Gotta Get At This: Lay's Canada Sizzlin’ Szechuan and Paprika & Sweet Onion

We get it Lay's Canada! You watch Rick & Morty!
(Canada is so cool you guys)

Look at that! Capitalizing on the WAVE of Szechuan Sauce fans coming out, here is Lay's Canada's new "Sizzlin' Szechuan" and "Paprika & Sweet Onion". The two flavors are very bold in contrast to the rest of Canada's range... but I find that exciting!
I tried the US's "Chinese Szechuan" offering last year and it was good... it tasted JUST like Chinese takeout, so, I'd give the Canadian version a chance. As for "Paprika & Sweet Onion" I love Paprika the spice... put it on anything for me... this sounds like a WIN.

Anyways, these are available now, possibly for a limited time, grab em, order em on ebay, do what you gotta do.

Happy Hunting everyone!

OK Here's Some Late News: Lay's Canada World Flavourites & Chalet Sauce

These came out last year, I missed them, I know I did... but THANKFULLY, none were truly original flavors.
The flavors were part of Lay's Canada's "World Flavourites" (get it, like, Favorites?) a promotion that ran last Summer in Canada. The Thai inspired flavor is "Thai Sweet Chili", which is a favorite of mine when Walkers in the UK makes it. The Canadian inspired flavor is from Lay's Canada's 2014 "Do Us A Flavour" competition... it is the "Bacon Poutine" flavor. And The UK inspired flavor is "Cheese & Onion"... one of the classic Walkers UK flavors... I think this tastes like "In & Out" a local fast food chain here in California, it's an awesome flavor combo. Sooooo.... sorry for the outdated news, but the bags are still something cool to look at. I've never seen this packaging before from Lay's and I really like it. It blends the "Do Us A Flavor" packaging with a new look.

Secondly, there was a new Canadian release last Fall with the flavor "Swiss Chalet Chalet Sauce". The bags are exclusive to select Swiss Chalet restaurants in Canada. They emulate the flavor of the Chalet Sauce, a cult favorite since the sauce was developed in 1954. Apparently, these sold out SUPER fast, so Lay's ordered more. I'd guess you can still hunt these down if you were to call up a few Swiss Chalets.

That wraps it up for late news, there are also a pair of new flavors from Canada that just released, I'll give you the details about all that asap. Enjoy & happy hunting.

OK Here's Some Late News: Lay's Canada Do Us A Flavor 2015 & Winner

 Look guys, I haven't even OPENED the US bags, so I definitely didn't even report this contest. But these sound wack so don't trip, we missed nothing. The typical Do Us A Flavor contest was conducted and there were 4 flavors selected. The flavor finalists were "Cowboy BBQ Beans", "Butter Chicken", "Montreal Smoked Meat", & "P.E.I. Scalloped Potatoes".
I don't think any of these things sound good. I would rather eat that weird Moose meat bag from 2 years ago. If you disagree with this, comment below, I'd like to hear a defense for these gross flavors.

"Hey Terrance, you know what sounds delicious? BBQ Beans flavored Crisps."

Try to believe that sentence! It's IMPOSSIBLE!

So of course the least offensive flavor was chosen. "P.E.I Scalloped Potatoes"... I don't know what PEI stands for, and I'm not googling that shit for one second. So to me, cheesy potatoes won the contest, and since chips are potatoes already... cheese flavor, the most basic of all g-damn flavors, won the contest.
That's right. A nationwide competition for the winner to be CHEESE.

 

These finalists and this winner offend me, in case that wasn't clear. I'm done with this article.

Ruffles Canada Sour Cream 'N Bacon

I got these on my trip to Canada to go watch the Women's World Cup.
On the shelf, the bag seemed a bit odd to me. The only time I've ever had sour cream and bacon together is on a baked potato, so the flavor didn't really connect for me until I realized baked potatoes could be sliced, and fried, and made into potato chips. Who would have thought?!
Look, this review is gonna be pretty short, ok?
This flavor combo is an obvious home run. The 3 flavors of Bacon, Sour Cream, and Potato are a match made in heaven; AND Bacon and Sour Cream are 2 flavors that have a proven track record on potato chips. It was unlikely they would have messed up the seasoning. The Ruffle cut adds a nice thickness that give the whole bite extra potato flavor.
Together you get salty bacon, creamy sour cream, and hearty potato. It's a great bite, and I'm surprised we don't have this flavor here in the States. Great bag! Go get it.

