Lay's Hamka's Original

Dutch taste tester's sister (also Dutch) (obviously) came to visit with her husband (he's also Dutch) and brought a pile of exciting (Dutch) treats with her. Including this very exciting packet of crisps (which are Dutch).

I often peer over Dutch taste tester's shoulder as she lusts after Dutch treats on Dutch websites (in Dutch); it seems you just can't buy Dutch goodies in this country. No, not even in London. Not what Dutch taste tester really wants, anyway. I had picked these crisps as something to lust after myself. And lo! here they are.

Wow! Much bigger than I was expecting. A whole mouthful all at once. Not a crisp at all of course, because it's made of maize, so more of a crispy snack in a similar sort of style to Monster Munch but in a checkerboard pattern. And not a scary Monster Munch style flavour.

Rather a smokey flavour to start off with, but more and more moreish as you have another, and yet another. In fact, very tasty. Sort of hammy, and sort of cheesy. And a lovely light crunch. Very nice.

So many thanks to Dutch taste tester's sister.

ROKA Cheese Crispies (re-post)

Boxing Day! A time to recover from the excessive eating and drinking of Christmas Day, although in fact the Chef and I really don't eat or drink that much. Our house will not be filled with tonnes of leftover Christmas pudding and turkey; we haven't bought any in the first place so we don't need to worry how to be creative with leftovers. For others it is a time to rush out and do a massive post Christmas shop. I have never really understood that so I don't know what everyone is shopping for, and I do feel sorry for the shop workers who probably worked late on Christmas Eve and then have to work Boxing Day too.

I am lucky. I can slump around doing nothing much and wonder why whoever it was thought I might like whatever it was they gave me? Please note that I am writing before Christmas Day, so I haven't opened any of my presents yet. So maybe I am wondering how they knew I would be so pleased? Yes, socks can be a fabulous present if they are made of cashmere, or you know what? Why not just give me a crispy snack?

Anyway, I would like to re-post one of my favourite crispy snacks. This is, and remains, one of my all time favourites. And always will be. I wrote this post in 2013.

A very long time ago in the 1960s we had a yellow and blue tin with a picture of a cow on it. And the ROKA biscuits lived in that tin. They were expensive - possibly because they came in a tin - so we didn't have them very often, and we called them Cow Biscuits. Because of the picture on the tin.

This is a very old memory but a real one; not prompted by photographs of very small me and my smaller brother eating crisps.

I don't know what happened to our original tin or tins but I found this on eBay. Amazing! Just how I remember it. I still need to attack it with wire wool  to get rid of the rust but I've got to say I'm pretty thrilled with my purchase.

But look at this: ROKA Cheese Crispies are still made, and they haven't changed a bit. Oh, they make all sorts of fancy new versions but the basic Crispie is just the same as ever. Or is it a Crispy? Well, anyway, it's a small cheese biscuity thing. And they still make them!

 These are very delicate little biscuits, like cheese straws in a way, with a delicate cheesy taste. It's Gouda cheese from The Netherlands - which does have a delicate taste. Nothing shouty like mature cheddar. I guess they're made in the same way as puff pastry with lots and lots of very fine layers, and they break along the fault lines between the layers. You really need to take care when you bite because otherwise a chunk will drop off and then it's gone forever.

I have a very strict rule about not eating stuff that falls on the floor. I gather some people have a 5 second rule but for me if it falls on the floor I'm not eating it. And that would be a waste.

Cheese Crispies are so good but for some reason they are even better if you warm them slightly. I wouldn't put them in the oven, but maybe if you have an open fire put a little bowlful by the hearth and they'll taste even better after a couple of minutes. Yum.

So these Crispies come very very highly recommended although please don't expect a modern exciting taste. It's not about excitement. It's not about a big spicy taste. It's about a gentle grown-up cheesy biscuit that tastes very good with a glass of sherry or champagne.

They probably taste pretty good with anything although maybe not a cup of coffee.

