It's not too late to vote for your favourite wacky new crisp flavour in the Walker's "Do Us a Flavour" Crisp Election - the deadline is Friday 1 May. I voted for Crispy Duck & Hoisin (review here), Charlie Brooker hated pretty much all of them, but you might like to back Cajun Squirrel, Builder's Breakfast, Fish & Chips, Onion Bhaji or Chili & Chocolate.
Walker's aren't the only people to push my potato chip boundaries lately. I picked up these Blair's Death Rain crisps last time I was in Japan, though they're available in certain delis and shonky newsagents here.
Made by Blair's, the Home of Extreme Food, flavours are Habanero and BBQ - the BBQ was very salty and MSG-ey but at least edible, the Habanero like hitting myself in the face with a rusty stiletto (that's not a recommendation).
These next two came from Selfridges - Beer Chips were apparently invented by some cigar fan and come in "Hot Potatoes - Spicy Bloody Mary potato chips" and "Chip Shots - Margarita with salt potato chips".
These were an altogether more pleasant experience - the first was a bit like a spicy V8 but I like V8, the second was limey with little delicious crystals of salt. All good.
These last two packets I also got in Japan. These were made by Tohato, who make an amazing chillied Hula Hoop type crisp available over here.
However, I think (I hope) these were limited edition - they were Soda and Menthol flavours.
Soda was very strange - they tasted okay insofar as ramune flavoured crisps can be okay, but I'm really not used to savoury stuff fizzing in my mouth.
Menthol was foul though - like manky toothpaste-flavoured crisps. Bad bad bad bad, just thinking about it makes me shiver.
Nevertheless, I'm a sucker for strange flavours and clearly an optimist, so next time I find something odd in the world of potato chips, guaranteed I'll still buy it.
However, I'll offer my opinion here so I can at least pretend I'm providing a public service ...
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