Boulder Malt Vinegar & Sea Salt Potato Chips

It's November already....which means Thanksgiving, then Christmas, and before you know it, it will be New Years! Unbelievable, where did all the time go? It's almost 2009!!! Another cold rainy day, but hey its winter and I can't wait for snow! Snowboarding! =) haha Enjoy my new review and let me know what you think. If you have any suggestions or tips for me, please feel free to let me know.

Yet another Salt n Vinegar review! The search is still on for the best salt n vinegar flavored brand (Herr's is still my favorite so far!). Yum, whoever thought of mixing salt n vinegar together to get seasoned chips was a genius!! On that note, I did some research and guess what I've found?! When the original potato chips first came out in 1853, the only flavor was plain, no seasonings added until the 1950s! The first inventor of adding flavors to potato chips was Joe “Spud” Murphy and his Irish company TAYTO. And guess what the original flavors were? Yup, you got it, salt n vinegar and cheese n onion! click here to read up on more interesting facts about potato chips!

I have definitely become a potato chip food junkie now. Lol, this is what happens when you have a potato chip blog. I love going to the grocery store/convenience store and finding a unique brand of chips to try out. Go home and relax with a good book and munch out!


Anyway, I discovered these at Safeway, Boulder Malt Vinegar & Sea Salt Potato Chips. I was definitely caught off guard by the sweet tangy sour taste of the malt vinegar. It's so addicting! Before I knew it, I've reached the last 1/4 of the bag!

Crunch factor: 9
texture: 9
taste: 9
tang factor: 9
salt factor: 9
price: $2.59 for 5oz
Packaging: 8




MJ's review on taste: The tangy/sour taste of the sweet mild flavor of the malt vinegar combined with the salt correlated well with the type of potatoes they used. A zing of flavor at the end combined with sweetness. The texture of the chips were kettle cooked style esque with a lot of crunch factor as the chips were slightly thicker than most chips. These chips reminded me a little like boardwalk fries doused with malt vinegar or even five guys fries dipped in malt vinegar. I enjoyed eating these chips and recommend them to you if you're a salt n vinegar fan.

Ingredients: Potatoes, vegetable oil, (may contain one or more of the following: sunflower or safflower oil), sea salt, malt vinegar powder, fructose, white vinegar powder, citric acid, and malt powder.

Nutrition Info: serving size 1 oz (28 g/about 14 chips) servings per container 5
calories: 150, total fat 7g, sat fat 1g, trans fat 0g, polyunsaturated 1g, monounsaturated 6g, cholesterol 0g, sodium 410 mg, dietary fiber 2g, sugars 0g, protein 2g

Product description:

Since 1994, our family has operated Boulder chips in Boulder, Colorado. Using a simple family recipe, we kettle-cook select potatoes in small batches using sunflower and/or safflower oil. We use totally natural ingredients, hand-rake every batch, and test chips at every stage of preparation to ensure quality and taste.
- the Maggio Family

Terra Potpourri Potato Chips

Wow, what can I say? If you really don't have anything nice to say....I shouldn't say anything right? Ah well....I'm sure you guys would like the truth! This really is one of the few brands that didn't spark my taste buds too much (got these at Wholefoods but they're available at most grocery stores) . Maybe you'll like it though. Anyway, here's my insight on what I thought about these interesting chips that were devastatingly short on flavor.

Ingredients: Potatoes (Yukon gold, terra blues, huckleberry and/or red thumb), sweet potato, canola oil, sea salt.

Nutrition facts: Calories: 140 per a serving (5 servings total in 1 oz) , total fat 7 g, saturated fat 1g, trans fat 0 g, cholesterol 0g, sodium 110 mg, total carb 17 g, dietary fiber 4g, sugars 2g, protein 2 g.



MJ's review on taste: I really liked how Potpourri incorporated different types of potatoes to make it more of a healthy gourmet snack but the flavor was really lacking. The sweet potato wasn't too bad, but the other flavors, it really needed something extra added to it. By the time I reached the last handful it became a greasy mess. I also had another tester try it out and he wasn't too impressed either.

Yukon gold: It was the thickest of the gang, but tasted flat, and needed some more salt
Terra blues: slightly nutty but also tasted flat
Huckleberry and/or red thumb (red potatoes): a little bit sweeter than the other three but didn't really do much for me
Sweet Potato: probably was the only one that tasted somewhat like how it was described...tasted like a mildly sweet potato!
Pros: it would look nice arranged in a clear glass bowl, pretty colors, natural & 30% less fat than most leading brands
Cons: $3.99 is a little pricey for potato chips (considering the bag was fairly small), plus the taste didn't really impress me as it tasted kind of bland


Packaging: 8
Taste: 3
Texture: 4
Crunchiness: 3
Quality: 3
Price: $3.99 (6.5 oz)







The way I see it, if you are into the healthy gourmet snacks than maybe these are for you but for me I'd rather have both (flavor and healthiness...who wouldn't?!). I would skimp on these and try something else (like the madhouse munchies brand!).

