Lay's Canada Kettle Cooked Tzatziki

Nope. Nope. Nope. This is not "Tzatziki". I don't know what this is, but "Tzatziki" it is not. "Tzatziki" is a refreshing yogurt dip made with Cucumber, Mint, and a bit of Garlic Salt. The flavor is meant to be light and refreshing. This bag should basically be re-labeled "SALT X 10000000". It was so salty that it was nearly inedible. It reeked of Garlic, and the flavor of Garlic competed with the Salt, giving the chip an overwhelmingly bad, off-putting, queasy, Garlic Salt flavor. There was a hint of Cucumber that came through on maybe one of every 9 chips. There was also a cheesy hint that I assume was meant to represent Yogurt but instead it sickened the Garlic Salt combo. The only bright star on this chip was the texture and cook of the Kettle Cooked Potato. As a person of middle eastern decent who eats "Tzatziki" at least a couple of times a week, this bag is an insult. It's like whoever made it didn't understand the basic flavors of the "Tzatziki" inspiration. Again, like the "Jalapeño Mac N Cheese", this bag tasted like it was part of a test batch in a lab, not ready for consumer palettes. Steer Clear of this one guys (even though it has already lost Canada's Do Us A Flavour contest... it's not worth the hunt).

Lay's Canada Wavy Jalapeño Mac N' Cheese

Here's my first review of the bags that came out of Canada's most recent "Do Us A Flavour" contest. I'm starting off with "WAVY Jalapeño Mac N' Cheese" as this is the bag that has already been announced the winner and is still available across Canada. This bag was SO weird to me. When you pop it open the smell that hit you is DEFINITELY Bacon Mac N' Cheese... I was so confused. It smelled Bacon-y, Meaty, Cheesy, and Vinegary. I passed the bag around and asked; and everyone who tasted this with me agreed there was a mysteriously unexplainable meat smell. Beyond the smell, diving into the bag you see orange-y yellow Wavy chips that are cooked well. The flavor is Cheesy with a hint of spice. You get some subtle Jalapeño , but it reads more like a black pepper flavor that washes over the whole of your tongue. There is some sort of acidic brightness coming through, but I couldn't tell what it was. It didn't seem like Jalapeño. The overall flavor was muddied. Yes it had cheese and acid, but I wouldn't call this bag an accurate representation of Jalapeño x Mac & Cheese. The bag seemed like it was still in the testing phase or something, with it's meaty smell, and it's odd spicing and acidity. If you want to try it and see if you agree, the bag should be available for the next year on Canadian shelves. I was able to buy these online, so I'm sure you can find them with a little hunting. When you do, let us know your impressions in the comments section.

Gotta Get At This: Lay's Guatemala Pollo Campero

Guatemala is doing it all right.  Their newest bag is a flavor based on a Guatemalan fast-food chain called "Pollo Campero", if that name rings any bells that's because there are 50 "Pollo Campero" restaurants here in the US. "Pollo Campero" is like "KFC" and "El Pollo Loco" had a baby. They are famous for their Fried Chicken and offer it up alongside typical South American side dishes like Empanadas and Plantains. Lay's has bagged up that locally loved recipe and is now offering it up to the lovely people of Guatemala. I love crossovers like these! They make eating chips so fun!
SO, have you tried "Pollo Campero"? Have you tried these? How do they compare? We'd love to know!

Gotta Get At This: Lay's Chile Sensaciones Collection Salmón Ahumado con Queso Crema, Queso Parmesano, Costillar con Finas Hierbas, and Original

 Lay's Chile is launching a beautifully packaged new collection called the "Sensaciones" collection. It's similar to the Sensations flavors found Globally in that the line is composed of complex and intriguing flavors. However, Chile makes the collection their own by making it a Kettle Cooked collection. This is the only Kettle Cooked Sensations line that I am aware of. The bold collection consists of a "Queso Parmesano/ Parmesan Cheese" flavor, "Salmón Ahumado con Queso Crema/Smoked Salmon with Cream Cheese" flavor, "Costillar con Finas Hierbas/ Rack of Ribs with Fine Herbs", and "Original". All of these flavors, even the overly fancied up Original, sound exquisite. I'm very happy to see a Parmesan bag and the Rack of Ribs sounds epic. All in all, I'd say this collection is hunt worthy! What are you feeling? Sound off in the comments below.

Gotta Get At This: Lay's Belgium Winter Edition Naturel Oven Stars, Oven Crispy Thins Emmental Cheese and Olive Oil & Herbs, and Collection Tapas Olive and Pesto

Lay's Belgium has a lot of new releases hitting shelves recently, all of which look DELISH! Here's what's new...

Winter Edition Naturel Oven Stars is a FANTASTIC idea! In celebration of the Winter Holidays, they've released a Natural flavored (This is the same as Original or Ready Salted flavor) Star shaped chip. These are the same as Belgium's current "Naturel Oven" ridged, baked chips; but shaped like festive stars. Here in the states you can buy the regular shaped equivalent under the "Ruffles Original Oven Baked" moniker. The shape adds a little Holiday kitch to it, and that's something I'm a big fan of... but as far as being a bag worth chasing across nations, it may not be worth the hunt for just a shape change.

Belgium has also added a completely new collection to their repertoire... the "Collection Tapas". This is a collection France debuted back in 2013 composed of an "Olive" flavor and a "Pesto" flavor. The Olive flavor had some very favorable reviews online and both of them make perfect sense as potato chip flavors. If the collection is spreading, it would be great to see them hit the states, I can see them being a hit here.

Lastly, Belgium is extending their Oven crackers collection, it started with biscuits and now has reached out to include "Crispy Thins". These are just airy, thin, potato-based crackers flavored as "Emmental Cheese" and "Olive Oil & Herbs". Emmental is just a fancy way of saying Swiss Cheese which is a subtle cheese that probably compliments the cracker well. And Olive Oil and Herbs is pretty straight forward too. They sound yummy, and I assume the collection is selling well because it is expanding. What do you think? Is this beyond the scope of what you expect from Lay's? Or do they sound yummy? Let us know your opinions in the comments section below!

Contest: Lay's Netherlands Raad de Smaak 2014 Mystery Bags revealed!

 

Lay's Netherlands has revealed what the 3 mystery flavors were in their "Guess the flavor" competition. 

 The yellow bag was hinted as being a "Pittage" ("Spicy") flavor and it has been revealed

to be "Kaassoufle met chilisaus". 'Kaassoufle' is a popular Dutch street-food pastry filled with melted cheese inside a thin dough wrapper that is then breaded and deep-fried. 'Met Chilisaus' or 'with Chili Sauce' is pretty straight forward. So the yellow bag probably has the 'Chili and Cheese' or 'Spicy Queso' vibe.

The green bag was hinted as being a "Hartige"("Savory") flavor and has been revealed as "Hollands Stoofpotje". 'Stoofpatje' just means 'Stew', so this flavor is basically a "Dutch Stew"... I'm not really sure what that would consist of aside from Dutch Beef and root veggies. But, Stew is delicious, so this probably tastes beefy and comforting.

