Gotta Get At This: Lay's USA Passport to Flavor promotion

Lay's USA just announced 4 new flavors that will be released this month of a limited time. "Brazilian Picanha", "Chinese Szechuan Chicken", "Wavy Greek Tzatziki" and "Kettle Cooked Indian Tikka Masala".
Are you a Lay's nerd noticing something fishy here? Me too. "Wavy Greek Tzatziki" and "Kettle Cooked Indian Tikka Masala" already exist Lay's!! Don't try to trick me!! These are both previously released Costco exclusive flavors. Read my review of  Tzatziki here.
THAT BEING SAID, the flavors will still be new to the general public. And won't come in ridiculous giant sized bags. The promotion is a fun tie in with the Summer Olympics in Brazil. These types of flavors haven't really been explored in the US... so it will be nice change on shelves.

Flavors: For those out of the know; "Brazilian Picanha" is a favored cut of beef at Brazilian Churrascarias, "Chinese Szechuan Chicken" is a deep fried or stir fried Chicken dish that uses the spicy Szechuan peppers for the Szechuan province in China along with Garlic, "Greek Tzatziki" is a Yogurt dip popular in Mediterranean cuisine that is seasoned with Mint, Cucumber, and Garlic, and "Indian Tikka Masala" is a Chicken dish popular in India and the UK composed of Yogurt Marinated Chicken that is then added to a Tomato based sauce with spice mix.
All of these flavors sound bold and exciting.
They will be available in the USA July 25th. Will you be searching for any of these?

Gotta Get At This: Lay's Argentina Apasionados Por Nuestro Sabores Competition Salame, Provoleta Grillada, Ciervo Ahumado, and Humita tipo Norteña

Argentina is on board with the "Apasionados Por Nuestro Sabores" Competition too (aka "Passionate For Our Flavors"). They've entered the mix with 4 flavors..."Salame","Provoleta Grillada","Ciervo Ahumado", and "Humita tipo Norteña". Don't know what most of those things are?? Don't worry, I've googled them on your behalf. "Salame" is pretty straight forward, it's "Salami" seasoned... which is just a tasty stick of cured sausage. "Provoleta Grillada" is INSANE, and now that I know such a thing exists, I need to find it. "Provoleta Grillada" is a grilled slab of "Provolone Cheese"!! A disc of Provolone is cut, and then placed in a special disc shaped pan, seasoned and thrown on the grill. YUP, it's crazy. "Ciervo Ahumado" is "Smoked Venison", not smoked like BBQ, but smoked like cured ham. I don't know what this tastes like, but I imagine you'll get herbaceous, meaty, smokey, a little sweet, and a gang of salty. The last flavor is "Humita tipo Norteña" which means "Northern style Humita"... or as someone who grew up with Mexicans, I would call it a "Northern style Tamale". Humitas and Tamales are basically the same thing, ground corn cooked in a banana leaf. The Argentinian Northern style adds chopped onion, chopped red and green peppers, chopped tomatoes, and seasonings like Oregano to the mix. 
Sounds like Argentinians have a tasty Summer ahead of them. What do you think? Are there any flavors that have your mouth watering?

Gotta Get At This: Lay's Arabia Forno Fusion Lebanese Mix and Italian Mix, MAX Salt and Vinegar, and Paprika

Lay's Arabia, which is the Lay's arm across the United Arab Emirates, debuted 2 new Forno Flavor Fusions. The "Forno" range is what we in the states refer to as the "Baked" brand, but I don't think I've seen the "Fusion" branding before. The "Fusion" line appears to be spice mixes on baked chips. The 2 bags being released are a "Lebanese Mix" flavor and an "Italian Mix" flavor. Classic seasonings that work in almost every situation. Sounds yummm.

Arabia has also extended a new flavor in their successful MAX line..."Salt &Vinegar". Also Classic, Also, can't go wrong flavor.
MAX is what we call Ruffles here in the US; not to be confused with the MAXX collection in other Countries which is a Deep Ridged Chip (Which is called XTRA in the UAE).

Bonus:

PS. Here's a bag I missed in November. Arabia permanently added Paprika to their list of permanent flavors.


I'm not a fan of the chips in the standard Lay's Arabia line. I found most of the flavors off-putting, and I thought the potato left A LOT to be desired. It was poor quality potato and odd texture. BUT I can't say I've tried their Baked or Ruffled Offerings. Sooo, they could be better. Let us know if you try any of these in the comments section below, and HAPPY HUNTING!!