Sweet Potato








For more information on these chips click here.







Off topic: Lets go PSU this weekend against OSU! WE ARE.....PENN STATE!!!!!!! Might be just about the biggest game this season for Penn State...this might clinch our spot for the National Championships!!!!!!! If you're a Penn State fan, the game starts at 8pm Eastern time on Saturday the 25th.

Potato Chips led to an arrest!

How hilarious is this article!!!!!!

Framingham, MASS. An empty bag of Mystic Potato chips led Police to arrest a suspect that broke in AV's Market! click here to read the rest of the article. I wonder what flavor he was eating? I've had the salt n vinegar flavor before but its been so long that I need to do another sampling. =)

Creamy French Onion

An update is finally here! I've been rather busy these last couple of weeks and now I really want to go ahead and start editing this blog to make it even more awesome! ^_^ The pics of the potato chips/bags are all my own and please don't steal the pics without consulting me first. As always thanks for reading.

On with the review....

I was scouring through the chip aisle at Wholefoods when a highlighter green bag caught my eye, Creamy French Onion! Ooh I thought, I should definitely try these, next to salt n vinegar, sour cream & onion is one of my favorites. The brand is Madhouse Munchies, which I had yet to discover. They certainly have been around for a while now and popular with health conscious eaters too! Only bad part is that they're a little hard to find. Wholefoods or Giant are the two big grocery stores that carry them. [logo on the right]






Packaging: 10
Taste: 10
Texture: 10
Crunchiness: 10
Quality: 10
Price: $2.49 (.5 oz)
Ingredients: Select North American potatoes, high monounsaturated canola oil, onion, whey, sea salt, non-fat dry milk, dextrose, corn gluten, wheat flour, sugar, green onion, garlic, maltodextrin, food starch, parsley, natural flavors, citric acid, corn syrup solids, lactic acid, enzyme modified cream, annatto, turmeric
please note that all ratings are based out of 10.


Known as the original micro-chip. Hand cooked gourmet kettle Potato chips. cooked in 100% mono-unsaturated canola oil. No trans fat, no hydrogenated oils, zero cholesterol. 100% all natural micro-recipes, no msg, no preservatives, nothing artificial, no peanut oil, no cottonseed oil.

MJ's review on taste: Healthy and delicious! One of my favorite french onion dip chips. I mean seriously, wow, as soon as I opened the bag, you got a woof of some yummy onion-y flavor. Have you ever gotten a bag of plain chips and then bought some french onion dip to go along with it? Well, yeah, kind of tastes like that but without the need of the dip! As it says on the bag, "The dip is on the chip." Love it!

Light, crisp and crunchy. If you like sour cream & onion, I highly recommend this for you.








Here is a close up....you can really see the awesome onion flavored flecks!







Product Description:

In 1996 I left the financial markets and set out for the clear skies and wide-open spaces of Vermont to pursue my vision of the perfect potato chip. Four years later, I have never looked back and have never eaten better! I first started by hand-slicing small batches of fresh New England potatoes into a small French-fry cooker I borrowed from a friend with a restaurant. I experimented for months testing different oils, potatoes and seasoned toppings. My plan was simple; not to give up until I had discovered the point at which perfect flavor merged with a healthy, simple recipe. Eventually, I found that perfect recipe: Select North American potatoes cooked in pure high-monounsaturated canola oil and topped with only all natural spices, herbs and sea salt. Nothing artificial is used, ever - only simple, premium, healthful and naturally delicious ingredients go into making our chips. Life became a Madhouse from that point on! As word got out about our recipes, our popularity among chip connoisseurs grew at a frantic pace. While we have been copied and shoved-around by the "Big Guys" in the chip world, they just can't seem to get it right, and for now, our unique micro-chips are, alone, at the top. I certainly hope that you enjoy Madhouse Munchies as much as we do. Enjoy!
-Jim Ehlen, Founder

for more info check out their website, click here.

Interesting finds:

• Rachael Ray (CBS TV) recognizes on national air Madhouse Munchies great taste, naturally as her Snack of the Day see it on our website ; NY Times Newspaper: Top-10 Potato Chips;
• Featured on: Food Network- Al Roker's: Roker-on-the-Road: Segment on Madhouse Munchies aired nationally- see it on our website ;
• Chip-In for Hungry Kids TM: We're a small company that thinks BIG. On July 4, 2004 Madhouse Munchies formalized our continuing commitment to feeding our country's hungry kids through our Chip-In for Hungry Kids programs. quoted from amazon.com
  

Madhouse Chips in the news (an old article by the way)!
click here to read

Origins of Potato Chips

Instead of the usual post of reviews, I got to thinking....Who invented the potato chip anyway? Where did it all go down??

This is what I found....

Somewhere around the year of 1853 in Saratoga Springs, New York, a chef named George Crum invented the first potato chip by accident. A customer rejected his potatoes saying it was too soggy and thick. In response Crum cut the potatoes too thin and stir fried them to spite him. Not according to plan, the customer was happy and soon more people keep requesting the too thin slices aka potato chips. And there you have it, the shortened version of what really went down. =)

If you have a lot of time on your hands and would like to read the longer version, click here.

