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

Click to Enlarge

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.