The final pink bag was hinted to be the "Zoet"("Sweet") flavor and has the most potential to be something we've never seen before. The flavor has been revealed to be "Dubbelvla choco vanille"... 'Vla' is a dutch custard like pudding (it's kinda like English Custard, it's kinda like American Pudding). Vla comes in many flavors, Vanilla, Chocolate, Orange, Holiday flavor, etc. They are sold in what look like milk cartons, and just poured into bowls and eaten alone or with whipped cream on top. 'Dubbelvla' is a flavor but it also means 'Double vla' and in this case it is "Double vla Chocolate & Vanilla". Much like here in America we have swirled Chocolate & Vanilla softserve ice cream, the Dutch enjoy the flavor combo in their pudding. And Lay's have paired that flavor with potato chips. Soooo, basically, this flavor is Chocolate & Vanilla chips. Ya. Sounds boring, but who knows, it could actually taste awesome. 

I'd love to try them but I just don't see the opportunity arising. So, I've got to live vicariously through others. If you've gotten the chance to try these, let us know in the comments! 

Anything here sound delicious or crazy to you? We'd love to know. Share your thoughts in the comments. Happy Hunting!

It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year: Lay's USA Wavy Milk Chocolate Covered and Wavy Dark Chocolate Covered

They're back and better than ever! Lay's USA has brought back chocolate covered chips this holiday season! Last year Lay's debuted a personal 5OZ sized bag of Milk Chocolate dipped Wavy Lay's that swept the nation. These chips were sold exclusively through Target and were sold out EVERYWHERE. I could not get a hold of them... it was devastating. But I kept my eyes peeled this year and caught the 2014 edition already out in the wild.
This year, Lay's has expanded their holiday sweet treats to include a Dark Chocolate variant to sit on shelves next to the Milk Chocolate original. Bags are once again 5OZ, and the price has gone up by 50 cents making these a bit pricey at $3.99 per bag.
I expect these to fly off shelves yet again this year, so if you missed out on these, or you're just missing them, head over to Target and stock up before they are gone.
I'll have reviews up asap, but if you've already tried these give us your thoughts in the comments section, we'd love to know if these live up to the hype! Happy Hunting y'all!

Sabritas USA Adobadas

My friend was so sweet... she was visiting from Mexico, and while here she heard I had this blog so she asked me to try these "Adobadas" chips with her. I was thinking they were gonna be from our southern neighbors, but as soon as I saw these I knew they were from the wonderful US of A. I've reviewed the Mexican version in the past so I noticed the logo is different... but also, this US version says it comes from Plano, Texas on the back. That is a pretty good giveaway if you are ever confused.
I assume these are made for communities in the United States that have a substantial percentage of Hispanic people in them. I used to see them in the Hispanic markets in my neighborhood before they all converted to Asian markets lol. #butreallytho

So, lets talk review. When you open the bag you catch a huge whiff of Body Odor... yup... body odor. At least, to me, that's what cumin smells like. Because Cumin is straight up nasty. Cumin is one of the many spices that make up the Adobo seasoning that is popular in Spanish cooking. Adobo can be used dry as a spice rub or it can be made into a sauce and it is comprised of Salt, Pepper, Onion Powder, Cumin, Garlic Powder, and Chili Powder. Just from the smell, the bag may seem overwhelming, but if you can hold your breath, it is a great bag of chips. Just like it's Mexican counterpart that I reviewed back in 2012, these chips are seasoned deliciously. You don't get the taste of Cumin once you start snacking, however the Paprika and Onion Powder do shine through. Along with the spice mix comes hearty tomato flavor and sour lime. The adobo is rich and flavorful, and the lime cuts that spice perfectly. The chip itself is light-years ahead of Mexico's version (theirs has a weird gritty texture), the chips all look nice and have a mild flavor (As with regular US Lay's, the chips just don't have the rich potato-y taste you find in other nations). But, as the seasoning is the star on these chips, you don't miss the robust potato flavor. The combination is really tasty and I could see fans of BBQ chips and fans of spicy chips both liking these a lot (and no, i'm not calling these spicy). If you are a fan of Mexico's "Adobadas" chips, then I def think these are an upgrade, and they are much easier to get a hold of.
If you haven't tried these before I highly recommend you hunting them down next time you are near a Hispanic market or a convenience store in Hispanic neighborhoods. Happy Hunting ya'll.

Contest: World Cup Round-Up - Colombia, Perú, Guatemala, Dominican Republic, Panama, El Salvador, Honduras, Egypt, Arabia, & Chile... and a little Ranting!

Ima put this out there right now. Some of these companies should be ashamed by how bad their online presence is. ASHAMED. The World Cup has been over for like 3 months now, however, 6 of these countries started World Cup contests and just never revealed who the winners were on their shared website. Peru, Guatemala, Dominican Republic, Panama, El Salvador, and Honduras; they don't really have websites to begin with, but they launched a beautiful interactive site that was tracking the winners of each round of this contest. I kid you not, go on it right now, it's lovely but that damn site does not say who the winners are (www.copadesabores.com). Guatemala and Peru at least have functioning Facebook pages, and with a little digging I found that they did in fact announce winners on those pages (albeit the announcement was 1 picture hidden away on the timelines). This has actually happened before with Lay's Dominicana, they announced a previous contest online and then never announced the winner... check it out on Facebook, as that page is still showing off pictures from that unresolved contest. Whoever is handling South America's online marketing just needs to get it together... FOR REAL. Go look at how Margarita from Colombia handles their business. Flawlessly, they maintain a nice website, update their Facebook, and interact via Twitter and Instagram. I don't understand how it's that hard for the others to simply update a website that they've already had built.
 END OF RANT.

ok. So, let's talk about the contests that did have winners... and I apologize that it took SO long to share this info. I had really tried to be patient and 'round-up' all the winners in one post.

The only country from South America that actually announced their winner on their website was Colombia and their Margarita Chips. The winner was "Colombia Chorizo con Limon" (Chorizo and Lime). Voters chose to keep it Patriotic, and it's no surprise... Colombia had their most impressive World Cup EVER this year... plus the flavor sounds delish! This flavor is still available for a limited time in Colombia. Grab it while you can.

 Chipsy Egypt and Lay's Arabia shared their Flavor Cup and selected "Brazillian BBQ" as their winner. No surprise there. Not only does that sound yummy. But Brazil did an amazing job of hosting the World Cup and capturing the World's heart.

Chile also went Patriotic with their "Chile Enselada Chilena" and it sounds unique and tasty. I love a good acidic bag of chips. mmm.

Peru went Patriotic as well and chose "Peru Pollo a la Brasa" (Rotisserie Chicken). Can't complain, Chicken is da bomb! Good choice.