Cheetos Mexico Horneados Bolitas Queso y Chile and Fritos Mexico Sal y Limon

 Every once in a while I like to mix it up and not eat Lay's, lol. This time while visiting a Mexican swap meet my friend and I decided to grab some Cheetos and Fritos. I'm always suspicious about what the "plain" flavor of Cheetos is because it varies from country to country. Here in the US it's "Cheese" but in Mexico it happens to be a "Chili and Cheese" flavor and that's what you have in this bag. Cheetos Horneados are baked Cheetos and Bolitas are the cheeseball shape, but the only mention of a flavor is down in the fine print where it says "Queso y Chile".
The flavor immediately reminded me of the classic Lay's Mexican Adobada flavor, a spice mix of mostly Chipotle and Lime. But here on the Cheetos it is mixed with the classic Cheetos Cheese flavor. It is suprisingly epic!
So much is happening flavor-wise; the corn flavor from the puff is very rich. PLUS the cheese, then spice with some smokiness, and lastly some lime tang. It sounds like nonsense, but it is really yummy!! I highly recommend these. They are just weirdly good!

The other pickup that day was Fritos "Sal y Limon" aka "Salt and Lime". These were interesting. The texture is a fail. Compared to the US Fritos, the texture is much thinner and flakier. Thats pretty weird for a corn chip. The flavor however is awesome. While US Fritos are VERY Salty (but it works), the salt in this bag was way more tame. That, combined with the bright Lime flavor, was pretty delicious.
I think ultimately, what is good about these two bags is what I have cheered before in regards to Mexico's Lay's Chips: that's to say that the chip texture is weird but the seasoning always makes their chips addictive.

I think if you have the chance to pick these up, do it. They are a nice change of pace, without being full on CRAZY flavors. They are typical flavors used in Mexican cuisine, so they are being executed well.

Contest: Lay's Greece Μάντεψε τη γεύση 2015 Mystery Bags Revealed!

 It's that time! The time when we find out what deliciousy flavors other people got to eat! The 3 Mystery Bags released by Lay's Greece earlier this year have been revealed, and now we can see the bags were giving some little hints as to what was inside.
Bag 1 aka the Blue bag is Chicken Tikka Masala. The bag art actually showed off Chicken and several aromatics and vibrant spices. Chicken Tikka Masala is a very popular Indian inspired dish usually made with Roasted Chicken Cubes that are cooked in a decadent sauce made from tomato paste, chillies, and a variety of aromatics.

Bag 2 aka the Pink bag is Pizza Ntiavola, now, before you ask me what that is, I have to tell you I have no idea. Ntiavola is not a real word. I Googled it. If you search the word online, all that comes up is the Lay's Greece Facebook page, so I'm guessing it is slang for something. Regardless, I think we can use the bag art for some clues. It's a Pizza flavor and we see Tomato and Cheese, but there are also onions, chillies, and black peppercorns. I'll guess it's a spicy pizza. Either way, I've never met a Pizza flavored Chip that I didn't love, so I'm sure they are probably delish!

Bag 3 aka the Green Bag is Onion Tart. Again, now we see the bag had the clues all over it. I've never tried an Onion Tart, but that just sounds heavenly. I imagine the potato chip makes a great stand in for the tart crust, and if there is one flavor Lay's can always get right, it's onion. So this is probably awesome.


In the end, the 3 flavors were figured out by 3 Lay's fans who each went on to win 10,000 Euros. Not bad! I love this contest and would love to see it hit the States. What do yall think?

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.

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.

Contest: Lay's Guatemala, Dominican Republic, Panama, El Salvador, & Honduras Copa De Sabores Round 2

Round 2 has begun for the South American nations participating in "Copa De Sabores".
As with Round 1, Guatemala, Panama, El Salvador, & Honduras all have the same flavors for Round 2...

 

 Brazil is represented by "Churrasco" or "Brazilian Barbecue" if you should like to call it that, and Sweden is represented by "Queso con Especias" or "Cheese with Spices/Herbs". We've seen this flavor represent Brazil in a lot of countries, and it won Round 1 in Colombia. But, the Swedish flavor is new and could be fun!

As for the Dominican Republic, it is also offering up a new and a not so new flavor...

 

Dominican Republic has chosen flavor to represent itself in the game; "Pollo al Limon" or "Lime Chicken". Sounds DELISH!! While they've chosen a popular flavor to represent Spain; "Jamon Iberico" aka "Iberico Ham". mmm. Looks like it will be a tough round in the D.R.

So, what are your thoughts this round? Who will emerge victorious? Have you been able to snag any of these World Cup tie-ins? Let us know down below!

Gotta Get At This: Lay's Turkey Spoon Chips and Lay's Chile Salsa Mania

 

Lay's Turkey is spicing things up... their new "Kaşık Cips" or "Chip Spoons" come with a Turkish Baharat spice packet to be mixed in with yogurt to create a spicy yogurt dip... or you can skip the packet and just scoop up some plain yogurt. Very yummy-looking Mediterranean style chips. I gotta check these out.

