February 2012
1 post
2 tags
Space Raiders - Spicy
I’ve overlooked these due to their ubiquity. But they’re something of a favourite of mine. They’re made by KP Snacks, and have been around for a long time, introduced in the late 1970s. Cheap and cheerful, good corner shop fare!
Well, where do we start? let’s deal with the controversy. They’re no longer 10p. But there appears to have been a format shift. 28g...
January 2012
7 posts
2 tags
Sainsbury - Cheddar & Spring Onion
This week I, somewhat reluctantly, return to the practice of reviewing crisps I’ve paid for. They’re ‘premium’ crisps, produced by Sainsburys. They’re evidently a challenge to Kettle Crisps, Red Sky, and their ilk. And they do a pretty good job of it.
The crisps look good. They’re all a bit uneven, and have a perfectly calculated amount of potato skin...
1 tag
Walkers - Dairy Flavoured Potato Chips
NOTE: I received these crisps free of charge. My review is not biased by this fact. The crisps are (and will) be judged solely on their merits, as always.
This is the final part of a three part series, the first of which is available here, the second here. It deals with the dairy flavour which I was most curious about, because ‘dairy’ is so nondescript. Egg? Cheese? Milk?...
Walker's - Spicy Flavour Potato Crisps
NOTE: I received these crisps free of charge. My review is not biased by this fact. The crisps are (and will) be judged solely on their merits, as always.
This is the second part of a three part series, the first of which is available here. It deals with the mysterious ‘spicy’ flavour crisps of which I had high hopes.
As with the last lot, these are your standard Walkers...
2 tags
Walker's - Meaty Flavour Potato Crisps
NOTE: I received these crisps free of charge. My review is not biased by this fact. The crisps are (and will) be judged solely on their merits, as always.
This is the first in a three part series of reviews, dealing with the mysterious (and as yet, unreleased) crisps sent to me by Walkers. Firstly, let me extend thanks to Walkers, and the one (also) known as Sam who I think decided I should...
1 tag
Something arrived today...
3 tags
Kettle Ridge Crisps - Salt & Malt Vinegar
Well, the first review of the new year isn’t anything unusual, but it is pretty tasty. I’ve given you some background about Kettle Foods before, so I won’t bother rehearsing that again. Here, then, is the review…
The ingredients here are pleasingly simple; Potatoes, Sunflower Oil, Sea Salt, Dried Malt Barley Vinegar, Natural Flavouring, Sugar, and Yeast Extract. With...
The Year in Crisps
I’ve nothing to share with you by way of a review this week, but though I should make a post to see the new year in with.
Firstly, happy new year! I’ve been running this blog for a number of months and it appears, by most accounts, to be a minor success. Thank you for reading, interacting with me on twitter, and not spamming me with nonsense. I’ve actually really enjoyed writing...
December 2011
4 posts
3 tags
Golden Wonder - Chip Shop Curry
I was looking for something festive to review this week. I could have looked harder, but I didn’t. So we’re stuck with something distinctly un-festive.
PICTURE FORTHCOMING (And I promise to get one on, this time).
I start the review with a question, this week. What is it with British attempts at ‘curry flavor’? Why do they always have a hint of raisin about them? I...
4 tags
Smith's - Scampi Fries
My oh my, what a treat this week. Another Walkers product, sure, but something a little different, and pretty damn tasty…
Let’s start, as we almost always do, with the ingredients. (I’m may have to come up with a new format for the new year, this approach is starting to get tedious, even by my standards.) They contain Wheatflour, Vegetable Oil, Maize, and all manner of...
3 tags
Blair's - Death Rain Habanero
Time for something special this week… Blair’s Death Rain Habanero. I’m aware of the Blair’s brand - he produces some mighty delicious hot sauces - and these crisps, but I was a little surprised to see them in a pub this week. Whilst I was busy working out whether crisps or beer represented best value for money my friend bought a bag. So, without further ado, let’s get...
2 tags
Greggs - Salt and Vinegar
I seems the veritable pasty retailer has ventured into the potato snack industry, or, at least, is getting someone to make them branded crisps. And that, my friends, is a good thing. In fact, more crisps is always good thing.
There’s little of note in the ingredients, just your standard “Potatoes, Sunflower Oil, Salt and Vinegar flavouring” combo; though the “Salt and...
November 2011
3 posts
3 tags
Sainsbury's - Salt & Vinegar Crunch Sticks
I’ve not yet reviewed any ‘own brand’ crisps, but there’s nothing too surprising about that. As with last week, these aren’t crisps in the strictest sense, but tasty none the less. Anyway, enough rambling, here we are…
PICTURE FORTHCOMING
The packet now declares “Improved Recipe”, and the crisps include “Maize; Dried Potato; High Oleic...
3 tags
Golden Wonder - Tangy Toms
More ‘untraditional’ goodness from Golden Wonder, in the shape of Tangy Toms. There’s little to say by way of introduction this week, so I’ll just dive straight in…
I think I’ll start with the ingredients here; Maize, Vegetable Oil and Tomato Flavouring. That’s Maize, not Potato, so we’ve not got a crisp here really, have we? Not that it...
