To All the Chips I've Loved Before
Last weekend unexpectedly became the "Weekend of the Lay's Potato Chip Taste-Off." It was actually supposed to be the "Weekend of Snyder Family Camping" but I wimped out and Chad and I ended up sleeping in the comfort of the Snyder Homestead instead of in a tent. (I should clarify, my camping wimpiness was NOT caused by Lay's potato chips). I did rough it enough to use the "The Snyder Family Latrine" a few times, though, so I have a little outdoorsy cred (latrine use also NOT directly related to Lay's chip consumption).
My chip obsession was indirectly sparked by Snyder family bonding. I didn't even know that Lay's was having a new chip flavor contest, until I saw some of the flavors, cappuccino and wasabi ginger, on sale at Target a couple of weeks ago. I was bemused and intrigued, and thought they would be fun to bring along to the upcoming Snyder socializing. I figured they would inspire at least a few amusing conversation snippets. It also seemed like a good strategy to have several people to share and try the chips so that Chad and I didn't eat them all ourselves. It actually was pretty amazing that we (or our cat, Pepper) didn't just open the chips at home before we got a chance to share them. (We did break down though and sample them during our car trip on the way to see the family).
So I was curious about the contest chips but wasn't really that invested in them until I saw a friend's Facebook post of a photo of the cappuccino chips with just the word, "nope." This simple post just lit my contrarian little rebellious soul on fire, and made me want to like something, or at least be excited about the possibility of liking something, just because someone else thought it was weird. (Yes, I am totally projecting and have no idea if my friend thought the chips were actually weird or just unappealing). Most of the time I try to keep my oppositional impulses in check, but I recognized a harmless outlet for my surliness. I would become the the Connoisseur of the Lay's Chip Contest Flavors!! I would not be bound by any preconceived notions of proper chip flavoring and would not fall prey to fear of grossness! I would fully experience the artificial flavors made possible by the wonders of our chemical age!
My excitement over these chips also illustrates my contradictory responses to fads or pop culture phenomena. Often I am hostile towards popular things simply because they are popular, but sometimes I just get swept up by something. A bag of chips can set off my flair for the dramatic and love of exclamation points. My excitement only grew when we found another contest flavor (mango salsa) in a couple of gas stations along our journey. We just had to at least try them on our way home!
As you've probably figured out my now, this post isn't really about chips, but still, I feel I should give a review of the chips before I have filled up your screen with too many words. It's rather anti-climatic, but here goes:
Wasabi Ginger: These are the best of the four, and quite good. My enthusiasm for them is only dampened by the glorious discovery of the wasabi and soy triscuits earlier this summer. I can't think of any wasabi snack food that isn't awesome (okay, I only know three things in this category including the aforementioned chips/crackers and wasabi peas) so it can only be a good thing to have something added to this food group. To my sensibilities, these are not at all hot, but I also don't think the wasabi peas are hot...perhaps sometimes just slightly zingy.
Cappuccino: Kind of bland, but not gross, and fine as a dessert chip. Now I don't normally drink cappuccinos (I try to save all my beverage calories for booze expenditures) so I have no idea if they resemble their namesake.
Mango Salsa: Fun, definitely a different taste, and something I would happily munch on.
Cheddar Bacon Mac & Cheese: Sadly, I have not found these yet (I have until Oct. 18 when the contest ends). Of course I will want to see if they contain any real bacon or not before I try them, but at the very least, I can have Chad try them and then vicariously review them.
Chad also picked up a bag of last year's winner, cheesy garlic bread, before a "Bird Icon" rehearsal this week. How could I not love this man? They were cheesy, so of course they were good, but not garlicky enough for me. They also didn't really stand out from the hordes of tasty chemical-infused cheese snack delicacies out there. Last year was the inaugural year of the contest and I was totally unaware of it, so I'm very bummed I missed out on the Sriracha-flavored contestant. (Yes, I have done my research on this Lay's contest and have used the Google). We have at least had the sriracha popcorn made by the same amazing people responsible for Bacon Salt (which is vegetarian AND kosher and I eat it every day on my breakfast egg).
