Boulder Canyon Rice & Adzuki Bean Snack Chips Chipotle Cheese Flavor

Boulder Canyon Rice & Adzuki Bean Snack Chips Chipotle Cheese Flavor

Rating: A

Here are some chips selected for me by my love that I have to admit, I would easily walk right past, as they are not my typical chips of choice. A marvelous, healthier alternative with just as much kick, flavor and satisfying crunch offered in their junk food brethern, the Spicy Dorito. A super cheesy, savory, lip-smacking delight that goes a long way. Who knew healthy was so delicious? Not this chipper...

Would I purchase again?
You bet your bippy.

Best place to eat?
Stored in a zip lock baggy along side some other health food on a long summer hike. Or in the backseat of a car at the only drive-in in L.A.

Dip?
Corn and Black bean salsa, yes!

Miss Vickie's Smokehouse BBQ All Natural Kettle Chips

Rating: B-

These tasty morsels are a sub brand under the Frito-Lay snack umbrella and they certainly taste like a member of the family. The tangy BBQ flavored chip has a pretty weak crunch for chips claiming to be "kettle cooked", and quite small in size, but they are satisfying nonetheless. They remind me very much of the classic Lay's BBQ Flavor but with a slightly more scrumptious aftertaste.

Would I purchase again?
I think Miss Vickie certainly deserves another shot, especially with the other exciting but safe flavors offered.

Best place to eat?
Dur, at a BBQ. Or a campfire...

Dip?
Bush's Baked Beans. Imagine dipping these little babies in a batch of bacon-y beans!

Studio City Farmer's Market Kettle Korn (Ma + Pa's)

Rating: C

The county fair and farmer's market staple, Kettle Korn, is an old favorite of mine. Popcorn in general can satisfy me anytime of the day, any meal. Perhaps because of all the weekends spent at the cinema with a bucket in my lap...

This kettle korn was a little too sweet. The perfect kettle korn must have the perfect balance of sweet and salty, with the smallest hint of butter. Ma and Pa's delivered a sugary crunchy corn that left me craving the hot out of the kettle treats at the county fair.

Would I purchase again?
If I'm getting it straight from the kettle, maaaaybe.

Best place to eat?
Waiting in line for the Zipper, or on the car ride home from a long day at the amusement park.

Dip?
Usually best by itself.

Dorito's Blazin' Buffalo and Ranch

Rating: B-

Doritos have always been a reliable purveyor of odd flavors. My latest corn tortilla chip endeavor included these yummy dudes. The flavor started off decidedly Ranch and then the Buffalo kick crept up to say hello. Kind of the opposite of what it should be. They could be better balanced, but I'll just resign myself to enjoy the satisfying finger-licking of the spicy-cheesy residue left all over my fat little fingers.

Would I purchase again?

Yes, if accompanied by other spicy chip enthusiasts on a late night jaunt to Ralph's.

Best place to eat?

Zoned out in front of Planet Earth on the Big TV.

Dip?

A little fresh avocado to splice the spice would be nice.

Trader Joe's Cheddar Cheese Pita Chips

Rating: A-

Yum.  After a my first trip down the Trader Joe's Pita Chip collection, the Cinnamon Sugar variety, I moved onto the Cheddar Cheese Flavor. An extra crunchy, real strong cheddar experience was in store.  A satisfying munch that reminds me of Goldfish crackers topped with baked parmesan.  Similar to the perfect crispy crust I top my homemade Mac n' Cheese.  The only downside was occasionally coming across a pita that was toasted slightly too much.  

Would I purchase again?

Wholeheartedly.  

Best place to eat?

Anywhere but I enjoy it in the office mostly while working away on the computer.

Dip?

Perhaps a perfect companion for some Veggie Chili.  For a simpler addition, sour cream straight up as not to over power the delish Cheddariness.