Guatemala  was swayed by flavor and chose "Suecia Queso con Especias" (Sweden Cheese with Spices). Can't go wrong with Cheese. Can't go wrong with Spices. The duo sounds awesome.

 Dominican Republic, Panama, El Salvador, and Honduras basically don't have any online presence, so if you know what flavors they ended up choosing, I'd love to know. Share it down below!

All the winners should still be available for a limited time in the Countries that conducted the contests. If you're interested in these, I'd say try to find them soon since like I said, this article is coming a bit late. AND If you're just curious and would like a reminder of what the other flavors were in this contest; click the "World Cup" tag at the end of this post.

Contest: Lay's USA Do Us A Flavor 2014 Winner Announced!

The votes are in! Great job America, you chose "Kettle Cooked Wasabi & Ginger" as your winner!
I really did not see that coming. I said this was a surprisingly delicious bag of chips... it made me a Wasabi Ginger believer, but I thought it stood NO chance of winning. I thought for sure "Bacon Mac & Cheese" had this locked up. So, its nice to see the bag that deserved the win came out on top (because somewhere inside i'm still bitter Chicken & Waffles didn't win, lol).

The winner was Meneko Spigner McBeth who took home $1 Million Dollars! Amazing. Congrats to her!! Not bad for a day's work.

So, enjoy the yummy new flavor America, and if you weren't a Wasabi Ginger lover, make sure you hoard whatever flavor was your favorite before it disappears FOREVER!

Contest: Walkers UK Do Us A Flavor Winner Revealed!

It wasn't really much of a fight, since Walkers decided to go all INSANE and have this flavor up against a Raccoon meat flavored bag... but Pulled Pork in Sticky BBQ Sauce has finally come out victorious. The flavor sounds delicious, and we are gonna try our hardest to get a hold of it, but until then, all I can say is good choice. And nice win for Paul Rothwell, whose homegrown flavor with Pork from Norfolk awarded him a nice One Million British Pounds. FANCY. Congrats Paul, and all the islanders who get to taste this treat.

Contest: Lay's Canada Do Us A Flavour 2014 Winner Announced!

Lay's Canada has come out and chosen it's victor. Randall Litman, who came up with the "Wavy Jalepeno Mac N Cheese" flavor has won, his new flavor will stay on shelves in Canada for at least the next year and he wins a nice prize of $50,000 CAD Plus 1% of bag sales. Fantastic! Congrats Randall! This flavor sounds great to me, and I've just been able to pick up a bag and give it a taste.. so review coming soon.
If you are in Canada, definitely give this bag a taste, OR track down the other Do Us A Flavour contestants and give them a taste quickly before they are gone for good.

All About Lay's: Russia

Hey kids. It's been slow news recently while we await to hear which flavors are going to win all these contests being held all over the world (like wtf, why are the World Cup contests still undecided in South America). So I decided to start a new segment here at The Chip Report, a segment dedicated not to the newest bag of chips, but to the standard range of flavors being produced every day in distant lands. Today, we'll start the segment with RUSSIA.

 

To begin, Lay's Russia has 3 ranges; Lay's: the traditional chip, Lay's Max: The thicker cut wavy style chip, and Lay's Strong: a Ruffles style chip that is also noted for "strong" flavors.

Lay's introduced their signature potato chips to the Russian market in 1992, a market that found salted potato slices boring. It wasn't until 2005 that Lay's did extensive market research across the whole of Russia to introduce flavors that would have more appeal to the Russian public. This research inspired Lay's to create Crab, Caviar, Pickled Cucumbers and a variety of unique flavors that would bring Lay's the success they had in their homeland. And later would lead to the introduction of Lay's Max and Lay's Strong.

Those signature Lay's make up the biggest line in Russia with flavors "Bacon", "Salted", "Cheese", "Green Onion", "White Mushrooms with Sour Cream", "Potatoes with Butter and Dill", "Sour Cream and Fresh Herbs"(which also comes in a Ruffled version, but because the flavor is mild it is just part of the Lay's line not the Strong line), "Pickled Cucumbers", and "Crab" (I can't find any official info regarding the status of "Red Caviar" flavor, but I find it unlikely it was discontinued, so I'll include it in this post... a LOT of countries only post some of the flavors they actually sell online, so it makes hunting them down a lot harder than you would think). Take a look.

 Click to Enlarge

Russia's version of Lay's MAX are most comparable to our Lay's Wavy line. They are waved, thick cut, potato chips in "Meat on Coals","Cheese and Onion", and "Chicken Wings". Other nations, most notably the UK, also carry the MAX line, but as a Ruffled chip, so the brand depends on local markets.

 Click to Enlarge

Finally is the Lay's Strong line. At first glance, these are Ruffles but under a different brand name... upon further inspection the Strong line shows it's character actually comes from a collection of Bold flavors. "Smoked Cheese", "Aspic with Horseradish" (don't know what Aspic is? Google it, it's Meat Gelatin bro), and "Spicy Hunting Sausages". This line is probably the most telling about the Russian market. Frito-Lay's own study found that Russian's considered the traditional Salted chip to be "boring" and the Strong collection is comprised of loud flavors. Most likely in an effort to provide Russian consumers with the bolder flavors that would appeal to them.

Click to Enlarge

So what do you think? Does any of Russia's range make your mouth water? Are you dreaming about those Butter and Dill flavored ones like I am?? Have you found and tried any of these? We'd love to know!  Sound off in the comments below.

Lay's USA Pico De Gallo

Here is a bag that should be an easy find for US chip hunters. "Pico de Gallo" flavor has been out for a year now and I've just finally gotten around to trying it. #oops
This flavor was chosen as part of a Frito-Lay employee only contest to create a new flavor. The winner Samuel Oliveros is a customer service representative at Frito-Lay in Manteca California who used his Hispanic upbringing as inspiration for the flavor. In an email interview with The Chip Report, Oliveros told us "Since it's pretty much tradition at any Hispanic event such as parties or just a home cooked meal I had no doubt that would be my choice" and that he wanted to create a flavor that was "something everyone likes".

When trying this bag, I had a bit of excitement, I like the idea of acidic flavors with salty chips. And while I think the inspiration was a fantastic choice, ultimately it fails to meet expectations. Sadly, my shorthand notes sum this bag up pretty well... I wrote "Bro, these taste like Tomato, bro". It's hard to describe this bag better than that. The bag smells like Tomato, the chips taste like Tomato, and the color looks like Tomato. Instead of the promised complexity of Tomato, Onion, Cilantro, and some heat... you get a one note flavor. Maybe there is a peek of Lime... but it is quickly lost. Just the authentic fruity flavor of Tomato off the vine. The potato itself is average... so across the board this bag is dull. Lay's USA definitely need to focus a bit on their Salsa flavors though. We just reviewed their "Mango Salsa" flavor and it suffered from the same lack of complexity and overwhelming fruity-ness. They should look towards their "Garden Tomato and Basil" flavor for inspiration (which I am not a fan of, but the flavor has character and complexity).