You can still get ROKA Cheese Crispies in a tin if you look hard enough. They usually come in a cardboard box, with the crispies in an airtight silver baggie. But as I write Lakeland are selling tins at £6.99 which is quite a lot for two packets of cheesy biscuits. But I guess if I got one of these tins now I wouldn't have to buy one off eBay in my old age. Something to consider perhaps. Maybe I could even sell it on eBay in my old age?

Brilliant.

Tesco Penguin Bites

Since when were penguins seasonal? By which I mean, since when were penguins the sort of creature that along with robins and reindeer feature on Christmas cards and wrapping paper?

Robins I understand of course. The Robin Redbreast is a constant feature of the British countryside, and indeed townside. Although that's not actually a word. And at this time of year with few leaves on the trees it's easy to spot all the robins that sing so loudly everywhere I go.

And reindeer. Well, who would question the festive reindeer? I have even seen festive reindeer in Sydney in the middle of an Australian heatwave. Poor things, they were even less happy than I was to be celebrating Christmas in such heat. Don't misunderstand me, I have lovely friends in Sydney but the heat and the sunshine felt all wrong to someone brought up on damp, raw, dark British Christmases. Fairy lights and tinsel don't work so well when the sun shines so brightly.

But penguins? Is it the snow do you suppose? Could it be the John Lewis ad from 2014 featuring Monty the Penguin? 

August 2014: Very sadly this link is now private. And I can’t get us access.

If you have never seen this utterly charming commercial do click on the link. Maybe it's something to do with the Penguins of Madagascar (who I love, but I find they're more fun in French). Who knows. But whatever it is here we have a festive Christmas penguin snack.

This is a crispy snack made from maize, potato and tapioca. And basically it's a sort of Pom Bear in disguise. A vaguely penguiny disguise. And it has a light fluffy foamy bite and a light slightly salty sort of a taste. And quite nice.

Merry Christmas! Perhaps there'll be a penguin under your Christmas tree this year. But don't forget, crisp fans, penguins are for life, not just for Christmas.

Simba Salt & Vinegar Flavoured Potato Crisps

This small packet of crinkle cut crisps from South Africa came for one of the local kosher delis. Which was a bit of a surprise. However, on close inspection of the packet I see that these crisps are both parev and halaal. So there we are.

This is a very nice crisp, good bite a lovely sweet salt & vinegar flavour. I liked them a lot. Tall Elegant taste tester liked them too. A tasty reliable crisp that I would certainly buy again.

Not super exciting but very tasty.

Tesco Potato Chips Ready Salted

Wow this is an old fashioned crispy snack! When I was very small we used to call them chipples. And somehow they seemed just the right size for a child's fingers. Now I am grown up they seem very small and actually quite hard to pick up.

Slightly Red Haired Bristolian was a big fan. I suspect several of the other taste testers were big fans too but they did not admit to it. However, since most of a large bowlful went missing during the course of the day I deduce that someone, indeed several someones, was eating this crispy snack. And I cannot let Slightly Red Haired Bristolian take all the blame or the credit.

Very small. Very simple. Rather crunchy. Called "Ready Salted" but I'd thought could qualify as slightly salted. Just not very exciting.

Burt's Guinness Rich Beef Chilli

History Graduate taste tester went to Dublin for 2 days as you do when you are young and full of energy. And he brought us back a packet of Guinness crisps.

Although [spoiler alert] these crisps are in fact made in Devon by Burt's. Of course they are. Cooked by Richard 2 and grown in a field called Roseworthy. You know, speaking as one of the nerdiest crisp writers around, I feel sure I have eaten crisps grown in that field before. Well, perhaps not. I can only lay my hands on a crisp (potato) grown in a field called Roundwood. Give me time....

Anyway, these richly coloured crisps have an attractive hand cooked look to them and a rich meaty chilli casserole flavour. Although the reluctant taste testers rather liked this crisp we couldn't quite put our collective finger on exactly what they taste of. But it is tasty. And while hot, not too hot.