Luck o' the Papas Fritas

I've now been in L.A. officially for over a year. I am using St. Patrick's Day as an anniversary date as it is one of the most memorable days of my first few weeks in L.A.  I was driving over an hour everyday to my job in Santa Monica, I wore Lakers colors (purple and gold) by accident, I had tea and sandwiches with my Aunt Sybil(not really my Aunt), and I went downtown to a shitty Irish barf-fest with my male roommates where beer was green and it cost 8 dollars.

This year I played things my way. Now I drive one mile to work.  I wore a delightful combination of mint and forest green to work.  I ate a DELICIOUS Philly cheese steak at Cafe Al Dente. I hung at my favorite place, Bar One, with some lovely Jewish American Hos, Tiffany and Lauren. Oh and Beau too.

The highlight of the evening was the walk home from the bar (what a luxury) and a stop at one of the four in a 1 mile radius 7-Elevens by my house where Beau bought me Sabritas Habanero Limon Papas Fritas. Oh dear St. Patrick.  What a treat of potatoey goodness.  

These babies brought the heat with a twinkle of lime.  I need a glass of H2O near by to fully enjoy them as I am a wuss when it comes to spice.  Overall they are a surprisingly flavorful chip that I fully intend on adding to my 7 Eleven jaunts every now and then.  

All in all I had a pretty spectacular St. Patrick's Day, followed by a beautiful, warm day at Pointe Dume in Malibu.  I'm happy to be L.A. 

Reduced Guilt

 Had a Game Night last night since I'm too broke to go to bars for companionship.  In my manic preparation of impending guests in my home, I didn't really eat anything thing all day aside from some pizza after seeing "The Watchmen" with Mike and some other Nerds.  Luckily, many of my very giving friends brought some goodies to nosh on.  

Among the favorites were Audie's spectacular Chocolate Chip Cookies and Tiffany's Trader Joe's Reduced Guilt Lightly Salter Kettle Cooked Potato Chips.  These lightly salted bad boys were the perfect companion with Audie's cookies.  A decent crunch and scrumptious taste for diet chips.  They went far too quick as I could use a little pick me up out of my hangover this very moment.  My head is throbbing a bit too much to blather on.  

La la la la Bamba!

Bamba happens to be one of my favorite Israeli treats. I bought a bag in a gift shop along the Banias, thinking they were Israeli Cheetos (I found actual Israeli Cheetos later at a gas station and bought about 5 different varieties), however, these little puffed out corn meal noshes are covered in a peanut flavored coating.  

A little salty, the tiniest bit of peanut butter sweet, Bamba tastes like peanut butter crackers that come 6-8 in a cellophane pack, which I LOVE.  

Couldn't really buy enough Bamba while I was over there, especially with all the flavors(Chocolate Bamba is a peanut/cocoa delight that resemble Combos's snacks) but luckily I live a stone's throw from an amazing Kosher supermarket, Cambridge Farms.  The past two Shabbats I've made my way to the cluttered and insanely busy store to purchase Krembo (malo mars), Burekas, and Herr's Potato Chips and this time I picked up some Bamba to soothe my hunger pangs.  

The only thing I don't like about Bamba is the Bamba Baby.  Just a frightening image.  He reminds me of the Baby in the "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" short.  *shudder*

Of course!

Jason Clearfield.  The giver of gifts.  The deliverer of chips.  Dear friend and former sweetheart.

Thank you for the most excellent mystery (now solved) of the Zapp's Box of Deliciousness.

My Sour Valentine

I love Valentine's Day.  I always have, even when I'm a single lady (oof, I don't like that phrase anymore), and I always will.  Truthfully any holiday with the promise of food, candy and dressing up in specific colors or outfits to identify that you are indeed celebrating that holiday is alright by me.  

This year was a single affair, although I did expect at least a giant heart shaped cookie cake out of the day, and courtesy of my work Valentine, Mair, I had a frosting covered rainbow chip delight, along with a festive pack of Airheads candy.  I gave out Valentine's bearing the image of my 2008 obsession, a Waste Allocation Load Lifter *Earth class and a Extraterrestrial Vegetation Evaluator.  The Sweetheart candies produced by the same people who bring you Necco wafers that were part of the folded valentines, were not as popular as the homemade treats delivered by my co-workers.