The idea for this bag was great, and Samuel Oliveros had some words of wisdom for those of us who hope to win the next "Do Us A Flavor" competition "My advice to anyone trying to submit a winning flavor would be to not necessarily think outside the box. There are tons of simple ingredients that can create a winning flavor."

It's nice to see that Frito-Lay appreciates the ideas of their employees as much as their customers... especially when we get to see new flavors because of it ;p It would be nice to see this contest again, maybe this year ;ppp (hint hint)

So... have you tried this bag? Did you like it? Does it even compare to flavors like "Chicken & Waffles" or "Wasabi Ginger"? Sound off down below...



BONUS FACT: Samuel Oliveros' favorite flavor before he got his own flavor was BBQ.

Margarita Colombia Receta Clasica Alitas BBQ

Here is a bag I've been waiting to try for some time now; Margarita Colombia's Receta Clasica Alitas BBQ. "Receta Clasica" refers to the "Classic Recipe" style cook on these chips... they are really quite similar to Kettle Chips (and the packaging is very reminiscent of the Kettle bags we see worldwide). There is a big difference though... these bad boys are cooked with the skin ON. mmm, SKIN. I personally like to see potato skins on the edges of the chip, I feel like the potato looks fresher... I know; weird. The chip is thicker than a normal cut, and thus has a ton more crunch. The flavor is "Alitas BBQ" or "BBQ Chicken Wings". The sweet bbq flavor definitely comes through from the moment you smell the open bag to the last bite. The prominent flavor that comes through is first Chicken, and then it's joined by that sweetness and a nice variety of savory spice from the BBQ sauce seasoning. The bold combo tasted fantastic on these thicker, crunchier, skin-on chips. All in all, a great bag, definitely worth the hunt. The only other comment I'll make about it, is that I thought it reminded me a lot of Margarita's "Pollo a la Brasa" flavor, albeit on a different cut chip. And I find this cut to be more suited to it. If given a choice between the 2, I would hands down grab this one off the rack.

Lay's USA Kettle Cooked Lattice Cut Aged Cheddar & Black Pepper

I've been looking forward to trying these for some time now. That photo of the Lattice Cut chip on the front looks AMAZING! mmm.
However, in my opinion, the texture of this chip is TOO hard. It's crunchy and it's pretty, but they were just too thin and hard for me. At first smell, you catch the black pepper aroma. The chip touches your tongue and it takes some work to crack through them with your teeth. But the texture is different and unique, so many may enjoy it for the exact reason that it gave me issue.
The yummy thickness of the crunchy potato adds that pure potato taste I look for in a chip, and that taste is complimented by a nice mellow, creamy sharp cheddar flavor. It isn't over powering, it's fairly subtle. Then the refreshing spice cuts through the sharp cheese and rich, thick, potato. Afterwards, the pepper stays bright on the middle of your tongue. This flavor combination comes across as elegant and well thought out. I really enjoyed the flavor. I definitely hadn't tried any flavor like it before.
I enjoyed the chip cut because it was new and exciting, but it's not a favorite. I could see this seasoning being well suited for Lay's typical Kettle Cooked chips... and while it also works here, sadly, I don't think the Lattice Cut is ever gonna be one of my favorites. But, I would eat it again, and if you are looking for interesting new flavors from Lay's USA, I think this needs to be on your list.

Munchos

Here's a fun and super RANDOM review. So, if you didn't know based on my profile picture, I'm a big ole Muppet fan. This week, some friends and I got together for a Muppet viewing party. Our gracious host was hilarious enough to put on some old school 1969 "Munchos" commercials that featured an early Cookie Monster, and then busted out the "Munchos" for us to taste. The only reason I'm throwing these up on here is because they are technically a potato crisp created by our beloved Frito-Lay.
So let's talk about these... "Munchos" are a snack made from dried potato and enriched corn meal. The texture is reminiscent of a more compressed "Cheetos" puff. That corn meal is very noticeable and gives "Munchos" a unique texture. The texture is crunchy but then it kind of melts in your mouth. It's crazy, the crisp is thin, but fluffy, but still crunchy. And you can see the air pockets in the chip that give it it's character. Just like how Pringles aren't really chips, neither are these; and "Munchos" have been smart enough to point that out. The combo of Potato and Corn offer a one of kind texture, and that texture carries the flavor of the salt and oil well. It isn't overly salted, but the salt somehow packed more taste than a regular salted chip. And the oil was flavorful and complimented these well. Because the flavor is so rich, I recommend these along with a Soda or a Beer, something that can cut through that strength.
I can't believe I had never tried these before because I really enjoyed them. The texture alone is worth the try, but the tasty seasoning makes them a fantastic tasting bag. If you're looking for something new, I recommend giving them a try.

You know... there's probably a reason these have been around for over 45 years!
Now, enjoy one of these vintage treasures...

Contest: Lay's Romania Ghiceste I Numele 2014 Mystery Bags

Mystery Bags, oh , Mystery Bags... Romania is having a little fun with these too! They just launched the "Ghiceste i Numele" ("Guess the Name") contest. I'm digging how they borrowed the bag design from UK Walkers' 2012 "What's This Flavor" contest.
This contest is straight forward. Lay's Romania has concocted 3 magical flavors and released them in stores. Contestants go to their local potato chip vendor, buy the chips, taste the flavor, then they head over to Lay's Romania's Facebook page and enter a guess as to the name of the flavor. 3 winners will be selected and they will each earn 25,000 LEI (about $7,400 USD)... NICE!

Contest: Lay's Netherlands Raad de Smaak 2014 Mystery Bags

Mystery Bag contests are BACK y'all!! If you were getting sick of the "Do Us A Flavor" competitions around the world, you'll be happy to see Mystery Bag contests are being relaunched in a few countries.
Today, let's chat about the Netherlands. Their "Maak de Smaak" contest has been coming up with some AMAZING flavors for the last few years; "Patatje Joppie" won in 2011 and has since become a permanent and beloved flavor. So, it is a total surprise to see them suddenly switch the script and launch the "Raad de Smaak" contest. From my understanding, this is a mystery bag challenge, along the lines of "Guess the Flavor"... but that is NOT the direct translation... the direct translation is "Council the Taste" (see how language can be confusing lol).
You have the green bag which is the "Hartige" or "Savory" flavor. The yellow bag which is "Pittige" or "Spicy". And the Pink bag is "Zoet" or "Sweet". Contestants go to the shop, buy a bag, taste the bag, then they go online and submit a flavor for the bag. I'm guessing there will be 3 individual winners to this contest because the prize is listed as 3 x €10.000. That's a little over $13,000... NOT TOO BAD for just telling Lay's what flavor you think these are.
I like this contest, but in the States we're enjoying the "Do Us A Flavor" contest, and I'd like to see it stick around for at least another year before we start doing mystery bags. None the less, it's still fun to see what these other countries are coming up with in their magical labs. Can't wait to see what these end up being!

