Kettle Brand Potato Chips - Jalapeno - Review

Kettle Brand Potato Chips introduced this new Jalapeno variety earlier this month, timed with Cinco de Mayo.

Here's what Kettle has to say about this new flavor...

"Kettle Brand Jalapeno Potato Chips strike the perfect balance between fresh, well-rounded flavor and the simple heat of green, spicy jalapeno peppers. A fiery, festive flavor with a Kettle Brand twist, these all natural Jalapeno potato chips are easy to eat with a satisfying heat that sneaks up on you. Paired with an ice cold cerveza, these chips are a delicious fiesta in a bag."

The company sent me a sample bag for review.

Taste

Well, these chips are not exactly hot. And, they're not exactly spicy. They do have a low degree of heat, but it's so low that it only creates a tingle in my mouth. I do eat a lot of spicy foods, so maybe for others these chips could be construed as hot.

But they don't have any jalapeno flavor to them.


They still have that same crunchy, crispy, thick potato chip goodness that you come to expect from kettle cooked potato chips, and they have that same signature flavor that the Kettle Brand puts into them.

It has the split second sweetness off the surface that the Kettle Brand always seems to give you, and it gives off that light potato flavor, and light saltiness.

Overall, what I'm getting from these chips is the same flavor of regular Kettle Brand Potato Chips, but with a faint spicy heat.

These Jalapeno variety chips are selling in grocery stores all over the USA as of this writing.

If you can't find them locally, buy them online from Kettle's website...
http://www.buykettlechips.com

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Pringles Honey Mustard

Pringles now has a new, limited edition flavor, Honey Mustard.

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Genisoy Tortilla Chips - New Flavors

The Genisoy brand of soybean-based tortilla chips is coming out with two new flavors, "Fiesta Ranch" and "Nacho Cheese".

These are made by GeniSoy Food Co., Inc. of Tulsa, OK, where soybean alternative snacking is all the rage.

Despite being based on soybeans, the ingredients list also shows white corn flour, and rice flour.

Genisoy claims these chips are baked, not fried, and are cholesterol free, trans fat free, with 110 calories per serving.

You can buy Genisoy products at Whole Foods markets, and on the company's website...
http://www.genisoy.com

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Falafel Chips

A company called Flamous Brands, Inc., based out of Pasadena, CA, is now marketing Falafel Chips, claiming to be the first chips made from falafel.

Falafel is made from chickpeas (garbanzo beans), combined with spices and grains, and then fried as patties, balls, sticks, or whatever your imagination comes up with. Finally, it's topped with hummus, or eggplant, or spicy sauces. People have been eating falafel for thousands of years.

The company sent me a couple of bags of Falafel Chips for me to sample, hence this review.

I notice there is a "Since 1959" stamped on the bag, next to the name "Falafel Chips", so I'm guessing that while these are the first falafel-based chips, they've also been around for long time.

I have to say that Falafel Chips actually taste great. I didn't know what to expect, considering they're made from chickpeas, but when I ate one they taste very much like Doritos tortilla chips. That might be because Falafel Chips do include ground corn as an ingredient. But they do include chickpeas as an ingredient too, and there is a subtle difference in texture from Doritos chips. I don't think real falafel includes ground corn, but whether or not Falafel Chips is supposed to be real falafel is probably not the point. It's a chip that's meant to resemble falafel.

Falafel Chips are lightly seasoned with salt, pepper, cumin, and herbs; the seasoning is not overpowering. The cumin seasoning creates a taste and aroma that reminds me of walking into a Middle Eastern restaurant. They taste like they'd go well with a creamy dill dip. The company recommends a hummus dip, or a "babaghanogue", a roasted eggplant dip.

The chips are stamped as "USDA Organic", 100% vegan, and Kosher Parve. The company claims they're low in sodium, high in protein, and contains no trans fat, gluten, cholesterol, MSG, hydrogenated oil, GMO, preservatives, artificial colors or flavors.

Overall, Falafel Chips are a welcome change from the onslaught of tortilla chips. Even though they taste similar to tortilla chips, they still have a subtle difference in texture, and the seasoning has a Middle Eastern flavor.

I don't know what stores you can buy these from, all I can do is direct you to Flamous Brands' website...

http://www.falafelchips.com

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Miguel's Salted Plantain Strips

The Miguel's brand of chips now includes these new Salted Plantain Chips.

Plantains are similar to bananas, but not as sweet or soft.

The concept of plantain chips are not new at all, being a favorite snack food in Caribbean cultures. My step-mother is Puerto Rican, and she's been known to slice up some plantains, fry them, and salt them. You can also find these in most Cuban and Puerto Rican cuisines.

Miguel's is just mass producing it for retail. I imagine other brands sell plantain chips, but out here in Southern California, I haven't seen them.

Plantains are kinda bland. I imagine people from the Caribbean love to eat them plain, but for me, they're like potatoes, where you need to spice them up, top them up, or use them as an ingredient.