Lay's Canada Salt & Vinegar

You know when you open a bag of chips and you start eating and then there are no chips left because you inhaled them like a starving beast? Ya? Me too. Cuz thats what I did to this bag.
This is Lay's Canada's Salt & Vinegar... a tangy, salty, burn your lips kinda bag, that is ever so hard to get just right.
The bag smells so Vinegar-y when you pop it open, a good sign. Then you bust out the first chip, and you think to yourself, "ow, do I have water nearby?", but the feeling goes away quickly and you are left with a bag of chips that are just delicious. Ok, so the potato was just basic, and the salt was relatively mild, but that Vinegar was so perfect it makes up for the rest of the bag just being standard. The vinegar is bright and acidic, with a hint of sweetness at the end. It makes this bag really forgiving and easy to demolish.
Compared to the US version of this flavor, it is a lot easier to eat, the US equivalent burns and the Vinegar is so strong you have to put the bag down often.
All in all, I consider this bag a great bag, easy to eat, good flavor, satisfying. A+

Lay's Canada Cinnamon Bun

Here is my review of the last of the Lay's Canada "Do Us A Flavour" finalists from last year. (Yeah, I know, this review sat in my files for like a year, I don't have an excuse, sorry). "Cinnamon Bun" was a fun and unique flavor to see come out of this contest. Right off the bat, the color of the bag and the flavor reminded me of Lay's USA's "Cappuccino". The flavors are very similar, but there was actually another bag that I've tried that I would call a DEAD RINGER for this bag; the limited edition Cheetos "Sweetos" bag that came out at the start of Spring. Texturally you have a huge difference, but flavor wise, they are pretty much the same. These Cinnamon Bun chips have a ton of yummy Cinnamon aroma (the scent is heavenly). The Cinnamon flavor comes through well and also an underlying Buttery flavor. Canada does use a more flavorful Potato than USA, so there is moderate Potato flavor that comes through and that stops this chip from tasting exactly like a Cinnamon Bun, I would compare this more to the flavor of a Mexican Churro. Seriously, change the name to Churro and I would say the bag lived up to it's name. As a Cinnamon Bun chip, it is just OK. I have a Potato Chip blog, so obviously I find this bag fun and would eat it again. But, if I didn't, I couldn't say this bag would be something to write home about. In fact some of my conservative chip eating friends who tried it absolutely hated it. So...Was it fun? Yes. Did you miss out if you didn't try it? Not really.

Contest: Lay's Canada Do Us A Flavour 2015: Tastes of Canada

Lay's Canada has closed their 2015 Do Us A Flavour entry period. Now, 4 flavors that represent the "Tastes of Canada" will be chosen. As with the last few years, those 4 chosen finalists will be sold in stores across Canada and the people will go online to vote for their favorite. Last year "Jalapeno Mac N' Cheese" took home the crown. I expect this year we will see more unique flavors, similar to "Maple Moose" from 2013... which I learned the hard way, was actually Moose flavored.
Can't wait to see what comes!

Lay's Canada Bacon Poutine

Real talk. I should have posted this ages ago. I just forgot. So here is my review of Bacon Poutine flavored Lay's that you probably can't find anymore. Firstly, it is VERY forgettable. That is my excuse.
When you pop the bag open you get a hefty Bacon/Meaty smell, that is accompanied by several seasonings, so the smell is pretty strong.
The chips are fine. They are crispy and thin, & a little bit flaky. What makes this bag interesting at all is the seasoning. You can taste prominently the Bacon flavor, that is followed by a thick Cheddar/Cheese flavor. It adds richness to what would otherwise be just a meat flavored Chip. Throughout tasting both of those notes there is also a sweeter flavor. I racked my brain trying to figure out what it was, and the most similar thing I could think of was Ketchup. But, the flavor isn't Ketchup, it's meant to be Gravy. Now, I'm not Canadian, so I don't know what Poutine should taste like or what Gravy in Poutine in Canada should taste like. But, It wasn't a flavor I would have determined to be "Gravy". It felt like exactly what the sauce on the picture on the bag would probably taste like. A thinner, sweeter Gravy than I'm used to. That sweetness helps cut that rich cheese flavor, keeping this chip from feeling too heavy. Poutine can be a heavy dish, but this chip has a good balance of savoriness, sweetness, and richness. Somehow though, this made this bag just a bit too boring for me. So unless you are just obsessed with Bacon + Poutine, and you missed my posts announcing this bag's limited release, you aren't really missing anything to write home about. MEH.

Love is in the air: Lay's Canada Wavy Milk Chocolate Covered Potato Chips

Are you missing the Wavy Milk Chocolate Covered Lay's from Christmas? Well hurry up and drive to Canada, because our Northern Neighbors have released the bag in celebration of Valentine's Day. I'm guessing that just like it was a seasonal Holiday item here, the same will apply to this batch, meaning it may be gone very very soon. Canadians who want to read my review of the American bag can check it out here. They are definitely a home run, and I'm looking forward to them making their return next Christmas.

