Chips

The kettle chips market is certainly tough to crack, thanks to Kettle Brand's overarching dominance (we're pretty smitten with the brand's Spicy Thai and Cheddar Beer varieties). Nonetheless, we were excited to sample two flavors from a new contender. While the novel flavor combinations may have drawn us in (Tuscan Style Garlic and Herbs and Sicilian Style Asiago and Tomato) we were most intrigued by the choice of frying oil in Olive Coast kettle cooked potato chips. Keeping with their Mediterranean flavor theme, these snacks are made with olive oil, rather than the more common sunflower and safflower oils.

See whether olive-oil-fried kettle chips are worth the hype when you read more.

From Cheerwine soda to Del's Lemonade, I'm a sucker for regional food products. For years now, I've been hearing about Zapp's Chips, the famous kettle-style chips that hail from Louisiana — and for years, they've eluded me.

That is, until yesterday, when I happened upon them at the bodega below our office. I stopped in to buy a pre-workout energy bar. There, amongst a sea of sallow yellow Lay's bags, was one single, lone package of Zapp's Chips — in the legendary Voodoo flavor, no less.

What is a bag of Voodoo chips, one might ask? Read on to find out.

From Mexican curtido to lamb-stuffed poppers, I'm a sucker for all things jalapeño. So, when I spotted a new flavor of Sun Chips — Jalapeño Jack — on a trip down the Walgreens chip aisle, I couldn't help but drop one into my shopping basket.

Sun Chips and I have held a long, stable relationship that dates back to infancy. I eat the original, harvest cheddar, and french onion flavors with gusto, although I've spent moments wishing the fourth flavor, Garden Salsa, could've added more spice to my life. I enjoy the chip's zesty, tomatoey taste, but can't help but wonder why, like a real bowl of salsa, this chip doesn't have more bite.

With the new Jalapeño Jack variety, I will wonder no more. There's something about its invitingly tangy smell, its white farmstead cheese flavor, and the lingering kick of some seriously substantial jalapeño that keeps me reaching back for another bite. It's official: the new Jalapeño Jack variety is my favorite Sun Chip flavor. What's your preferred jalapeño-flavored chip?

We've been confident that potato chip alternatives are soon to be a huge snack food trend, and sure enough, nearby grocery stores are have finally jumped on the black bean, lentil, and kale chip bandwagon. This weekend I spotted something new that I'd never seen before: Baked Nut Chips, by Blue Diamond Growers, the makers of those tasty smokehouse- and wasabi-flavored almonds.

Just looking at the bag made me feel healthy: "Irresistible snacking! Smart eating!" it declared. "Contains 20 grams of whole grain from brown rice, and 81 percent less saturated fat than potato chips." These crisps, made from almonds and brown rice, are also a suitable alternative to anyone allergic to wheat or gluten. Curious to try a chip made of nuts, I picked up two bags. They sounded full of promise, but were the puffy chip bags full of goodness — or disappointment? The moment of truth, when you read on.

If you're taking the time to make your own hummus, why not go the extra mile and serve it with homemade pita chips? They're so easy to make, you practically don't even need a recipe! The best thing about baking pita until it's toasted and crunchy is that you control the seasonings. Depending on what you serve it with (spinach artichoke dip, Greek salsa, etc.), adjust the spices to mimic the flavors in the dip. I offered these chips with red pepper hummus packed with lots of garlic, so before baking, I dusted the triangles of pita with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Get the uncomplicated method now.

Happy Monday! If you need an excuse to indulge at the beginning of the week, consider this: it's National Potato Chip Day! Obviously, there is no other way to celebrate than to break open a bag of your favorites.

On my end, I'll be busting out Kettle Chips Zesty Ranch Krinkle Cut Potato Chips. They're perhaps the best chips I've ever had. What takes your top pick for potato chip?

The other day when we were at the grocery store, we couldn't help but notice a new flavor of Ruffles just in time for the Super Bowl: Molten Hot Wings. Since we're crazy about potato chips and love anything with Buffalo hot wing flavor, we picked up a bag. How did they taste? Find out after the jump.

Fact: Team Yum loves Kettle Chips. From jalapeño to cheddar and sour cream to Fully Loaded Baked Potato, we've never met one we didn't like. But just the other day, we discovered one that was good enough to be the end-all, be-all of all potato chips in this world. The best Kettle Chips we've ever had, right this way . . .