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On the Border - Cantina Thins

Dallas, TX-based Truco Enterprises, Inc., which makes the retail line of On The Border branded foods, has come out with a new variety of tortilla chip called, "Cantina Thins".

According to the company, the Cantina Thins involves a process of choosing select, whole-kernel white corn, and then cooking it in large kettles until tender. The softened corn is then stone ground into a fine proprietary blended masa, which is pressed into ultra-thin white corn tortillas. It's then lightly baked, and hand-cut into irregular triangles.

The whole concept of having "ultra thin" tortilla chips wasn't exactly explained to me. I tend to think that it's way to reduce fat and carbs while still maintaining the same shape and size of a standard chip.

I don't think it lends itself well to scooping out salsa and dip, however.

Visit Truco Enterprises Online at...
http://trucoenterprises.com

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Ajitas Vege Chips

Produced in Australia by Vege Chip Co. and imported to the USA by Modern Marketing & Sales Group, the Ajitas Vege Chips tries to put a healthy new spin on old product.

The line of chips are actually made from the Cassava root, and Cassava chips are quite a staple in tropical regions of the world. Cassava is high in vitamin C, and the frying process of Ajitas chips make them low in fat and cholesterol.

What I'm particularly intrigued with is how they've leveraged the "healthy" factor by calling these "Vege Chips", as if potato chips and corn chips are not made from vegetables.

Varieties include...

Sweet & Sour
French Onion
Herb & Garlic
Barbeque
Natural
Lime Chilli
Tasty Cheese
Malt Vinegar

Visit Ajitas Vege Chips online...
http://www.ajitas.com/

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Extreme Food - Habanero Kettle Chips

Extreme Food of Highlands, NJ, took the top honors of the 2008 Scovie Awards for their "Habanero Kettle Chips", in the chips division.

The original Habanero chips are kettle-cooked chips said to be among the hottest potato chip around, and this distinction further solidifies that reputation.

The Scovie Awards is a promotion of the National Fiery Foods Show. It's named after James Scoville who devised a measuring system for registering how spicy-hot foods are.

The Original Habanero Chips can be purchased online from Extreme Food...
http://extremefood.com/product.php?id=20

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Ruth's Hemp Tortilla Chips

Ruth's Hemp Foods, Inc. of Toronto, ON, has expanded their offering of hemp-laden foods to tortilla chips.

They're made with organic corn and hemp, and carry the Organic stamp of approval. Ruth's claim that they have a "great texture and flavor".

The company's website says that the levels of THC in their hemp products is so minimal, that you won't fail a drug test.

Visit Ruth's Hemp Foods online...
http://www.ruthshempfoods.com

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Eating Right Potato Crisps

You have to question a brand name called "Eating Right" when used with snack foods.

Of course, these aren't potato chips, they're "potato crisps", but since when does that change anything?

Look Ma! I'm Eating Right! It's ok now!

The "Eating Right" label is a brand name of Safeway grocery stores. They're supposed to be low in fat so that you can inhale two bags of crisps and still the get the same fat absorbtion as a single bag of chips.

And the flavor varieties of BBQ, Cheddar, and Wasabi will keep your palate entertained.

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NRG Potato Chips

Said to be the world's first "energy potato chip", the line of NRG Potato Chips ushers in a new age of television snacking.

Containing a energy-boosting combination of Taurine, Caffeine, and B-Vitamins, NRG Potato Chips are sure to make a couch potato bounce their legs ad-nauseum throughout an entire sitting of the Rocky Balboa series.

The potato chip's website says its now shipping to stores all over the South-East. I guess that's where people burn a lot of energy watching television.

You can also order a case of NRG online...
http://www.nrgsnax.com

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Burger King Ketchup & Fries Snack

The Inventure Group, who would like to be known for their Intensely Different (tm) products, has teamed up with Burger King.

Their new product is being promoted as a Burger King snack item that can be purchased outside of the fast food outlets and are free of trans fats.

They potato-based chips come in a two flavors including the Ketchup & Fries (in fry shapes), Flame Broiled Burger (in chip shapes).

Packages range from 2 ounce, 3 oz. and 5 oz. in stores as well as a a 1 oz. 100 calorie pack for vending machines.

Official Burger King website (which makes no mention of these things) and a Consumerist.com post from last month that does. Here's the original press release ... I'd like to work someplace where my email address I put on press releases ends with whopper.com.

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Nabisco Golden Harvest Toasted Chips

Nabisco is hopping on the healthier snack bandwagon with their new Garden Harvest Tasted Chips which supply a half serving of vegetables in each 120 calorie serving along with being made with 100% whole grains.

(Still, their snack chips ... better than potato chips but probably not better than eating a raw zucchini.)

