Sunday, April 13, 2008

Blair's Death Rain Habanero Kettle Cooked Potato Chips


Company Information: Blair's Sauces & Snacks, Highlands, NJ
Size: 1 oz. (28 g)
Purchased: vending machine
Cost: $.80

Description (from bag):
Welcome to my wonderful world of spice. Since 1989 it has been my passion to create food that makes us smile . . . to cook up snacks that taste great but most of all make you FEEL ALIVE. I hope you enjoy this bag as much as I do. Thank you for choosing Death Rain Snacks and my wonderful world of spice.

Aroma:
Smokey BBQ smell.
Appearance: Medium-sized orange colored chips covered in grainy brown and red spices.
Texture: Average kettle-cooked crispness.
Flavor: Salty sweet BBQ taste.

HEAT: Intense burn. Cough-inducing, "Get me a glass of milk!" hot!

Good flavor, but the habanero is so impossibly hot that you can't eat more than a few.

Overall Rating: 3 out of 4 peppers

Saturday, April 12, 2008

Corazonas Jalapeño Jack Tortilla Chips


Company Information: Corozonas Foods, Inc., Mill Valley, CA
Size: 7 oz. (198 g)
Purchased: Dominicks
Cost: $3

Description (from bag):
The name of our heart healthy tortilla chips was inspired by the Spanish word for heart: corazon.
Our mission at Corazonas is to develop great tasting, heart healthy natural snacks. Corazonas is the only tortilla chips that contains plant sterols - natural ingredients found in many fruits, vegetables and other plant sources that have been clinically proven to lower cholesterol. And they deliver all the crunchy authentic taste you'd expect from a great tasting snack.

Aroma:
Grainy and savory smell.
Appearance: Medium-sized golden triangular chips dotted with whole oats covered with light green powder.
Texture: Thicker than average and not perfectly flat.
Flavor: Remniscent of Doritos, but less salty. Balanced mild jack cheese and
jalapeño taste.
HEAT: Faint warm aftertaste.

A "better for you" tortilla chip that's actually tasty!

Overall Rating: 2 out of 4 peppers

Friday, April 11, 2008

FoodShouldTasteGood Jalapeño Tortilla Chips


Company Information: FoodShouldTasteGood, Inc., Needham Heights, MA
Size: 6 oz. (170 g)
Purchased: Whole Foods
Cost: $3

Description (from bag):
You haven't tasted chips or crackers like these. Trust us. The flavor will surprise and delight you. We put the flavor IN the chips, not ON them. Only a handful of ALL NATURAL ingredients are needed to provide the rich and savory flavors. We invite you to experiment with our products. These original tastes are perfect for a variety of occasions, from informal snacking to hosting guests around a dinner table.


Aroma:
Slight jalapeño tang.
Appearance: Large triangular red chips dotted with dried jalapeño bits.
Texture: Sturdy tortilla chip - thicker than average.
Flavor: Salty corn taste.

HEAT: None.

Doesn't live up to it's title as a "Jalapeño Tortilla Chip" - unremarkable.

Overall Rating: 1 out of 4 peppers

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Lay's Kettle Cooked Jalapeño


Company Information: Frito-Lay, Inc., Plano, TX
Size: 1.38 oz. (38.9 g)
Purchased: vending machine
Cost: $.80

Description (from bag):
We're proud to make our chips the old-fashioned way, taking extra time to ensure each batch is irresistibly crunchy and delicious. We start with premium potatoes,
slice them thick and cook them in small batches in order to lock in their hearty potato flavor and extra-satisfying crunch.



Aroma:
Salty with notes of
jalapeño.
Appearance: Smaller chips with unusual golden orange color.
Texture: Thinner than most kettle cooked varieties.
Flavor: Savory
jalapeño with slight onion taste.
HEAT: Medium lingering heat.

Orange chips don't usually scream "
jalapeño," but the taste can't be beat.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 4 peppers