Have you tried these? What are your flavor guesses? Let us know in the comments section below!

Lay's USA Cappuccino

YUM! I loved this bag. It was sweet and salty and everything I ever wanted. But, I'll say it now out the gate, I did NOT taste Cappuccino.
To me, the thinly sliced chip and it's rich potato flavor along with the sweet spice mix, reminded me a lot of Churros! I could definitely pick up Cinnamon and a hint of cocoa. which show up on the ingredients list. Actually I thought it tasted like a Chocolate flavored Churro in cinnamon sugar. mmm. My friends on the other hand thought this was disgusting... soooo, it seems a matter of taste. But to me, this was awesome. The potato in this bag was once again surprisingly beautiful.. perfectly even cooked chips, not burned or overcooked. The cocoa dust colored seasoning coated them evenly. So, I've got to admit, Lay's USA looks like they've finally sorted out there issues with below par potatoes. There isn't much else to say about this bag. It definitely is made for a person who is seeking out a "crazy" potato chip experience... not the general public. In my opinion, it was that fun experience, and if it wasn't a bajillion degrees out in the summer, I could see myself eating these more often. (It's definitely a winter chip, lol.) But I liked it, and will def get a few more bags before they disappear. Maybe they could have done with some sea salt too, but I won't get picky.
Will it win? Hell no. Should you try it before it disappears? MOST DEFINITELY!

Lay's USA Wavy Mango Salsa

I had high hopes for this bag. I like a little sweet, a little salty. Bright and Acidic. Mango Salsa kinda tricked me into thinking that was what it offered. In reality, this bag smells like perfume and tastes like Mango flavored candy. I've read a lot of reviews on China's fruit flavored bags that have a perfumey smell... I guess this was what they were describing. It is an artificial fruit candy smell. SO weird. Popping one of these chips in your mouth tastes straight-up like a mango hard candy... with a tiny hint of tomato and spice. TINY. That flavor creeps up after the initial mango taste, and doesn't really stand out. Only after eating multiple chips does it tend to build up a little... but its nothing special. The real failure of these chips was the choice of WAVY cut potatoes. The wavy cut doesn't add any thing, in fact, it seems to take away from the subtle heat and tomato. This flavor should have been on a regular cut chip, or the seasoning needed to get kicked up and put on a kettle chip. I really thought these would end up being my favorite, but I found them boring and not memorable. And my review seems a bit overly positive, cuz apparently im the only weirdo that liked that mango candy taste. My friends found it inedible. It was the only flavor from USA that I saw someone spit out during our tasting party. So, if you are a traditionalist, I don't recommend these at all. This flavor is for the daring, but, just during the dare. I doubt this is going to become a cult favorite that is missed after it is gone. MEH.

Gotta Get At This: Lay's Thailand กุ้งมังกรผัดซอสเอ็กซ์โอ and อิตาเลี่ยนซูพรีมชีส

oh Lay's Thailand. The beautiful nonsense you produce sends my heart a-flutter. Here are two new flavors coming out of Thailand. A China flavor "กุ้งมังกรผัดซอสเอ็กซ์โอ" aka "Fried Lobster in XO Sauce" and an Italian flavor "อิตาเลี่ยนซูพรีมชีส" aka "Italian Cheese Supreme" on a Ruffles style chip. I had to google XO sauce, and the internet informed me it's a spicy seafood sauce from the southern regions of China. Made by mixing different dried seafoods and then cooked with chili peppers, onions, and garlic. Wikipedia says the XO moniker comes from XO Cognac which stands for eXtra Old. Since Cognac is seen as a high-quality item in China, the sauce name carries a certain luxury conotation. So, its no surprise Lay's Thailand chose to pair it with the food that epitomizes luxury; Lobster. It's a hot sauce, so this bag probably has similar qualities to Thailands "Spicy Chili Squid". The other bag, "Italian Cheese Supreme" depicts like 6 different cheeses on the front. So... im guessing... it's Cheesy. It's probably quite different from the Cheddar flavor we are all used to, but similar in a certain way because they are putting it on the thicker cut Ruffles style chip. It's Italian, so they better pack some Parmesan flavor... that's all i'm saying.
I found these on ebay earlier this week and was able to snag them to try. Thailand seems to be one of the easier countries to find chips from. I see them quite often on ebay and Amazon. So, if you want to pick these up, it shouldn't be TOO hard.

Contest: Lay's Canada Do Us A Flavour 2014 Finalists Announced

 

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DAMNYOU CANADA! Why do you always have to be so amazing???! 

Get me a needle, cuz I want to mainline ALL of these flavors!!  

now.

"Bacon Poutine"? YES PLEASE.

"Cinnamon Bun"?  YES PLEASE.

Wavy "Jalepeno Mac N Cheese"? YES PLEASE.

Kettle Cooked "Tzatzki"?? GET OUT OF MY HEAD ALREADY AND GIVE THESE TO ME CANADA!!

For the uninitiated, Poutine is a Canadian classic... it's basically gravy and cheese curds on fries. The good lord knows that Bacon makes everything taste better... and so does Lay's, cuz they added it to their poutine flavored chips... (Also, Poutine is a year round flavor offered in Canada, so they gotta make this one stand out somehow. lol). I'm guessing this is the flavor to beat. Canadians already get "Smokey Bacon" and "Poutine" chips... so I reckon they will love the combination. 

"Cinnamon Bun" is a genius idea already... flavoring a chip to taste like a "Cinnamon Bun" is Hyper-genius! If you think about the unseasoned chip as a blank canvas (like the mighty Bun) and flavor that bad boy up with cinnamon and vanilla. MMMMM. It is probably gonna be the BOMB. (or nasty. it could be nasty too. who knows.)

"Jalepeno Mac N Cheese"... here us Americans were sitting cocky with our "Cheddar Bacon Mac & Cheese"... while all along the Canadians were in a lab somewhere concocting THIS!!?? 

Jalepeno. ANNNND. Macaroni and Cheese!!

HOW ARE WE STILL EVEN A SUPER POWER??

Refreshingly spicy Jalepeno against decadent Mac N Cheese....seriously. There is no way this will not be incredibly delicious.

The 4th finalist is "Tzatzki"... I am half Egyptian. This is my people's Ketchup, ok? We put this on EVERYTHING... because it belongs on everything. Including potato chips. This can not be bad. There's no way. 

OH, i'm sorry, what is Tzatzki you ask? It's basically plain yogurt with mint and fresh cucumber... I add Garlic Salt... some people use fresh garlic and lemon too... but the recipe kind of depends on who you ask. This will make every meal better. I'm not joking, I've seen my dad put it on Mexican food, Chinese food, Burgers... it doesn't matter. It is THAT good.

I just got a new passport, so I'm pretty much going to go now and get these... I can be there in 3 hours... who's coming??

Are you losing it for these flavors like I am? Or do you think I'm nuts? Let us know down below...