Oh my, I have written OVER 800 WORDS ABOUT POTATO CHIPS and I haven't even gotten to my dream chip flavors yet. Maybe that is for the best and I should keep these ideas to myself. Perhaps I should do a little more of the googling and figure out how to enter next year's contest! I promise you this, though, there will be no freakin' mayo.
My chip obsession was indirectly sparked by Snyder family bonding. I didn't even know that Lay's was having a new chip flavor contest, until I saw some of the flavors, cappuccino and wasabi ginger, on sale at Target a couple of weeks ago. I was bemused and intrigued, and thought they would be fun to bring along to the upcoming Snyder socializing. I figured they would inspire at least a few amusing conversation snippets. It also seemed like a good strategy to have several people to share and try the chips so that Chad and I didn't eat them all ourselves. It actually was pretty amazing that we (or our cat, Pepper) didn't just open the chips at home before we got a chance to share them. (We did break down though and sample them during our car trip on the way to see the family).
So I was curious about the contest chips but wasn't really that invested in them until I saw a friend's Facebook post of a photo of the cappuccino chips with just the word, "nope." This simple post just lit my contrarian little rebellious soul on fire, and made me want to like something, or at least be excited about the possibility of liking something, just because someone else thought it was weird. (Yes, I am totally projecting and have no idea if my friend thought the chips were actually weird or just unappealing). Most of the time I try to keep my oppositional impulses in check, but I recognized a harmless outlet for my surliness. I would become the the Connoisseur of the Lay's Chip Contest Flavors!! I would not be bound by any preconceived notions of proper chip flavoring and would not fall prey to fear of grossness! I would fully experience the artificial flavors made possible by the wonders of our chemical age!
My excitement over these chips also illustrates my contradictory responses to fads or pop culture phenomena. Often I am hostile towards popular things simply because they are popular, but sometimes I just get swept up by something. A bag of chips can set off my flair for the dramatic and love of exclamation points. My excitement only grew when we found another contest flavor (mango salsa) in a couple of gas stations along our journey. We just had to at least try them on our way home!
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| Also showing off a coffee from my first ever Dunkin Donuts visit. |
Wasabi Ginger: These are the best of the four, and quite good. My enthusiasm for them is only dampened by the glorious discovery of the wasabi and soy triscuits earlier this summer. I can't think of any wasabi snack food that isn't awesome (okay, I only know three things in this category including the aforementioned chips/crackers and wasabi peas) so it can only be a good thing to have something added to this food group. To my sensibilities, these are not at all hot, but I also don't think the wasabi peas are hot...perhaps sometimes just slightly zingy.
Cappuccino: Kind of bland, but not gross, and fine as a dessert chip. Now I don't normally drink cappuccinos (I try to save all my beverage calories for booze expenditures) so I have no idea if they resemble their namesake.
Mango Salsa: Fun, definitely a different taste, and something I would happily munch on.
Cheddar Bacon Mac & Cheese: Sadly, I have not found these yet (I have until Oct. 18 when the contest ends). Of course I will want to see if they contain any real bacon or not before I try them, but at the very least, I can have Chad try them and then vicariously review them.
Chad also picked up a bag of last year's winner, cheesy garlic bread, before a "Bird Icon" rehearsal this week. How could I not love this man? They were cheesy, so of course they were good, but not garlicky enough for me. They also didn't really stand out from the hordes of tasty chemical-infused cheese snack delicacies out there. Last year was the inaugural year of the contest and I was totally unaware of it, so I'm very bummed I missed out on the Sriracha-flavored contestant. (Yes, I have done my research on this Lay's contest and have used the Google). We have at least had the sriracha popcorn made by the same amazing people responsible for Bacon Salt (which is vegetarian AND kosher and I eat it every day on my breakfast egg).
Oh my, I have written OVER 800 WORDS ABOUT POTATO CHIPS and I haven't even gotten to my dream chip flavors yet. Maybe that is for the best and I should keep these ideas to myself. Perhaps I should do a little more of the googling and figure out how to enter next year's contest! I promise you this, though, there will be no freakin' mayo.
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