Snack #78 - Funyuns Flamin' Hot

Back in December a fellow hot chip lover asked us if we had ever tried Flamin' Hot Funyuns. We hadn't, but as lovers of all the Flamin' Hot varieties were intrigued. At long last we finally found them! And they are tasty. They are by far the least fiery of the Flamin' Hots, but they retain the Funyun flavor which is nice. The kick combined with the onion-y flavor of Funyuns made for a pretty fantastic snack.

Rating on the Spice-O-Meter: 4/10

Bottom Line: Funyuns with a kick!

Snack #77 - FoodShouldTasteGood Buffalo Tortilla Chips

I am not sure what this tastes like, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't taste like a buffalo wing. The bag advertises that the chips are made with cayenne pepper, vinegar, and garlic and those are literally the only ingredients outside of those necessary to make a chip (flour, oil, sugar). I suppose it's nice to eat something without all of the additives and chemicals, but if it makes for a tasty chip, I say bring on the chemicals! These chips definitely pack some nice heat, a gradual heat that you don't even realize until it's there. There's this weird flavor going on that I can't place, and given that there are only like 5 ingredients is especially confusing. Maybe it's the vinegar.

Rating on the Spice-O-Meter: 3/10

Bottom Line: Sorry for the vagaries, but these just really taste weird

Top Secret Chip Info Continued...

While we (and Kettle Chips) promised a new and exciting spicy chip for you all, Kettle really dropped the ball on this one. It appears that their new flavor which "really packs some heat" is just Sour Cream, Onion & Chive. While everyone loves a good sour cream and onion chip, this isn't exactly what we were hoping for....

Snack #76- Zambos Plantain Chips with Spicy Chili, Lime and Salt

Zambos Plantain Chips with Spicy Chili, Lime and Salt

These are the first real plantain chips I’ve found to test, and they were a bust. The chip itself was pretty crispy, although not quite as crispy as a normal potato chip. They are very thin cut though which created a nice texture without being greasy at all. The flavor overall was pretty bland though. They need more lime and more chili. The lime flavor is very subtle although it certainly can be tasted. The chili flavor, however, is basically nonexistent. The chips themselves have some red speckles which are misleading because it takes about five chips before the chili can be discerned at all. The label might as well just say lime and salt flavor. When the chili can be tasted it has the potential for a tasty spicy snack but in true Costa Rican form there is no heat.

Rating on the Spice-O-Meter: 0.5/10
Bottom Line: Crispy but somewhat bland.

Snack #75- Doritos Fiery Habañero Tortilla Chips

Doritos Fiery Habañero Tortilla Chips

Ahh…finally a spicy chip. Of course, these are imported from the U.S., but they are definitely spicy. The flavor is clearly habañero and quite fiery without overwhelming the other flavors in the chip. There is a strong underlying cheese flavor which is slightly artificial but still a nice contrast from the habañero spice. The chips are classic tortilla chips, hearty and crunchy. Basically, you can’t go wrong with these if you want a spicy cheesy tortilla chip. Instant nachos.

Rating on the Spice-O-Meter: 6/10
Bottom Line: Crunchy and spicy.

Snack #74 - Zapp's Spicy Creole Tomato Spiked With Tabasco

Yuck. I'll be honest, I didn't have high hopes for these "limited edition" chips, but these are really pretty nauseating. Immediately upon opening the bag I was hit with a wave of vinegar which carried into my first taste. That vinegar taste unfortunately combined with what I can only describe as a sweet onion flavor. To their credit these chips did have a nice level of spice, just a little heat, but not overwhelming. That is truly their only redeeming quality, besides their limited run on the shelf.

Rating on the Spice-O-Meter: 4/10

Bottom Line: Sweet, onion, vinegar - need I say more?