Contest: Walkers UK Do Us A Flavour 2014 Finalists Announced

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UK, why must you always one-up us?? 6 FINALISTS??? Jeez thats a lot of chips. So JEALOUS!!
"Sizzling Steak Fajita", "Hot Dog with Tomato Ketchup", "Chip Shop Chicken Curry", "Pulled Pork in A Sticky BBQ Sauce", "Ranch Raccoon" (wtFFF?), and "Cheesy Beans on Toast" are the new flavors Chip fans in the UK will have to choose from.

Right off the bat, I want/need 'Hot Dog with Ketchup' and 'Pulled Pork'. I don't know what sticky BBQ sauce taste like, but it sounds HAM-AZING!!
"Cheesy Beans on Toast" sounds like a Brit thing... cuz that shiz sounds horrible to me... and "Ranch Raccoon" is ACTUALLY Raccoon meat flavored... so KILL ME now.
Why?? Why would anyone want a Raccoon flavored chip?? Do people even EAT raccoon?? Rename this bag "Ranch Rabies"... yuck-ah! Sheesh... to think, we all thought "Cappuccino" was a weird flavor.
And then we have 'Fajita' and 'Chicken Curry', both of which sit right in the middle for me. I could take em or leave. Those are flavors I would expect to see in this competition.

Walkers did a good job of covering a lot of bases with the finalist selection... with the exception of a sweet flavor. I think most will find something they like.

Wish me luck finding these y'all! Happy Hunting!

Lay's USA Kettle Cooked Wasabi Ginger

Crippling fear. That is what gripped me as I stared at this bag. My friend's had their cameras out, ready to film what they expected to be tears running down my face after one bite. I muscled up the courage to open the bag. Took a whiff... I definitely smelled potato... and, is that soy sauce? with a dash of ginger? My nose kept searching, there it was... WASABI. Uhoh. What am I doing? I silently asked myself this question.
My friends were still watching, cheering; I had to do it. I placed a chip on my tongue. NUCLEAR. Something, only God really knows what it was, scorched my tongue... but I didn't taste Wasabi... not yet. After the burn my face made so many twists I didn't know what was happening. Then I tasted the rich potato flavor of a Lay's Kettle Cooked chip... finally some relief... but it was short lived for me, as the flavor of Wasabi crept from the back of my tongue forward. Not spicy, just the aroma of Wasabi... and a hint of Ginger, reminding me that I would experience no relief.
...Snapchat sent...

Let me give you a little background... If you are new to this blog I am a self proclaimed "wuss". You want to know my favorite flavor of Lay's? Original. I do this blog because I am fascinated with the product line Lay's (Etc.) have launched world wide, and I was intrigued that no one had ever documented online what varietals of these homeland heroes people were eating overseas. I don't do this because I want to eat chips everyday, I do it because I am passionately curious.
Spicy chips will never be my thing. I whine a LOT about spice... but I've been trying to expand my spice horizons. However, although here in California I eat a TON of sushi, if even a little Wasabi touches my rolls, I have a little inner-body cry session.

SO. Wasabi Ginger.... I was terrified. And that first chip scared me. But, I have to admit. It actually wasn't that bad. And I'm gonna go out on a ledge and say, it's all to do with the magic Kettle Cooked chip. I've talked on here before about the Kettle Cooked Lay's chip. I think it's their most flavorful chip and has a great texture. That thick cut, more flavorful chip, stands up well to the shock seasoning in this bag. ALSO, I don't think that the Wasabi flavor was actually cranked up that high. It was almost like a modest version of what I had in my head. The Wasabi just kind of sneaks onto your palate after you've swallowed the chip. I'm guessing the real shock comes from Horseradish which is listed in the ingredients, and I am NOT a fan of that stuff. One of my friends who had it with me said she didn't feel like it was spicy at all. And she eats her sushi with Wasabi regularly, so it may have just been my being a big baby. BUT since this is my blog, it really just matters how I felt. The star of this bag is really the soy sauce. It added the right seasoning to the chip to make the heat and shock bearable. I've had bags before that made me stop eating after 1 chip... and this was not even close. I ate out of this bag, heat and all, for another few minutes. It's actually not too far from what Lay's already offer in their Jalapeno Kettle Cooked Chips.

If you are a fan of spice, don't look past this bag because it isn't Sriracha. As someone who NEVER thought they would like it, I really think Lay's did an awesome job with this bag. It made me a believer. Try it now before it disappears! And let us know in the comments what you think!

Lay's USA Cheddar Bacon Mac & Cheese

Hi kids! So, let's get to what I know you all want to hear about... my first review from Lay's USA's "Do Us A Flavor" 2014 flavor finalists. Today, I'm gonna talk about the flavor that I'm fairly certain will end up winning; "Cheddar Bacon Mac & Cheese".  The bag alone is pretty appealing... Gooey Mac & Cheese running down a pot, topped with bacon, with crispy bacon sliced to the side, and a pretty perfectly cooked chip to the right. Opening the bag you get a scent similar to Cheddar Ruffles, a thick and savory cheese smell. But, the unique selling point here is the bacon, and the scent of fatty, rich bacon is here as well. Looking in the bag, you see BEAUTIFUL well cooked chips. No burnt bits, no crappy broken pieces. The chips were shockingly even, perfect slices, with fair even seasoning distribution. (I usually bring chip quality up as a complaint with Lay's USA, but this is the 2nd bag I've tried recently to have amazing quality chips inside. I'm insanely impressed right now. However, I still maintain that the potato itself could still use some potato flavor. But, hell, progress is progress).
As for the flavor, like I said, the seasoning is applied evenly and every chip had a 'just right' amount of flavor. The chips were orange (easy mac powder?) With brown flecks. You definitely get Cheddar flavor. That is the most notable taste. But, you get a subtle flavor from the bacon as well. The bacon adds depth and character to what could otherwise be just a Cheddar chip. And while I felt I could taste it lightly on my palate, my friend insisted he couldn't taste Bacon at all. So, this may not be the bag Bacon lovers have been dreaming of... but to me, it hits a bit of the spot.

So, why do I think this bag will win? It's pretty obvious, isn't it? This bag has everything the American public want... Cheese and Bacon. PLUS, look at the competition... Cappuccino,  Wasabi, and Mango Salsa... They're fun, but who wants to buy those year round? (Other than me?). Soooo! Did you try these yet? Are you a Cheddar lover looking to upgrade? Are you stoked to taste these? Let us know in the comments below...

