Snack #58: Exotic Chips Manioc Chili

The hot chicks quest for new spicy chips once again leads us out of the country.... this time to Italy, for a truly international chip experience. I happened across a free trade-type store in Rome where I found these German imported chips from Jakarta. I'm not really sure what that makes them exactly.

On first appearance, or rather smell, I was pretty worried. They smelled gross, like feet. Nevertheless, I powered through and actually, they taste pretty good. There was a definite chili powder flavor that packed some nice heat as I worked my way through the bag.

Rating on the Spice-O-Meter: 6/10

Bottom Line: A tasty international treat if you can get over the smell.

Snack #57: San Carlo Piu Gusto Vivace

The little chili pepper seemed to be a dead give away that these chips would be spicy. The Italians, apparently, do not have false advertising laws. These chips were not remotely spicy. Instead, they had a bit of a BBQ flavor, and a light one at that. All that aside, they were yummy for what they were.

Bottom Line: a light BBQ snack

Rating on the Spice-O-Meter: 0/10


In other news, I also found this questionably spicy Pringles flavor in the Amsterdam airport. I'm not sure if the chips or only the soccer team is spicy, but either way, entertaining packaging to be sure. Hot Holland Hot!

Snack #56: Plantain Chips, Jungle Chili

While I didn't have to go to Puerto Rico for these chips, the Hot Chick fan base runs deep and fellow spicy chip lover and reader of this blog passed these Puerto Rican plantain chips along for our analysis. Unfortunately, they're not good. Because of the thick cut plantain, the chips are not crunchy at all. Instead they tend to be borderline stale-feeling and taste like oil. As far as spiciness goes however, they do a nice job. At first they just tasted like salty, oily, banana chips, but after a few more they definitely started to accumulate some heat.

Bottom Line: Gross, with a little kick.

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

Spicy Chip Caption Contest Winner!

Congratulations Mary!! Her clever caption won her a gourmet gift pack of the Hot Chicks favorite spicy chips!

"Honey, I said I need to be BREATHING fire! Go get me some spicy chips!"


We really enjoyed reading all of your entries, thanks for participating and showing your love of all things spicy!

Spicy Chip Caption Contest Ending Soon...

Hey spicy chip fans, don't forget to add your caption to our spicy chip caption contest. The winner will receive a selection of some of our favorite chips!

http://spicysnackz.blogspot.com/2008/06/hot-and-spicy-caption-contest.html

Contest ends July 30.

Snack #54- Plátanos Tostados Chile (Chile Plantain Chips)

Plátanos Tostados Chile (Chile Plantain Chips)

So it was requested that I rate some spicy plantain chips, which are a favorite snack in Costa Rica. These are some local chips made in Liberia, Costa Rica, which is a fairly large city in Costa Rica and about a half hour drive from where I live. They were purchased from the local pulperia (general store). They are slightly spicy, but unfortunately not crunchy at all. It is questionable how long they were sitting in the store before I purchased them, so perhaps they would be tastier if they were fresher. Plantain chips are usually pretty tasty and with the chile seasoning they have good potential but the flavor falls flat.

Rating on the Spice-O-Meter: 2/10

Bottom Line: Stale and old but good potential.

Snack #53- Rumba Fajitas Rancheras Tortilla Chips

Rumba Fajitas Rancheras Tortilla Chips

These are supposed to taste like meat fajitas, which sounds so disgusting. The ingredients include meat flavoring and sausage flavoring, in addition to jalapeño and hot pepper seasonings. They smell and taste somewhat like jalapeno, but they also have an undeniable flavor of ‘meat’ which is really unappealing. They are not spicy beyond the flavor of jalapeño and were slightly stale out of the bag. The chip itself is fairly thick for a tortilla chip.

Rating on the Spice-O-Meter: 0.5/10

Bottom Line: These would get a high rating on a Disgust-O-Meter.