin pie is delicious, as well. Unfortunately, some things just don’t need to be combined, and although on paper this probably sounded like something worth $7, the reality of the matter suggests that is not the case. Not at all.
Overall: 5/10. Like a pumpkin pie, only twice as expensive, Belmont’s Pumpkin “Supreme” Pie apparently boasts two different flavors in one (that of a traditional pie, and what is essentially a pumpkin cheesecake). The problem is, the traditional pumpkin pie overwhelms the flavor of the lighter cheesecake. The toppings, which consist of pecan pieces and a caramel drizzle, are much less prominent on the actual product as they are on its packaging, meaning these don’t really factor into the flavor as much as you would expect them to. In other words, either stick to a traditional pumpkin pie, which is half the price of this one at your local Aldi store, or spend the extra dollar and get their excellent pumpkin cheesecake, which unlike this one, is well worth the money.