Nice. But could anyone detect a taste of Guinness? Not sure that we could. Not really.

But maybe if you made a nice beef stew and chucked in half a bottle of Guinness instead of stock or red wine, maybe you wouldn't expect to taste the stout particularly. You'd be looking for a rich taste and I'm guessing that's what you'd get.

Very Guinnessy packaging.

Walkers Stax Limited Edition Sour Cream & Onion

Walkers Stax? Since when?

Lay's Stax, yes. Of course I've seen them on websites and so on, but they've never been available in this country. Because as you know, we don't have the Lay's brand here.  But Lay's is Walkers in disguise (or vice versa) and maybe Walkers have decided to trial a Stax brand.

So what do we think?

Well, obviously this is the Walkers (Lay's) version of a Pringle. Stax come in a tube but with  a cardboard lid not a plastic one. And Pringles are circular while Stax are more of an oblong. Which I like. Because they fit in my mouth better. Pringles are too big. Or I have a small mouth.

But aside from that this is pretty much the same product. Doing its best to avoid copyright issues.

Most of the reluctant taste testers (except those who don't enjoy Pringles) rather enjoyed this crispy snack and quite a lot were eaten up. I have to say that when I first tried I thought the oniony taste was very strong, and then it rather grew on me. But since I had some sour cream and chive dip handy I tried it with these crisps.

You might suppose that a sour cream and chive dip combined with a sour cream and onion crispy snack would be too much of a good thing. But guess what? The two tastes combined to successful effect and I thought worked very well.

What did we think? Rather good. Now, can I find another flavour before this limited edition disappears forever?

KP Frosted Maple Syrup Roast Peanuts & Cashews with Plain Chocolate Chunks

I guess you might suppose that this here packet of frosted nuts is a companion to the ultra fabulous KP Frosted Honey Roast Peanuts & Cashews mixed with pieces of Belgian Milk Chocolate Honeycomb nuts. And yes, it seems to be. There are Christmas trees on the packet and it all looks very similar.

But is this nut selection as fabulous? Sadly, for us at any rate, the answer is no.

Perhaps if we had tried this version first this would have been the fabulous one. But I suspect not. The maple syrup flavour doesn't seem to work as well as the honey roast, which I have always loved, and the chunks of plain chocolate simply cannot compete with the milk chocolate coated honeycomb chunks. Why no plain chocolate coated honeycomb? That could have been great.

Don't leave a packet on the supermarket shelf just because the Chef & I didn't enjoy this as much as the Frosted Honey Roast version. You might love this fancy nut selection.

Walkers: The Little Guy Throwing His Rubbish Away Responsibly

Recycling is obviously the way to go, and both at home and at work I try to recycle as much as possible. But I'm sure we all know that much crispy snack packaging is not recyclable, or if it is... do you actually know anywhere that will take it? Often the answer to that is no.

So you have to throw the packet away. Hence the importance of the little guy throwing his rubbish away responsibly; with any luck reminding you to make sure os the nearest bin when you have finished your snack.

Not noticed the little guy? Take a look at the back of your next packet of crisps and see if it has a little guy.

If your crisps are made by Walkers, chances are there will be a little guy, and even better Walkers will have commissioned a nice design to reflect the style of crispy snack.

So how can I direct you attention to these little guys? Take a look. There are quite a lot to choose from I know, and I can't make you look at them all, but they are all different.

1. Walkers Doritos Ultimate Cheeseburger which was part of a shootout (as it were) to decide between Cheeseburger flavour and Spicy Salsa. And the "little guy" design is great; the little guy is weighing up a triangle against a .... well it looks awfully like a slice of toast. Seems a bit weird but I'm not going to argue.

2. Walkers Baked Cheese & Onion I can't make up my mind whether or not this little guy is in fact a woman. The hair is very short, but the body shape is less manly than usual. Anyway, this little guy has been used for more than one style of crisp. This is a Tear'n'Share packet.