So what are you waiting for, get your passport and GO!

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.

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.

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: Lay's Canada Do Us A Flavour! 2014

 Just like America, Canada has relaunched the "Do Us a Flavour" contest! And just like us they are adding "Kettle Cooked" and "Wavy" to the mix! Create the winning flavor and you could win $50,000 CAD and 1% of future sales of your bag! Deadline to enter is 4/23/14, so get those entries in ASAP!

Lay's Canada Perogy Platter

omg. Guys, sorry for the delay on this one, I totally thought I had put it up AGES ago. Here is one of the finalists from Canada's "Do Us a Flavour" contest... it obviously didnt win, as the winner was "Maple Moose" but after trying all of them, I have to think this was, in a practical sense, the best one. "Perogy Platter" is based on a decked out plate of Perogys or Pierogi. Perogy are little Eastern European dumplings that are stuffed with potato and boiled... then usually pan fried. They are similar to an Asian Gyoza/ Pot-sticker or an Italian Mezzaluna or even a Ravioli; just with different fillings and sauces. In Canada, it is common to eat Perogy with toppings like Cheddar, Bacon, Onions, & Sour Cream... which appear to all be included in this style Perogy Platter.
 I was indifferent to this bag when I saw it, and I kind of left it sitting around until my mom opened it before I got to it. Once I tasted it, I knew the flavor exactly. I had spent many an after-school in High School snacking on this exact flavor. This, my friends, was "T.G.I.Friday's Cheddar & Bacon Potato Skins". Granted, these were on chips not fake potato skins, but the flavor is spot on identical. In fact, I prefer the Lay's, as the texture is WAY more pleasant.

Looking back now, it is strange to think that this bag looked so boring, but I guess it was sitting next to a Salad bag and a bag with a Moose on it, so can you blame me?
To me, this bag is quintessential, it should be on every shelf in every country. You can't go wrong with Cheddar and Bacon!

As for the stats; Lay's Canada makes a decent chip, better than the U.S. for SURE. You never see any burnt or nasty looking pieces, it's always pleasant. They aren't spectacular though, they could always use a bit more Potato flavor in the actual potato. The seasoning, however, is not only delicious, but it gets great coverage. Not overdone.

I know this should have been up ages ago, but if you can find a bag of these in a small shop or on ebay or Amazon, I give it 2 thumbs up. And if you can't find it, then close your eyes and forget I mentioned it... because Canada is currently taking submissions for "Do Us A Flavour" 2014... so you will have new wonderful flavors to taste! (I'll be writing that up within the next few days to give you all the details.)

SO... Did anyone try this? Anyone else thinking it is a photocopy of TGIFs? Have you submitted a flavor for 2014? If so, what was it? Comment below!!

Lay's Canada Creamy Garlic Caesar

Today we have Lay's Canada's "Creamy Garlic Caesar" from their 'Do Us A Flavour' Contest that just ended. And even though this beauty didn't win, it has won a place in my heart. This bag REALLY tastes like Caesar salad, it is insane!! The best comparison I can give to this is it tastes like the crouton that sat at the bottom of your salad and soaked up all the Caesar dressing and when you eat it it is attached to a fresh slice of Parmesan cheese. MMMM. These are mega salty like Parmesan cheese and have all the flavor of a perfect Caesar dressing. They are spot on. I love them. This bag really got robbed of the title. If you are a Caesar or Parmesan fan, I highly recommend you try and track these down before they disappear for good. Which may have already happened.
I would LOVE to see these in the US. They were great!

Lay's Canada Maple Moose

Do not be fooled by this adorable bag and adorable Moose and delicious looking Maple syrup bottle!! BEWARE! It is a trick!

My friend Amber and I decided to pop this bad-boy open. I caught a whiff of some sort of BBQ smell. Strange, see, when I think of Maple, I think of Sweet yummy syrup. And when I think of Moose, I think of Chocolate. So, my brain overloaded when I smelled BBQ. Then, I said to Amber "Do you smell something burning?"... we both reached in the bag. My face probably looked like someone farted in my eyes... i'm not sure. But Amber did not look happy. The first flavor you get out of this bag is charcoal. Pure, bottom of the grill, 3 sessions old, charcoal. Then, an abundance of BBQ seasoning. Nothing unique, or new... just run of the mill BBQ seasoning. So, essentially, this bag tastes like Over-seasoned BBQ chips and burn. It's awful. The thought passed through my mind that possibly, this was a batch that accidentally got burnt chip bits mixed in to it... but honestly that's not the case, because I have 2 bags.
So, then Amber and I came to the conclusion that we know nothing about Canadian culture and we were in dire need of Googling what a Maple Moose actually is. This lead us to find that this bag is actually supposed to taste like (drumroll please...) 'Moose Steak'! (forehead slap!)

oooooh!!! Ok, so this is supposed to taste like Moose meat with a hint of Maple. That makes more sense. However, I did not get any Maple flavor, and the Charcoal taste is OVERWHELMING. This bag could truly be called Burnt meat and it would be more accurate.
Then to add insult to injury. This bag was the winner of Canada's Do Us A Flavour contest. Among our Googling we found tons of Anti-Maple Moose tweets... some even comparing the flavor to garbage! And I gotta say, I kind of agree. This bag is really disgusting.

