Gotta Get At This: Lay's Netherlands Winter Editions & Market Deli

 Netherlands always has the fun stuff! This Winter season they've released some limited Winter Edition flavors:"Cheese Fondue" & "Bratwurst". They've also released the Lay's Gourmet bag for a limited time (if you don't know, Gourmet is a popular permanent range in other Countries like Spain).
If you are popping into the Netherlands or can get these through a Dutch vendor. Pick these up while they are still in stock!

 

There is also a completely new range making it's way across Europe called "Market Deli - From the Makers of Lay's". Netherlands has launched the collection with 3 flavors: "Balsamic Vinegar from Modena", "Flame Grilled Spanish Chorizo with Roasted Onions", and "Wiltshire Cured Ham, Mature Cheddar, and Farmhouse Chutney". All 3 of these sound DELICIOUS! These are the kinds of flavor I would CHASE down eagerly. The packaging is hella cute and the flavors are a bit more sophisticated than the typical salted faire. Looks good to me Holland!

Gotta Get At This: Lay's Belgium and Lay's Netherlands MIX Bacon & Cheese and Paprika & Sour Cream

Lay's Belgium and Netherlands are both releasing some very creative new bags. The collection is called Lay's Mix. The concept is 2 different flavored chips sharing 1 bag. Belgium is advertising both Bacon flavor and Cheese flavor in one bag and Red Pepper flavor and Sour Cream flavor in one bag... while Netherlands is only promoting Red Pepper + Sour Cream. Although, I wouldn't be surprised if the Netherlands also has the other bag. The range is new so I expect more info in the coming months. But until then, these looks like a GREAT idea. How fun to taste one chip as one flavor, and another chip as another flavor, and a third flavor when you mix the too. You gotta love the interactivity. The flavors are solid too, so I would be surprised to not see these stick around.

So, who's got the Dutch hookup? Send me some, LOL.
What do you think? Would you buy these in the states? What would you wanna see Mixed?

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!

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!

Gotta Get At This: Lay's Netherlands We Vrrreten Ze Op Flavors

The international flavors keep coming as the World Cup approaches! The Netherlands is making the most of the situation by offering up 3 limited time flavors inspired by Australia, Spain, and Chile. First off is "Ozzie BBQ" which is described as the Unique Grilled taste from Down Under. Then Spain's "Aioli Olé" for the Garlic Aioli lovers out there. And finally, Chile's "Chilly Chili" a slightly spicy mix of Peppers and a not so slightly overdone pun. "We Vreten Ze Op" translates to "We Eat Them Up" or "We Devour Them Up" and is just a label given to the limited collection of flavors. But that Lion sure does remind me of the Simba Lion from South Africa... am I right?

Lovely... Now how can I track them down??

Gotta Get At This: Lay's Netherlands Oven Crunchy Biscuits and Crispy Thins

New Treats in the Netherlands! Crunchy Biscuits and Crispy Thins! The Crunchy Biscuits come in "Tomato and Spring Onion" and "Paprika and Mediterranean Herbs" and are described as "crispy savory cereal biscuits". The Crispy Thins come in "Emmental Cheese" and "Olive Oil and Herbs" and are described as "light crunchy potato crisps". Looks yummy!!

Gotta Get At This: Lay's Netherlands NEW Pops Chips

Lay's Netherlands is getting into the Popchips game with their own air-popped line of chips. The line is launching now with just 2 flavors; "Paprika" and "Crispy Bacon & Cheese"... Both of which sound DELICIOUS! If you haven't tried air-popped chips yet they kind of tasted like inflated Catholic church crackers with seasoning on top. Should be interesting to see if these do well in Europe and make their way here to the States, but honestly, it would be tough to compete against Popchips over here. Anywho... keep the hunt alive... good luck!

Gotta Get At This: Lay's Belgium & Netherlands Deep Ridged

New line of chips available in Belgium and the Netherlands! These are the Deep Ridged chips that seem to be gaining popularity in a few other countries. In the Netherlands the come in 3 flavors; "Naturel", "American BBQ", and "Sweet Chilli". They are available in only 2 flavors in Belgium; "American BBQ" and "Sweet Chilli". They are available now.

Gotta Get At This: Lay's Netherlands Sensations Caramelised Onion & Balsamico

Lay's Netherlands is introducing "Caramelized Onion & Balsamic" into their Lay's Sensations line. The artwork is beautiful and the commercials are amazing (see one below). I've tried this flavor in Walker's range and it is delish! The Sensations line is always a more complex flavor and more interesting to eat, in my opinion. "Caramelised Onion & Balsamico" will join "Red Sweet Paprika", "Thai Sweet Chilli", "Japanese Teriyaki", and "American Peppers & Cream".
The hunt rages on...

Lay's Wine Pairings!

Have you ever been snacking on potato chips and wished you had a sommolier in your pocket to guide you on which wine to best pair it with? ME TOO!
Now Lay's Netherlands has taken the stress out of wine pairing your chips by creating this fun and useful guide! This guide pairs the 5 flavors of baked Lay's available in The Netherlands with complimentary wines.
These will probably be comparable to the baked offerings in whatever country you live in also, but because the potato flavor is so different between Baked and Fried I couldn't really tell you if they would pair well with regular Lay's.
So here is what they came up with...