3. Walkers Quavers Cheese Flavour Everyone knows light and fluffy Quavers. And here's the little guy sitting on a floating fluffy quaver. Great!

4. Walkers Max Flamin' Hot has a slightly odd little guy. For reasons best known to Walkers, he is chucking the packet into the bin backwards, over his shoulder.

This came from a discontinued Walkers brand called Red Sky.

5. Walkers Baked Hoops and Crosses Roast Beef has a completely different style of little guy based entirely on the shape of the snack.

6.Walkers French Fries Ready Salted is a long thin snack.... so the little guy is very long and thin

Where did this guy come from? I can't remember now. Juggling little guys is time consuming and not a little confusing!

7. Walkers Sunbites Sour Cream (and cracked black pepper) Flavour has a little guy with a halo! These crispy snacks may be better for you than some but I'm not sure they quite deserve a halo.

8. and Mega Monster Munch Pickled Onion obviously has monster throwing his rubbish away responsibly. Because that's what monsters do.

9. Walkers Baked Wotsits Really Cheesy Who is throwing away the bag here? A mouse! Of course.

10.Walkers Bugles Southern Style BBQ bugles are triangular bugle shapes so naturally the rubbish bin on this packet is triangular.

11.Walkers Deep Ridged Salt & Malt Vinegar And here a climber in search of a bin. Because Walkers Deep Ridged crisps are so steeply ridged you probably ought to rope yourself to a group of experienced climbers in order to better enjoy them.

Finally, here's an example of a little guy from a multi pack of Walkers Crinkles. Why is this guy bending his knees do you suppose? I can't answer that, but I can point out that he has his sleeves rolled up.

It would be nice to think that printing this little image on crisp packets would encourage snackers not to throw the empty packets on to the pavement or stuff them into the nearest hedge. Sadly local evidence would suggest otherwise. We are lucky enough to have hard working street sweepers. But I notice there are all too many crisp packets to be swept up.

And here's a picture of Tall taste tester. Actually I was photographing this beautiful tunnel at Kings Cross station but he boldly leapt into the shot just as I was about to click. Anyone else reminded of the Man from Uncle? Not Tall taste tester - the tunnel itself!

Lidl Deluxe Sweet Chilli & Sour Cream Extra Crunchy Skin-On Hand Cooked Potato Crisps

History Graduate taste tester went off to to take the theory part of his driving test, and flushed with success (because, dear reader, of course he passed with flying colours) he rushed into a Lidl supermarket and purchased a packet of crisps. Obviously.

And boy do these crisps have a long name. And weirdly, they don't say Lidl on the front of the packet. Although, I guess, you can only buy Lidl crisps in a branch of Lidl, so perhaps they don't feel the need to tell us. It says Lidl UK GmbH in tiny writing on the back. At the bottom. But luckily, we know this anyway because History Graduate went to Lidl.

Slightly Red Haired Bristolian was a fan, and Tall taste tester was a really big fan. "There's a Lidl in my road," he confided. "I might go there at the weekend and buy a packet for Christmas."

Nice little crisps, I like the skin left on and they really do look hand cooked. The Chef has carried out a controlled experiment and discovered they work extremely well with a sour cream & chive dip. He's right. They do.

I think most of the reluctant taste testers quite liked this crisp, but not all could pick a flavour and perhaps found that a bit of a flaw. I couldn't pick the flavour either but it didn't stop me enjoying some of these crisps, plus a little dip.

And the Chef has given these crisps his seal of approval. If he were in a TV ad perhaps he would  tap the packet in an appreciative fashion. You know how people in commercials do? I call this the tap of approval - I am sure there must be a technical term but I don't know what it is.

More Lidl news: this packet features the biggest barcode I have ever seen. I have turned the packet sideways so that you get the full effect. I daresay this makes it easier to scan?