My night ended up the opposite of what I expected (although I really had few expectations)

and I found myself wandering around my neighborhood 7-11 at about 11:30pm in search of my much craved for comfort chip, Lay's Sour Cream and Onion. I had already finished the bag of Zapp's Spicy Creole Tomato Spiked with Tabasco early on in the week.  A true delight in the Zapp's flavor line-up.  My worries of too much spice to make for an enjoyable chip were silly.  It was a perfect, tangy and savory, crunchy kettle chip with the most enjoyable kick of spice.  Zapp's, will you be my post-Valentine?

At first, it appeared the 7-11 did not carry my much needed crisps, and considering I had just walked 3 blocks in the

 frigid Los Angeles night air (it was at least 40 F, haters!), I was facing the fact that I just might need to compromise on the 7 Select Brand of Sour Cream and Onion Kettle Potato Chips.  Then at long last, I found my savior taters, the Lay's Sour Cream and Onion, and I knew the night would be less lonely, especially with the three bags I stuffed in my 7-11 bag.  I also brought the 7-11 in house brand home with me, to accompany the 7-11 staple, the Double Gulp, mixed inside, Dr. Pepper and Diet Dr. Pepper.  

When my Valentine's and I arrived home, we cozied up to the PowerBook with my over watched DVD copy of 'Gone With the Wind' and a much smaller than the afternoon's cookie cake covered in Valentine themed icing.   I finished all those bags within 12 hours.  

The 7-11 Select Sour Cream and Onion Kettle Chips weren't too nice,  they reminded me of french onion powdered soup mix with the tiniest flecks of green onion in the aftertaste.  The Lay's, however, remain my all time favorite, widely available potato chip.

As long as I have the foods that erase my sadness, and a metabolism that keeps me from acquiring a fat ass, Valentine's Day will remain satisfying, despite my relationship status.

Kittens Inspired By Kittens!

This is completely relevant.  Just wait for the :50 time mark.

The Lonely Life.

Companions for my loneliness the weekend 2.6.09 - 2.8.09: 'Coraline in 3D', 'Gavin and Stacy', and M.I.A. at the Grammy's.

I'd throw in some Big Sugar cookies eaten in there too.  This rainy February weekend in L.A. has been pretty full of delicious food and entertainment.  It helps to have my mind focused on gorging on yums and not thinking about other things.  

'Coraline', the meticulous stop motion picture, geeked me out! The 3D was graceful and complimented the picture rather than detracting from the children's story.  It was also terribly frightening.  If I was cruel, and I did take a child under the age of ten to see this, I probably would have been chasing a wailing crybaby out of the cinema.  

'Gavin and Stacy'! Not having cable bums me out when I end up missing out on gems like this.  The BBC delivered such an adorable, funny show that I am fully obsessed with now.  Saturday night I spent the night in watching the first two episodes that made me turn into jelly.  

Watched the Grammy's at Nick's home on Sunday, partly because pizza was involved.  I honestly couldn't care less about that awards show.  Who does, really?  You are lying.  The only interesting moments of the night were M.I.A.'s 'ready to drop dat babay dance' and the rumor of Chris Brown beating down Rhianna in a rented Lambo.  Craaazy. Also, I was able to share with the group, the latest from my mystery box from Zapp's.

Zapp's Mesquite Bar-b-que. A crunchy tater, however quite lackluster in flavor. I suppose I prefer a tangy, slightly spicy BBQ chip, and this one just didn't cut it for me.  Sometimes it's nice for a chip using the best potatoes to keep it simple and not let the added flavor overtake the crisp, however I thought Zapp's would surely keep up the good work after sampling the INCREDIBLE Cajun Dill flavor.  I wish I had another bag of those.  