Contest: Lay's India Football Favourites- Cheesy Jalepeno, Apple Chilli, and Tangy Herb

The Lay's Universe is getting a ton of use out of Lionel Messi, lol. Not only is he a spokesman for Lay's here in the US (you know you saw that adorable commercial with the old man sneaking a chip from Messi's bag during the World Cup, it was on like every 2 minutes), but the commercials have been reused in multiple countries (some poorly edit the bag to be red instead of the signature Yellow, and then they edit it to show a local celebrity with him, it's hilarious). Messi has also been all over Lay's Spain's bags and website for the last year or so. And Russia has this exact same picture of Messi on their "Mystery" flavored bags. Finally though, Messi's appearance actually ties into a collection of Soccer inspired flavors; justifying plastering arguably the greatest living soccer player on their bags. The 3 flavors are "Cheesy Jalepeno", "Apple Chilli", and "Tangy Herb". Chip fans can vote on their favorite of the 3 and are entered in for a chance to win a trip to see Messi 'play live'.
Pretty good use of his star power if you ask me.
However, in my opinion, NOT A ONE of these flavors actually sound good. I'm slightly intrigued by Apple Chilli... but really... how is that even a thing? I know India likes some 'loud' flavors, but these flavors are screaming. India does take a bit of this into account though... as they make all their chips in "Ruffles" form. "Ruffles" do stand up to much more flavor, so they're probably a'ight.

So, would you call these Soccer inspired flavors? Or does it look like a chance to hock some chips in the name of Messi? Would you go out of your way to try one of these? Have you tried em?
Let us know down below...

Gotta Get At This: Lay's Romania Ginga Puyñio and Ginga Cabraçao

Lay's Romania is getting into the Rio spirit with two Brazilian/Celebrity inspired flavors. "Ginga Puyñio" is a flavor inspired by Romanian rapper Puya and "Ginga Cabraçao" is inspired by Romanian TV personality/athlete Cabral. "Ginga" is slang for soul in Portugese... so the names are a play on The soul of Puya and the soul of Cabral with a Portugese twist. I haven't been able to find what the flavors exactly are, but the Cabral bag is the spicier of the two.
Puya and Cabral have been the spokesmen for Lay's Romania for a while now and it seems the unlikely duo have resonated with Romanians, so it's no surprise they are getting their own Summer flavors. I'd love to try these and see what they're all about, but Romanian Lay's are hard to come by here in California.

WTF? of the Day: PepsiCo, you are getting your money's worth.

I can't believe I didn't realize this until now...
Enjoy Lay's getting the most out of this commercial they shot with Lionel Messi...(the best bit is the crappy edited bags lol)

Original from Argentina.
Spain featuring Iker Casillas.
Romania featuring Puya and Cabral.
Italy featuring Fabio Cannavaro.
Turkey featuring the hilarious Yaya-type lady that is in all the Turkish Lay's commercials.
Lay's Arabia and Chipsy Egypt featuring Ahmed Helmy


I'm sure there are more. If you know of some, share them below and let the world see!!

PS if the HORRIBLE green screen wasn't obvious to you... here's the behind the scenes proof that they used a body double and shot Messi's scenes on a green screen set.

Contest: Lay's USA Do Us A Flavor 2014 Finalists Announced

Today Lay's USA announced the 4 finalists in 2014's "Do Us A Flavor" contest. The flavors are even more exciting then I could have imagined; "Cappuccino", "Wasabi Ginger", "Cheddar Bacon Mac & Cheese", and "Mango Salsa". This year Lay's expanded their contest to include other textures like Kettle Cooked and Wavy which lends itself better to certain flavors. "Cappuccino" and "Cheddar Bacon Mac & Cheese" will both come in the standard, tried and true, Lay's cut.
"Cappuccino" sounds awesome to me, I'm a huge fan of the salty-sweet combo, and it seems to be working for Lay's. I loved "Chicken & Waffles" last year, and the Chocolate covered Wavy chips released at Christmas were such a hit that I couldn't even get a bag. "Cheddar Bacon Mac & Cheese" seems like the sure-to-be winner. Americans love a Cheesy chip... look how well "Garlic Cheesy Bread" did last year, eventually becoming the winning flavor. This flavor has everything foodie fans love; Cheese, Bacon, and Macaroni & Cheese. The other flavors are a bit more fun, but this one is the only one I see having mass appeal.
The Kettle Cooked option comes in "Wasabi Ginger", I'm personally not excited, but I can see people loving this. I can't bare Wasabi. But, I think if you loved "Siracha" last year, you will be intrigued by this bag. And I think the Kettle Cooked chip will suit it well. The thicker cut, richer potato flavor, and saltyness will stand up to the brightness of the Wasabi and Ginger. For a similar reason, the Wavy "Mango Salsa" bag is probably the bag I will be buying the most. "Mango Salsa" is a sweet take on refreshing salsa... that flavor, paired with thicker, crunchier Wavy chips, sounds like a perfect match.

So, are you pumped up for these flavors too? Or do they seem a bit ridiculous?
They should hit stores 7/28... Happy Hunting my friends!

Contest: Lay's Perú Copa De Los Sabores Round 3

Tricky, Tricky, Lay's Peru. Hilariously, Peru announced that the only flavor in Round 3 of their Copa De Los Sabores contest would be the "Peru" flavor; "Pollo a la Brasa" (Rotisserie Chicken). This means The flavor representative of the host nation moves instantly to the final round against last round winner Brazil and 1st round winner Italy. Well played Peru, well played.

Contest: Lay's Argentina Copa De Los Sabores

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Look who is late to the party. Argentina joined the Copa De Los Sabores game about a month ago... a good 1-2 months behind every other country... so, I might have missed talking about it right away. BUT it's definitely their fault lol.  This World Cup collection features 4 flavors that represent Argentina's take on Mexico, Themselves, China, and Spain. They are pretty straight forward and use the fun packaging we saw from Lay's Chile. The Mexico flavor is "Quesadilla"... mmmm. Argentina is representing themselves with "Asado" aka "Grilled Beef". China is getting the hilarious "Empanadita China" which is an "Eggroll" but described as a Chinese handheld pie, lol. Lastly, Spain is typecast with "Chorizo Iberico".

I don't know how long this collection will be available, but if you are in Argentina now, feel free to eat your feelings about losing the World Cup with these before they are gone for good.

Lay's USA Oven Baked Original

My Dad, being the sweet yet easily fooled by food shopper he is, bought a bag of Oven Baked Lay's for my mom last week. I haven't had them in a while, and hadn't ever put them on the blog, so I figured now was a good time to give you all my thoughts. These used to be marketed as part of Frito-Lay's "BAKED!" line, but recently got a makeover to resemble the "Oven Baked" chips and crackers seen internationally.  I like the re-brand... I find the packaging to be more modern, and the new name to appeal more to those looking for a baked not fried alternative. These chips tout that they offer those looking for a healthy alternative 80% less fat than regular Lay's.

To give you a better understanding of what these franken-chips actually are and taste like, lets look at the ingredients list; Dried Potatoes, Corn Starch, Corn Oil, Sugar, Salt, Soy Lechitin, Dextrose, and Annato Extract for color (a natural yellow dye from the Annato seeds).

For comparison, here is what's in a bag of regular Lay's; Potatoes, Vegetable Oil, and Salt. That's it.