Garden Harvest Toasted Chips are available in four flavorful varieties including Tomato Basil, Vegetable Medley, Apple Cinnamon and Banana. Real pieces of carrots, tomatoes, broccoli, onions, spinach and other vegetables are blended together to season the Tomato Basil and Vegetable Medley chips for a satisfying, savory snack, while the real pieces of apples and bananas in the Apple Cinnamon and Banana varieties, respectively, provide a lightly-sweet tasting option.

Garden Harvest Toasted Chips are available in six-ounce re-closeable bags at a suggested retail price of $2.99 each.

You can sign up for a free sample on their website. (Read the fine print though.)

Press release & Official Website

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Doritos Collisons - Hot Wings & Blue Cheese

Doritos Collisions Flavored Tortilla Chips feature two different flavors in one bag (saves you all that trouble of picking up two bags).

The first introductions in the US is the combo of Hot Wings and Blue Cheese and Zesty Taco and Chipotle Ranch flavors.

They will be sold in 12 1/4 oz. (347.2g) pillow bags.

X-Entertainment got a hold of both the Hot Wings/Blue Cheese and Zesty Taco/Chipotle Ranch varieties and have a roundup and Taquitos.net has a review of the Hot Wings/Blue Cheese and was pleased.

Doritos website.

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Sun Chips - Cinnamon Flavor

Sun Chips is expanding their line of savory whole-grain chips with their new sweet Cinnamon Sun Chips.

Made by Frito Lay, the package boasts that Sun Chips Cinnamon have 18 grams of whole grains per serving (and who eats just one serving?) and 30% less fat than regular potato chips (who eats cinnamon potato chips?).

The Chips are offered in a 3 oz. and 11.5 laminate bag.

The rest of the Sun Chips line includes: Regular, Garden Salsa, Cheddar and French Onion.

Sun Chips website.

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The Best Kettle Chips

The New York Times wants you to have the best Independence Day cookout ever. So they've done a roundup of the top ten kettle style potato chips. The winner? Kettle Chips Lightly Salted.


Read through these three different articles about the emergence of the Kettle Chip, their manufacture and the taste test results.

(Image source: Tzirel Kaminetzky for The New York Times)

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Kettle Chips is giving away ... Chips!

KettleNeighborhood.com, the Kettle brand chips website is running a contest. Similar to the "how many jelly beans in the jar", they've filled a SmartCar with bags of chips. Just guess how many bags are in there.

Winners don't get to take the car home, just a year's supply of chips ... which they seem to think is 3 full-size bags a month which is 15 bags a month for 12 months, and you do get to pick the flavor.

The flash-based interface lets you rotate the car and watch it being filled. The car is filled with two different sized bags, 2 ounces and 5 ounces. In the event of a tie they'll use brief essays from the entrants ... beware, grammar counts!

Unfortunately you can only enter once. Deadline is September 14, 2007.

Good luck!

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Pringles Minis & Pringles Select

Pringles Minis hit the market late last year. Packed in bags instead of tubes the chips themselves are also 1/3 the size of the regular Pringles.

Pringles Minis come in three flavors: Original, Cheddar Cheese and Sour Cream & Onion.

The Minis come in single serving bags that are packaged in 5 counts and 16 count variety packs.
Bags offer portion control (120 calories for .81 ounces) and increased portability over the classic large tubes and newer short tubes. The Proctor and Gamble site says that Pringles have no preservatives or artificial ingredients.

For those looking for the bag experience with more flavor and texture, Pringles have also introduced Pringles Select, with artisan-style flavor combinations.

Pringles Select come in four flavor varieties: Szechuan Barbecue, Parmesan Garlic, Cinnamon Sweet Potato, Sun Dried Tomato.

They come in a flat bottomed bag to stand up easier and protect the contents.

Pringles Select's ingredients are rather different from the classic Pringles potato crisps, not only do these feature dried potatoes as an ingredient, they're also made with rice and/or cornmeal and in the case of the Cinnamon Sweet Potato, that's real sweet potato in there.

For more info visit Pringles.com

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Mission Introduces Cilantro Lime Tortilla Chips

Mission Cilantro Lime Tortilla Triangles are now available in the USA from Mission Foods.

As the name suggests, they are cilantro and lime flavored with a little dash of mild jalapeno.

Mission chips are triangular in the "restaurant style" and feature 0 g trans fat.

Mission also introduced Restaurant Style Salsa Roja Tortilla Triangles with similarly formatted packages sporting a terra cotta pink design.

For those seeking a dessert chip check out Mission's Cinnamon Twists.

Mission Foods website.

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Lam's Cassava Yuca Chips

New from Lam Snack Foods Inc. are these Cassava Yuca Chips.

The cassava is a plant whose root is generally used for food purposes. Yuca is the spanish word for the same plant.

I've never had cassava chips before, though I would certainly like to write a review of this product, if Lam Snack Foods wouldn't mind sending me a free sample (hint hint).

They come in two varietes, the Regular (pictured), and Garlic & Onion. (I'll try regular please!)

They come in 2.3 oz. bags priced at 99 cents.

Visit Lam Snack Foods at: http://lamsnacks.com

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