4 tags
Samuel Smith's - Cheese and Onion
A nice bag of crisps for you this week, in Sam Smith’s Cheese and Onion. Samuel Smiths is a lovely chain of pubs, serving cheap beer and good food, with an express policy of not serving or supplying branded goods. But, as with so many crisps, they’re made by Walkers (edit; this might not be true, I remember being told it a few years ago, and Wikipedia agrees with me, but there’s...
October 2011
4 posts
4 tags
Smiths - Cheese Flavoured Moments
I was planning to review Smith’s Scampi Fries this week, but I had an experience on Wednesday which left me emotionally scarred and morally undermined. Before we progress, let’s note that Smiths are a Walkers product, not because it’s relevant to anything that follows, but because it’s nice to know.
Whilst carbonating crisps was an act of genius, filling a cereal shell...
4 tags
Royster's - T-Bone Steak
Royster’s Crisps are a Golden Wonder product, and one that I’ve seen from time to time but never had. It seems I’ve been missing out on something quite fantastic.
So, the ingredients. We’ve got Dried Potato, Sunflower Oil, and Steak Flavour (with a wide range of constituent ingredients, including MSG). Dried Potato is a first for me - that is to say I’ve not...
3 tags
Kettle Chips - Sea Salt and Balsamic Vinegar
More ‘premium’ crisps this week. The Kettle Foods company has been around since 1978 and Kettle Chip are, for me, the original premium crisp; or rather, the first premium crisp to make it big in the UK. They’re now a ubiquitous brand and hold a large market share here in the UK.
But without further ado, let’s get on with the review…
These crisps claim to be...
3 tags
Walker's - Cheese and Onion
After a couple of obscure numbers, I think it’s about time for another classic…
These are, probably, the quintessential cheese and onion crisp. And a bench mark which I can’t help comparing all other offerings to. Whilst they’re not as delicious as the Tayto offering I reviewed earlier, they’re an absolute classic.
The subtle creaminess of the cheese, and the...
September 2011
8 posts
4 tags
Red Sky - West Country Bacon & Cream Cheese
Red Sky crisps are Walkers response to crisps such as Kettle Crisps and Burts. But there’s nothing on the packet to indicate the provenance of the brand, either an attempt to truly distinguish these crisps, or an underhand marketing ploy. I’m not sure, and I’m not sure it really matters…
These crisps claim to be “made with 100% natural seasonings”, and the...
3 tags
Golden Cross - Mega Crunch
I’ve never heard of Golden Cross before, and the reverse of the packet proudly proclaims that the crisps are “MADE IN SCOTLAND”, which is nice. Yet, despite my unfamiliarity with the brand, I’m sure I’ve seen something like this before. Yeah, there’s definitely something familiar about a claw shaped, maize based, snack… I just can’t quite put my...
3 tags
McCoy's - Salt and Malt Vinegar
More man crisps from McCoy’s. But be relieved, I won’t rant on about the terrible branding this time, as I covered that in my McCoy’s Salted review.
Again - as with all standard packets of McCoy’s these come in a 32g packet (32g from Multi-pack, 50g if you buy them separate), and I can’t be bothered typing out the exhaustive ingredients list here.
These crisps...
3 tags
Tayto - Cheese and Onion
I stumbled across a packet of these crisps during a trip to Liverpool. This time last month I would have bought them thinking they were a cheap and unknown brand of crisps, but it turns out they’ve got quite a heritage. In fact, the internet tells me they were the first company to produce flavoured crisps, so I’ve got to extend a letter of thanks to the Tayto company for making my life...
3 tags
Seabrook's - Sea Salted
The final entry in my introductory series comes from Seabrooks. As a Yorkshire lad I’ve always thought of Seabrook’s crisps as a staple in the snack world, as well recognised as Walkers or McCoy’s. But alas, that’s not the case. It appears many in the South of England know nothing of these wonderful crisps.
In fact, the packet I’m reviewing was rather difficult to...
3 tags
McCoy's - Salted
And now, another introductory crisp review for your reading pleasure. Continuing the theme of standard, well recognised crisps, I thought I’d go for McCoy’s Salted. McCoy’s - a United Biscuits product - crisps are marketed ‘Man’s Crisp’ In fact, United Biscuits promote them “as the only overtly male-targeted crisp brand”, whatever that means.
...
3 tags
Walkers - Ready Salted
What would be better, for a first review, than a stalwart crisp? A crisp that everyone is likely to have eaten? The answer: Nothing. So here we go, let’s kick things off with a packet of Walkers Ready Salted.
According to Walkers, “11 million people will eat a Walkers product every day” and they are probably the most well known crisp brand in the UK. The logo can be seen around...
1 tag
What's All This, Then?
Holá, Wilkommen, Bonjour, and Hello! Now let’s dispense with the tedious introduction and cut straight to the chase…
I’ve started this blog, and I’m going to be reviewing crisps - or potato chips, for our friends across the pond - as and when I feel like it. But I’m not going to be too prescriptive with my definition of crisps, sure, crisps are meant to be potato...