I don't recommend it at all. But, if you want to give it a go, the flavor will be available for the next year across Canada.

Did you try Maple Moose? Are you happy with the contest results? Let us know below.

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

Lay's Canada has listened, and the people have spoken! Maple Moose has been crowned the winner, earning itself a position on shelves for the next year. The savory/sweet concoctyion has gained it's creator, Tyler LeFrense $50,000 CAD plus 1% of sales... not to mention, bragging rights. I had money bet on this flavor from the get go, not only is salty/sweet a favorite combo of mine (see below, lol), but what 2 things are more iconic in Canada than Maple Syrup and adorable Moose? ... Nothing! I love the taste of Maple, and I was able to snag 2 of these bags, so I'll be trying it soon. Regardless, now, there is no rush, because starting late November, this will be the only 1 of the 4 contest flavors available. Speaking of which, that means Grilled Cheese & Ketchup, Creamy Garlic Caesar, and Peroggi Platter will all be disappearing into the Lay's Vault... so stock up now!
 Congrats to Tyler and to Canada for gaining a delicious treat that totally represents your tasty nation!

Lay's Canada Grilled Cheese & Ketchup

This was weird ... too weirddd. This is Lay's Canada's "Grilled Cheese & Ketchup", one of 4 Limited Edition offerings from their "Do Us A Flavour" contest. I was fortunate enough to find all 4 on ebay, when my sister couldn't find 3 of the 4 on her trip to Toronto. This one busted open in transit, so it was automatically the first one to get tasted.
Now, among the people I know, Lay's Canada's "Ketchup" flavor is always called out as a favorite, so I had some expectations for this bag. I'm not saying they are bad and I'm not saying they are good, but they are weird! They taste like "Ketchup" chips but then they have this dry creamy/cheesy taste after. Ok, I got it, it's like if you took 2 "Ketchup" chips, and one "Cheddar" chip and you made a 3 chip sandwich out of them... THAT is what these taste like. This is not a bag flavored like a Grilled Cheese sandwich; the picture of the Grilled Cheese sandwich with a smidge of Ketchup is deceptive, because the Ketchup to Cheese Ratio is the opposite.
I can see myself finishing this bag with pleasure, but I think ultimately, the "Ketchup" chip has already been perfected and this does not live up to it. I would much rather pick up the regular bag, then this. And for that reason, I would venture to guess that it won't win. However, if you love "Ketchup" chips, I do recommend you hunt this down, even if to only try it once.

Contest: Lay's Canada Do Us A Flavour Finalists 2013 announced!

 

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 The 4 Finalists have been announced in Canada's Do Us A Flavour contest... and our Northern neighbors have not disappointed! These are 4 of the most whack-a-doo flavors I've ever seen... and if I don't get my hands on them, I will cry! hahaha. The 4 epic finalists are; "Creamy Garlic Caesar", which will likely have a creamy taste similar to ranch or cheese flavored crisps, "Grilled Cheese & Ketchup", which sounds similar to the US "Cheesy Garlic Bread" that we recently had win our contest... albeit, with a tangy tomato zing (and Canada knows how to make a Ketchup chip, so I think this one is gonna be AMAZING!), "Maple Moose", which looks to be the "weird" flavor but I think it's gonna be the best by far... point #1, the best Maple syrup in the world comes from Canada, and it is delicious. Point #2, I loved the US "Chicken and Waffles" flavor because of the salty/sweet combo, and I can see that happening in this bag too. The final flavor selected is "Perogy Platter", now, I am not a Perogy aficionado, all I actually know is that they have potato in them...thus, I have to assume these will taste like whatever else goes into a Perogy and will taste pretty authentic.
The voting on these flavors begins online in 4 days on the 30th of July. And a winner will be selected for the grand prize and the bragging rights that will come along with it.

So, have any Canadians tried these yet? What's your favorite? Let us know in the comments below and hashtag which team you're on! Without even tasting these yet, I'm leaning on #TeamMapleMoose !
Happy Hunting!