The history of the potato chip is like many other American snack foods. An angry chef in Saratoga, NY was fed up with a picky customer complaining that his potatoes were too soggy. Determined to fix the problem the chef, George Crum, sliced a potato so thin there would be no way it could be soggy. He fried them in boiling hot oil until they were completely crisp and then salted the heck out of them. In 1853 it was unheard of for a diner to use his hands to eat so Crum thought he was really sticking it to this unruly customer. Instead, the customer LOVED this "crunchy potato slice" and it soon became a Saratoga standby. Thus the potato chip was born. Mass production began in the early 1900s but it wasn't until the invention of the sealed bag that potato chips became a mainstream american staple. Interestingly, it wasn't until the 1950s that potato chips were sold with salt on them. Prior to then they were sold with seasoning packets so the customer could add the salt when they opened the bag. It took a little company in Ireland, Tayto, to develop the technology to add seasoning during production.
The popularity of the potato chip sparked the production of other fried, salted snacks such as corn chips (Fritos, SunChips), tortilla chips (Doritos, Tostitos), baked chips (Baked Lays), and pringles (which are made from a ground potato dough that is extruded into chip form and deep fried). By now you've realized that I like chips. I've eaten a lot of chips throughout the years and I've had some good ones and some bad ones. So here it is, my top five favorite chips (in no particular order).
1. Jimmy Johns Regular or Salt and Vinegar Chips - Those of you that have eaten at Jimmy Johns know that their chips are some of the best. This is a thick, extra crunchy chip with plenty of salt. The regular chips are awesome but go out on a limb and try the salt and vinegar. It is a perfect balance of salt and sour that goes great with a Billy Club or a Turkey Tom.
2. Cooler Ranch Doritos - Doritos brand tortilla chips have recently branched out into a wide variety of flavors but like always, the original is still the best. I've eaten an entire bag of these delicious triangles in one sitting on several occasions. They are even better with an ice cold can of PBR.
3. Krunchers Mesquite BBQ - Krunchers brand potato chips were always a fancy treat growing up. They came in a smaller bag than regular lays and cost a lot more. But every once in a while we'd splurge and get these amazing crisps. The BBQ flavor is superb. I've never had a better barbecued chip.
4. El Matador Tortilla Chips - This is a chip company based in Grand Rapids, MI so you know it must be good. This is a super thick, super crunchy corn tortilla chip covered in what I've always assumed is popcorn salt. The extra thickness of the chip makes it perfect for salsa or any other hearty dip. I recommend a spinach artichoke dip for these chips.
5. Cheddar Cheese Pringles - There is something about that tube of chips that brings out the kid in all of us. I know the first thing I do when I pop that top is make a duck bill with the chips. The cheddar cheese flavor is my personal favorite. I love a good artificial cheese flavor and Pringles makes one of the best.
Hope I've wetted your appetite for a crispy snack. Leave your favorite chips in the comments section. Cheers!
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