-Barbecue flavored Baked Lay's pair well with Solid Reds such as Shiraz or Cabernet Sauvignon
-Cheese and Onion flavored Baked Lay's pair well with Round and Full Whites such as Alsace or Chardonnay
-Bell Pepper flavored Baked Lay's pair well with Fragrant Whites such as Pinot Grigio or Viognier
-Plain Salted Baked Lay's pair well with Crispy, Fresh Whites like Sauvignon Blanc or Rueda
-Mediteranean Herbs flavored Baked Lay's pair well with Dry Rosés such as Languedoc or Navarra

Have you ever paired Wine and Potato Chips? Let us know what combo worked for you in the comments below!

Gotta Get At This: Lay's Netherlands Patatje Joppie

Looks like Belgium isn't the only country extending the shelf life of their contest winning flavors... Lay's Netherlands recently updated their website ton include new permanent packaging for "Patatje Joppie". "Patatje Joppie" was the winner for the 2011 "Maak de Smaak" (Make the Taste) contest in the Netherlands. In October, the flavor was set to be retired and replaced by the 2012 flavor "Spicy Reggae Chicken". Now, the Limited Edition banner has been removed and it looks like "Patatje Joppie" is now a permanent member of the family. "Patatje Joppie" is based on the commonly eaten French Fries covered in "Joppiesaus" (Joppie Sauce) from the Netherlands. It's basically a sauce that is flavored by Mayo, Mustard, Onions, and Curry powder... plus a few secrets. Obviously, the flavor translated well to the chip medium, and the flavor was an instant hit. So, it's nice to see that this will continue to be available to the masses. Have you tried "Patatje Joppie"? Do you love it? Let us know in the comments below!

Gotta Get At This: Lay's Netherlands and Lay's Belgium Harvest

Here's a fascinating new line of Lay's coming out of the Netherlands... Lay's Harvest. The new line features thick sliced potatoes, seasoned only with dried or roasted seasonings. The aim is for chips with pure and natural tastes. The line begins with two flavors; "Garlic & Sea Salt" which is described as pan-roasted Garlic and a sprinkle of sea salt, and "Green Herbs" which is described as freshly dried herbs. The line has been available exclusively at "Albert Heijn" groceries in the Netherlands since the 12th of this month. This line sounds really unique. I'm not a fan of over-seasoned chips, so this Harvest line is probably YUM!
So, check it out, if you or a friend are trying these in Holland, let us know! Happy Hunting!

Update 1/9/13: This line is also available in Belgium. I'm not sure when these were released in Belgium but both countries are promoting these as new, so they probably became available around the same time. The same flavors are available. Now there is one more country you can find these in! Yay!

Lay's Netherlands Maak de Smaak Winner 2012

And the winner of the 2012 Maak De Smaak contest is... drumroll please..."Spicy Reggae Chicken"!!
What a fun flavor! Congratulations to it's creator; Kim!
"Spicy Reggae Chicken" will be taking the title from last year's winner "Patatje Joppie", and should be expected to be on shelves until next year's Maak De Smaak battle. If you are a Joppie-sause addict or Patatje Joppie fan, stock up on what you can before it's replaced on shelves completely by the new champion. I love that the Dutch are willing to try exciting flavors. All the finalists this year could have won. But only Spicy Reggae Chicken did, so congrats again. Can't wait to get my hands on this one!

 Maak De Smaak 2012 Winner: Kim

Gotta Get At This: Lay's Netherlands Maak De Smaak Contest Finalists

Oops! I almost forgot to share this! It's almost the end of August, but anyone who was interested in the Maak De Smaak Contest in the Netherlands may have already seen this. If not, here are the 3 finalists... Aioli e Aglio (Garlic Aioli), Whiskey Cocktail, and Spicy Reggae Chicken! All 3 of these sound PHENOMENAL! Whiskey Cocktail?? Is that even real? Jeez! I would devour all of these hahaha.

All 3 flavors are available now in stores in the Netherlands. Voters will choose the best and it will become the winner of some shelf space until next year's contest!

PS Did I mention, I want these!

PSS here is a hilarious commercial, enjoy!

Gotta Get At This: Lay's Netherlands Maak de Smaak Contest

Lay's Netherlands is hosting their Maak de Smaak (Make the Taste) contest right now... Looks like there are some pretty cool flavors in the running. Spicy Reggae Chicken? That name alone is awesome. I'm having trouble translating some of the other flavors so if you know what they are please drop some knowledge on the comments section. You can click on the image above for a bigger version if you'd like to read them all more clearly.
In August 2012, 3 flavors will be released in stores (2 flavors voted for online and a 3rd chosen by judges as a "wildcard"). From there, the 3 flavors will be voted on and there will ultimately be 1 who is victorious. Can't wait to see what flavors end up being chosen! Update to come!