This Potato Chip is no longer Kosher.

There wasn't a bag of potato crisps gobbled last night.  There was only one.  A trendy diner's attempt to impress me and all the drunk people of Los Feliz with their fancy versions of diner staples such as a bacon, egg and hash brown bap complete with a single, crispy, slice of potato attached to a toothpick sticking out of the sandwich like a crown. A mere garnish.

Fred 62 did manage to impress this one, because while the chip was a little oily and stuck to the toothpick in a slightly unsettling way, they sure hit a home run on the breakfast sandwich. The buttered bun is what really sent it down the line into my very pleased belly.  I also doused this very non-Kosher food (on Shabbat no less) in "maple syrup" (I won't pay extra for the "real stuff' as servers always encourage when you ask for syrup) to achieve the eggy, syrupy, porky and cheesy delight I happily consumed the previous night at the Noho Diner in the Valley, the Monte Cristo.  I forgot how much I had always wanted to try the Monte Cristo.  

Working at Clarke's in Chicago introduced me to the delectable sammie.  Though, I did curse the customer in my head whenever one was ordered.  It was the server's responsibility to give the kitchen the bread for the Monte Cristo.  Why the cooks could not have their own stock of bread to pluck from in the kitchen was beyond me.  On a few occasions I would forget and get yelled at by a cook, one of the jerk owners, or by a customer.  

I've become quite self destructive with my late night syrup sandwiches.  I promise I will stop(soon) and get back to the tater chips.  Today I will continue with the Zapp's box of Louisiana chippies. 

Oh and go see 'Coraline'.  One of the most beautiful things I've seen. Make sure you do 3D.  

SixBurgh!

Congratulations, SixBurgh!!  Yes, we put a ring on it... 

Super Bowl Sunday was the most spirited I've ever been while watching professional sports.  A thrilling, nail-biter watched with

 fellow Yinzer's on a breathtaking 20 inch flat screen was all I could have hoped for on Sunday, and that's exactly what I got.  Also I had the pleasure of enjoying pierogies and kielbasa washed down with Iron City Beer (thanks to the Cap in Cork in Los Feliz).  

The lively crew that witnessed history on February 1st also had the pleasure of testing the second specimen from my mystery gift of Zapp's Potato Chips, the Lightly Salted Sweet Potato Chip.

I'm a huge fan of sweet potatoes. They are the perfect addition 

to any steak dinner and recently I discovered Trader Joe's Sweet Potato Fries which are the best oven fries I've ever eaten.  While these chips are satisfying in the salty/sweet combo department, the taste of burned potatoes is quite strong.  I hope another bag (possibly from a different batch) will leave me a happier chip lady.  No victory for the taste buds, but a victory for the City of Champions!

Dan Rooney would like to "thank President Obama..." 

HEALTH

Since I've returned, my goal is to stay fit. Hiking several miles each day, eating nothing but hard boiled eggs, hummus and vegetables (with many attempts at finishing shwarma and falafel pitas) all while drinking enough water for the clearest urine in the land left me feeling quite svelte.  

Not only does my body look better, my brain feels better sans the herb.  In hopes of completing the circle of healthy mind, body, soul, I finally signed up for my Los Angeles Public library card.  There is a book I've been anxious to read and did a little research last night to find the closest library to my humble Valley abode. Echo Park was the location closest with the book in stock so this afternoon after a little Bonnie Hunt Show (I can't help it) and some sit-ups, I made my way to the east side.  

When I got there, the friendly clerk supplied me with my shiny new key to knowledge and culture.  I made my way to the Fiction section only to find exactly what I was not in search of.  A few minutes at the computer delivered some frustration and disappointment. The book I drove specifically to that branch for (I check last night and right before I left my house) was 'in transit'.  Foiled.  

To make-up for it, I picked out a half dozen compact discs and went on my way.  On the drive up Temple, I noticed a juice place and hoping to find pomegranate juice, I stopped.  No pom, no grapefruit but I did discover a brand of potato chips , Rusty's Island Chips . 

