Thursday, July 30, 2009

Snack #93- Alexia Waffle Fries Bold & Spicy BBQ Potato Snacks


Alexia Waffle Fries Bold & Spicy BBQ Potato Snacks

Skipping over the endless disappointment with the oversized bags, these are just as crispy and delicious as the Hot Pepper flavor, but with a sweet and smoky BBQ twist. They have a strong tomato flavor with undertones of chili pepper and paprika. Not quite as good as actual waffle fries with BBQ sauce but a nice thick, crunchy replacement. I also enjoyed that the ingredients listed all the components of the BBQ flavor, rather than simply ‘BBQ flavoring’. These snacks seem really natural and the flavors always taste authentic and fresh.

Rating on the Spice-O-Meter: 3/10
Bottom Line: Sweet and smoky BBQ crunch.

Snack #92- Alexia Onion Strips Jalapeño Onion Snacks


Alexia Onion Strips Jalapeño Onion Snacks

Ahh yes, another deceiving package; this one almost seems like a complete lie. It claims that there are 18 pieces to a serving and 4.5 servings to a bag. Upon opening the bag it appears that there could possibly be 40 pieces inside, so I decide to count the pieces. Total: 55 onion strips. Where are the other 26? Blatant lies.

Again, packaging aside, these are…interesting snacks. They are almost like onion rings that have been fried to just the barest crisp; they even have a fried onion strip with a crispy outer shell. And they are SPICY. They have an intense jalapeño flavor which is probably heightened by the lack of flavor in the crispy onion coating. The interplay between the sweet onion strip on the inside and the hot outer coating makes a pretty tasty snack overall. The onion flavor is completely natural and the jalapeño flavor is distinctly authentic and these snacks really make me crave onion rings with a spicy dipping sauce.

Rating on the Spice-O-Meter: 7/10
Bottom Line: Very natural onion and jalapeño snack.

Snack #91- Alexia Waffle Fries Hot Pepper Potato Snacks



Alexia Waffle Fries Hot Pepper Potato Snacks

First I would like to say that the packaging on these is a sham. At least 2/3 of this bag is just air…which sucks. That being said, these chips are pretty awesome. They are as thick as actual waffle fries and somehow taste just like them, more like freshly fried potatoes than off-the-shelf bagged chips. Because they are basically extra deep fried waffle fries, they end up being crunchier than any potato chip I’ve ever had, which is a new and fun texture experience. The flavor is mostly waffle fry with an extra salty kick and a medium spicy burst of flavor. The ingredients include habañero and jalapeño peppers and the combination comes through well although they are not too hot. The onion and garlic flavors are also present and contribute to a tasty chip, although the cheese flavor claimed in the ingredients is not evident. Overall they are a highly enjoyable snack and it’s unfortunate that there aren’t more to enjoy in the wimpy bag.

Rating on the Spice-O-Meter: 4/10
Bottom Line: Super crispy!

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Snack #90- Deep River Snacks Zesty Jalapeño Potato Chips



Snack #90- Deep River Snacks Zesty Jalapeño Potato Chips


These chips have a really good crunch and a good flavor kick. They have a lot of onion flavor, which fits with the general trend of jalapeño chips tasting like sour cream and onion with a spicy kick. The jalapeño can be tasted and there is good initial heat but there is not really a big flavor blast at the end. The potato can be tasted clearly in the chips and they are pretty salty as well. So overall they have a very nice flavor but the heat is not lasting.


Rating on the Spice-O-Meter: 4/10
Bottom Line: Good flavor, some spice.

Snack #89- Herr's Hot Cheese Curls


Snack #89- Herr's Hot Cheese Curls



These cheese curls are made with real cheese and have a smoky, bbq flavor as well. They are made of corn but taste like potatoes, strangely enough. They are fairly spicy, especially for a cheese curl, which often seem to be overwhelmingly cheesy but not so spicy. So congratulations, Herr's, you managed to make an extra cheesy cheese curl that also stands up to the spicy potato chip competition.


Rating on the Spice-O-Meter: 6/10
Bottom Line: Surprise spice in a standard cheese curl.