And Lay's Chile is adding some flavor to their lineup... adding Salsa Mania to bags of "Corte Americano" bags. "Corte Americano" means "American cut" which is hilarious, because I don't think of "Wavy" cut chips when I think of chips in America, I don't think I've even  had a "Wavy" cut chip since I was like 6 years old lol.
I'm not sure if the bag comes packed with just Ketchup or just Mayo or both... I think it comes with both. So, if you are living in Chile, and are looking for something new, check this out. Chile also has their new finalist flavors out too... so there are a ton of yummy chip choices right now. AND, if you are NOT in Chile this is super easy to replicate here at home, so don't feel too bad about it. haha.

Margarita Colombia Onduladas Sabor A Crema & Especias

YUMM. These are the bomb dot com.
Here is a bag of Margarita Onduladas aka Ruffles, in Sour Cream and Spices. It's basically Sour Cream and Onion... actually, it's basically the BEST Sour Cream and Onion EVER. Margarita makes my favorite chips worldwide, and these do NOT disappoint. Their potatoes are always perfectly cooked, full of flavor, and never have burnt spots. The rich, yummy, potato flavor always shines through. The Ruffle style chips are thicker than the sliced variety, crunchier, and pack more potato flavor. The spices are visible on the chips and give a strong but simple flavor. The flavor is the perfect blend of a creamy sour cream and herbs with an oniony/sour tang. I'm telling you, if you are a Sour Cream and Onion fan, this is the PERFECT bag. It's just so yummy and well made. I'm pretty stoked that I have another bag of these waiting to get demolished in my kitchen. It's just SO good! Hunt these down and do what you gotta do!

Margarita Colombia Tradiciones Con Sazon Casera

Yum Yum Yummy Yum Yum....
I finally got to try a bag of Margarita Tradiciones! These are a delicious, thick cut chip, with the potato skin still on. Margarita make some of my favorite potato chips ever, they are very similar in taste and texture to Walkers from the UK. The Tradiciones line gives you a thicker cut chip which means even more potato flavor, and the skin on the chip is a nice added touch. This particular bag is "Sazon Casera" which means "Homestyle Seasoning"... this seasoning is typical Colombian cooking essentials: Onion, Paprika, Garlic, Pepper, and Cumin. The seasoning was SUPER delicate, it was very faint on the palate. You could ALMOST get away with telling someone these were plain salted... almost. You get more of an after-taste from the spice mix than you do when you take your first bite. Maybe this is because these are meant to be a more natural tasting potato chip... whatever the case, the potatoes are definitely the star of this bag. For someone like me who likes a subtly seasoned chip these were delicious (but again, almost too little), so if you are chasing these down based on just the flavoring, you may be a bit let down. I recommend these for potato chip lovers who prefer a well cooked chip to a wacky flavor offering. I personally thought it was great, and well worth the hunt! Great job again Margarita!

Sabritas Mexico Adobadas

Here's my first bag of Mexican Sabritas chips. Totally had no idea what to expect from these but I was VERY pleasantly surprised. When I opened this bag I was SMACKED in the face with the smell of cumin. I FUGGIN HATE CUMIN. Do you hear me spice producers?? Cumin is disgusting!! So I kinda threw the bag at my mom and told her to try them first. When I looked back at her, half of the bag was gone. I wrestled it back at that point. Getting past the smell; I tried one. Note: I still do not know what "Adobadas" is but I think it's a Mexican dish or sauce or marinade.
Not sure, but these chips had everything. The seasoning was hearty tasting and tomato-y, but then it was sour. Unlike every other potato chip I've tasted so far, which are usually either savory or acidic; this seasoning has managed to capture both. It was like that perfect bite of Mexican food where you've managed to get tortilla and meat and sauce and lime all onto the same bite. I couldn't believe it. The cumin on these is not subtle though, so it loses points with me for that. Now we'll talk about the chip. It definitely has more Potato flavor than the US counterpart, and they aren't overfried to the point that they are bubbled and flakey. The strange part was they had the texture almost like baked Lay's and regular Lay's had a baby. They were all kind of flat and way crunchier. But, still, it was closer to the fried Lay's that we know. I will say that aesthetically, I didn't like that the chips had a lot of dark marks on them. I don't know where those spots came from, but they looked like burns or poor quality potatoes... looks wise, but the taste was killer, and that is really the key.
So I recommend these. At least try them once... but get the authentic ones from across the border, because they do make this flavor for Latin communities under the US smiley face Sabritas brand. (Authentic ones will say "Hecho en Mexico" on the back.)