Oven Baked Lay's definitely have more potato flavor than Original Lay's, likely because they aren't overwhelmed by the flavor of the oil. They also have a lighter, more airy, mouth feel. I'm guessing that has to do with the fluffy corn filler. Here's the thing, in my opinion, these aren't really potato chips. These are made the same way Pringle's and Lay's Stax are; by using Dehydrated Potato mashed bits, mixing them with tons of stuff to hold um back together, molding them, and then baking them. The difference here, is you get them in a bag, as opposed to a tube.

They are tasty, that's for sure. Much more so than the other franken-chip I just wrote about: "air pOps". I would choose this over that any day of the week. In fact, these are a nice treat. But, do I consider these 'potato chips'? Hell no.
If you like Pringles, give em a taste. If you're craving chips yet you want something a bit lighter, they are worth a try. But, I don't think they are worth going out of your way to try.

Gotta Get At This (or not): Lay's USA Air pOps, Walkers UK pOps, and Lay's South Africa pOpped; plus a crash course in Air Popped Chips

With South Africa releasing the "pOpped" line and the UK releasing their own "pOps" line... I figured it was time to talk about our newly repackaged line of Lay's "Air pOps" and what the heck an Air Popped Chip actually is.

So to begin, here's the glamour shots...

 

The "pOpped" collection from South Africa in "Peri Peri Prawn", "Hot & Tangy Piquante Pepper", and "White Cheddar & Spring Onion".

 

The UK's Walkers' line called "pOps" featuring "Prawn Cocktail", "Melted Cheese & Crispy Bacon", "Original", and "Sour Cream & Onion".

And lastly, the lovely new packaging on the US's "air pOps", which come in "Sour Cream & Onion, "Original", "Barbeque", and "Salt & Vinegar".

So, what are air-popped chips and why are these collections pOpping up everywhere?
Air-popped chips are made in the EXACT same way rice cakes are made. Instead of grains of rice; lumps of potato flakes and starch are hydrated, pressurized, heated, depressurized, and then they fuse together. Presto! No need to fry, or bake, or anything. And while that leaves you with a chip that is 50% less fattening when compared to traditional chips, it also leaves you with a chip that strangely tastes exactly like a rice cake. And honestly, when compared to other reduced fat options, there are definitely tastier alternatives out there.
So, why are they so popular? In 2007, "Popchips" hit the market and quickly became a major competitor in the US potato chip market. The company had great packaging, loads of advertising, celebrity endorsers, and a healthier product. Not to mention a range that includes at least 7 flavors, 3 tortilla chips offerings, and some veggie chips. The company single-handedly created a niche market within chips. Brands like "Popcorners"and "Special K" followed the puffed chip fad, and it eventually led to Lay's introducing their own "air pOps". "air pOps" has done well, with the line even expanding to include another flavor. So it's no surprise that the line is appearing in countries like the Netherlands, the UK, and South Africa now.

But, is this a genuine potato chip? In my opinion, much like Pringles (or Lay's Stax) uses potato flakes and starch to manufacture their chips that aren't really chips; air-popped chips are not really chips. They are a potato snack alternative. BUT while Pringles and Stax at least pack tons of potato flavor, Popchips and Air pOps taste exactly like the name suggests... AIR.
To me, the flavor is the most important thing, and these air-popped chips are not even in the same league as traditional chips when it comes to flavor. Let's keep it REAL, if you are eating puffed up potato chips with little nutritional value and loads of sodium to save a few calories, then your eating habits are already FKD up. You are NOT going to lose weight eating salted potato puffs. Sorry. (#SorryNotSorry). Potato chips are a treat, a treat that should be eaten in moderation. When it's time for my treat, on the occasion that I'm going to indulge in potato chips, I want them to taste AWESOME. I don't want to eat chips that remind me of the real chips that I'm not eating. And I paid for too much school to be fooled into thinking that if I eat a bag of fake chips every day at lunch, that it will equate to the wonderful occasional joy of eating real potato chips.

Gotta Get At This: Lay's USA Kettle Cooked Lattice Cut Aged Cheddar & Black Pepper and Roasted Garlic & Sea Salt

Hey guys, gotta share before I miss the boat on these. This past March, Lay's launched Lattice Cut. Um, could these look any more delicious??? Dang. "Roasted Garlic & Sea Salt"?? Wow. Just sounds so good. I've kept my eyes peeled for these in the wild but the only one I have found so far is a personal size bag of the "Aged Cheddar & Black Pepper" (review coming soon) at a small gas station when I was 45 miles away from my house. Otherwise, these bad boys are playing hard to get in Southern California. I like seeing new things like this popping up. I can't think of anyone else doing a Lattice Cut on chips, so points to Lay's for these. Super cool, can't wait to try!!

OK Here's Some Late News: Sabritas Receta Cruijiente

With the wealth of Chip-info (or Chipfo, if you will) out in the Universe, sometimes I miss things. I could make excuses (like that I broke my computer last Christmas and it had all my bookmarks and quote "research" on it)... but I won't ;p
Instead, I have created a new Post heading; "OK Here's Some Late News"! "OK Here's Some Late News" will basically be all the chip lines that I haven't talked about because they've been around for a while and haven't added new chips, or in the case of today's article, the new chips came out around Christmas (coincidence??) and I just flat out missed it. I want to always be able to share the most up to date, recent news... but if something gets past me, I still want you guys to know about it, even if it is late. So, hopefully, "OK Here's Some Late News" won't be too common of an article here at The Chip Report, but it's something I think we will need from time to time.

So now that you two have met....
let's get to the show.

 

I was checking out Sabritas' website today and stumbled upon these "Nuevo" treasures... "Receta Crujiente". They are allegedly NEW according to the site, but these have been flashed on instagram and twitter since at least the beginning of the year. The "Crunchy Recipe" chips are listed to come in 3 flavors,  "Chille Rojo" ("Red Chili"), "Original", and "Jalapeno". But, I have also discovered 2 bags that are not listed on the website that appear to be later additions to the line. 

 

Check out A and C... That's "Chille Habanero" and "Chille con Queso" ("Habanero Pepper" and "Chili's with Cheese"). So, it looks to me like while the line isn't New-new, it's still relatively new and is doing well, because they've already expanded. Cool.

So what is "Receta Crujiente"? Well, it's billed as "Mas Gruesas y Mas Crujiente" which just means thicker and crunchier. And while the packaging may evoke the "Kettle Cooked" line here in the US... it is actually still not as crunchy as the Kettle line. This line would fall somewhere between the standard Lay's and Kettle Cooked on a fictional crunch scale. If you've ever had "Extra Crunchy" these are basically the same style. And check out the packaging carefully, it is a dead ringer for the Margarita "Receta Classica" packaging; which happens to be the same thick cut, extra crunchy style chips.

Considering Sabritas are not only just across the border, but also available at Mexican markets here in the States (not to be confused with the non-Mexican Sabritas that are sold here for the US consumer)... these should be a breeze to find if you wanna give them a try. If you are a spice fiend this may be the line for you.

What do you think? Are you gonna make the drive South to track these down?