Amongst the array of healthy snacks and juice smoothies at the Tribal Cafe, I chose Rusty and his thick, crunchy taters. Apparently they are hand made chips, something you rarely see.  They complimented my Ginger Carrot soup mush and water with basil (?) and lemon quite nicely. A pretty standard kettle chip, however less greasy and cleaner tasting than the competition.  The intense crunch did cause some alarm for the safety of my gums, however. 

Israeli Lay's, Elite, Walker's Mystery Bag #1

A Smokey Grill.  That's all I really had to go off of when I selected this awesome package from an Israeli petrol station.

A worldwide recognized symbol of delish potato chips is the yellow circle with the red banner, indicating a Frito-Lays or Walker's product.  Due to a lackluster education in Hebrew school, I was reduced to pictures and subliminal color combinations when choosing my snacks.

All this standard bag of goodness provided was a picture of a smokey grill.  My reasoning concluded this would be some sort of liquid smoke treat.  As the whole country is pretty much Kosher, I realized it would be unheard of to add some illustrated baby back ribs on top of that lonely grill.

The chips are quite small and have a Pringles-like consistency in size.  The hue is light orange with some spice specks.  They taste lightly of BBQ, nothing overwhelming, which works well with the MSG bait that keeps me going until the bag is finished in less than 30.   

The downside to this compulsive munching is the burning sensation they produce around my lips. To a passerby they might think I've had a bit of a lip licking problem for awhile as my mouth is quite red and swollen.  

I will remain behind closed doors while I finish these mouth rapers. Hmm...not the most pleasant image to leave on.  

Special Delivery

People can be so lovely.
I'm ECSTATIC.  My plea in my last post did not go unnoticed as I thought for some kind, giving, chip loving philanthropist bestowed upon me a box of crisps unknown to me. Zapp's of Louisana.

Since I returned from Israel a few days ago, I've been pretty bummed out, and today was the turnaround.  I woke at 7am and posted one of many photo albums of my trip on Facebook (would have posted more if Facebook were behaving better), did some excercise, went for a run, ate a fufilling meal of sweet potato fries, turkey breast and broccoli, and even showered all in time for work at 3pm.  

Work started on a pleasant note as my friend and co-worker, Jesi, surprised me with a fresh young coconut from Vegan Plate!  When I arrived at my desk I noticed a brown square box sitting on top of it adressed to my name.  Another Box of Louisiana's Own Zapp's Potato Chips read the box.  I open it and it is filled with mouth-watering flavors such as Cajun Dill Gator-Tators and Sweet Potato Lightly Salted and intriguing such as Spicy Creole Tomato Spiked with Tabasco! 

My first thought was who is the wonderful person who sent me these so I dug into the box looking for a card.  I found a white envelope with a note from Zapp's inside with the message,"Happy Holidays. Good luck with the blog".  

As you can see, no signature indicating the giver of a most appreciated gift.  I've racked my brain and I think I know who delivered these delectable crisps my way.  So thank you Matthew Kirsch.  If I am mistaken, I apologize and look forward to discovering the mystery.  It completely made my day and I have a new favorite crisp.

Cajun Dill Gator-Tators

While in Israel, I developed an intense love for the pickles I ate at every meal.  They were dilly, sour and kind of hot.  These chips bring that subtle flavor into a completely well rounded spud.  They are cooked in peanut oil, which in my opinion, makes for a crispy, crunchy, nutty chip.  Slightly sweet and sour, I am reminded of the Israeli pickles I enjoyed so much.

I look forward to tasting, no, devouring the rest of the flavors in the pack that arrived this afternoon.  

Thank you Mr. (or Mrs.)Fellow Chip Lover!

*Note--While in Israel I procured some yummy Israeli crisps and puffs that I fully plan on blogging on for the next many entries, interspersed with my box of Zapp's, of course.