Tyrrell's Cider Vinegar & Sea Salt Potato Chips

I went to Wholefoods a couple of days ago and stumbled upon these chips. I'm a HUGE fan of Salt n Vinegar Chips so these were a unique find indeed. Whoever heard of Cider Vinegar & Sea Salt chips?! Here's the bag below (scanned it after I've finished eating them!) Thanks for the tip Jenny! ^_^



These Chips are made in Herefordshire (UK)!

Ingredients: Potato, Sunflower Oil, Sea Salt & Vinegar Flavour (maltodextrin, potato starch, sea salt, cider vinegar powder, malt vinegar powder, sugar, lemon powder, yeast extract).

Serving size: 1 oz, servings per container about 5

No artificial or GM Products, suitable for vegans, gluten free, trans fat free!! Not too shabby at all, these are definitely more healthier than other leading brands.






Pics below of the actual chip. (click to enlarge)







Scanned image of the back of the bag. (click to enlarge for nutrition info)
















MJ's Review on Taste: These were definitely a little more sweeter than I liked them to be. A very mild vinegary flavor with a decent amount of crunch to which you really couldn't taste unless you placed the chip directly on the tongue. The amount of salt was just enough to bring out some of the flavors from the cider vinegar but it just didn't give the cider vinegar any justice. Halfway through the bag, the vinegar flavor diminished and tasted slightly greasy. But overall, it was enjoyable, tasted more like regular crisp chips with a little kick of cider vinegar added. If you're looking for a big kick of vinegar, these are definitely not one of them. Ratings: 5 out of 10.

For more information on this brand check out their site.

Tyrells Potato Chips

Yum Salt n Vinegar Chips

Yesterday, I decided to be a fatty and eat a huge bag of of salt n vinegar chips. Why did I do that? Because Its amazing....the feeling afterward not so much. Image below [kettle brand chips sea salt & vinegar]...yeah I ate that whole bag in one sitting watching FRIENDS....only one of the best series ever!




I <3> salt n vinegar chips!



























Depending on what mood I am when I'm craving chips I almost always tend to grab a bag of salt n vinegar chips. Its just the best flavor out there! (my opinion of course!) I'm sure everyone else has different favorites.

Reviews: (in order from left to right)

Cape Cod Salt n Vinegar Chips:
A distinctive blend of the finest sea salt and carefully dried vinegar. Indulge in these Cape Cod chips boasting perfectly paired flavors! www.capecodchips.com

Ingredients: Potatoes, Canola Oil, Maltodextrin, Sodium Diacetate, Vinegar Solids and Sea Salt.

These chips are crunchy with a good amount of vinegar added. I for one love chips that are more vinegary than salty so I rate these chips 8 out of 10.

Herr's Kettle Cooked Salt n Vinegar chips:

Herr's^® new Boardwalk Salt & Vinegar Flavored Kettle Chips are slow cooked and seasoned with the perfect balance between saltiness and the tongue-tickling flavor of vinegar for a delightful taste celebration!

Experience the delicious taste of nature's finest potatoes, hand-cooked in small batches in pure vegetable oil and sprinkled with just the right amount of flavor. Specially formulated for extra crispness, Herr's^® Boardwalk Salt & Vinegar Kettle Cooked Potato Chips are thicker and keep their crunch longer - perfect for dipping or snacking. We think you'll agree these are the tastiest, most wholesome, all natural potato chips you'll ever munch. www.herrs.com

These are a close second to my favorite chips. Cooking it in pure vegetable oil gives it a slightly different flavor and carries the punch of vingar in each bite. Yum, writing these reviews are giving me a craving for salt n vinegar chips. I will rate this a 9 out of 10.


Herr's Salt n Vinegar Chips:

Ingredients: "Made from only the finest natural ingredients, Herr's^® Salt & Vinegar Potato Chips contain essential nutrients, such as vitamin C and potassium. Cooked in corn and/or cottonseed oils, the chips are packed in special foil-like bags to help retain the vitamin C, as well as the freshness and crispness" quoted from the website. www.herrs.com

These were my ultimate favorite salt n vinegar chips in the world until I found Kettle cooked which I love more. ^_^ These chips are different in looks compared to the kettle cooked ones. They're more like lays with a huge punch of vinegar. Yum gotta love the vinegar. Very crisp, and your breath will be all sorts of vinegary with this one. When you hold the chip up into the light you can see all the sourly goodness of the vinegar. Not as crunchy as the ones mentioned above but just as good. I will rate this 10 out of 10.

Utz Salt n Vinegar Chips:
Fresh whole potatoes sliced and cooked in 100% pure Cottonseed Oil, with salt added. No oil preservatives added. www.utzsnacks.com

These are a poor man's salt n vinegar chips. For a $1 a bag (for a medium bag) you can't beat the price. And they're goood! Crisp and flavorful. I will rate this a 8 out of 10.