British Snack Review
Dec. 14th, 2007 08:03 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
furtechA brief pause before I get to the big posts on the London trip...
Britain has better snax. At least, better than the mass-distributed snacks that us-Americans can get. The chocolate is of better quality and British companies seem more willing to try new things.
Specifically, potato chips!
They have steak-flavored chips ("crisps" as they're known locally-- chips will get you a wad of greasy fries in a newspaper cone!), prawn-cocktail flavor, roast chicken and obscure things like thai-sweet-chicken flavor. Not all of these are complete successes, but here's what we found (rated 1-3 stars):
**McCoy's Flame Grilled Steak: thick, corrugated style chip that has a vaguely burnt soy-sauce flavor to it. Okay if there isn't anything better (but there are better flavors out there!).
***Walkers Steak and Onion: light chip that has a faint soy flavor (apparently what they mean by "steak") and a somewhat overpowering sweet onion flavor (in the 'States, they'd call this "sweet Maui onion"). Nice-- much better than the McCoy's steak chip. Walkers is apparently the British division of the American "Lays" brand and the chips reflect this: light, salty chips.
*McCoy's Chedder & Onion: Another heavy chip with a light cheesy-onion flavor. Still don't care for this style of chip: has a kind of starchy flavor.
***Walkers "Sensations" chips-- "Oven Roasted Chicken with Lemon & Thyme": a pompous, over-blown name for...the BEST OF THE CHIPS! Wow-- these are terrific! They really *do* taste like a gourmet roast chicken! Very chicken-y flavor with clear thyme and more subtle lemon flavor-- none of which are over-powering. Wondreful!
*Mccoy's Thai Sweet Chicken: a muddle of flavors-- "mud" being the operative word. Starchy with various spices, the only one that is vaguely identifiable is the chili burn (very mild). Actually, the chili is a lingering burn, so that's something, but the other flavors are just "spices", the combination of which does nothing for me.
**Walkers BBQ Rib: when they say "BBQ" they mean bbq ribs like you get in a Chinese restaurant-- those sweet-sauced ribs. That being the case, these are all right. Kind of a sweet flavor with a touch of chili (no burn) and possibly lemon. Very mild.
*Walkers Prawn Coctail: one of the weakest of the Walkers chips-- vaguely sweet flavor with a -hint- of shrimp flavor (though that could be my imagination-- not sure what I would have said in a blind test). Eh.
***Walkers Smokey Bacon: if you like bacon, you'll be in heaven. Strong, accurate smokey bacon flavor! Like eating really crisp bacon, actually.
**Walkers Ready Salted: pretty much like regular Lays potato chips. I like 'em!
**Walkers Roast Chicken: decent chip-- would have gotten 3-*'s if I didn't try their premium brand later ("Sensation"). More subtle roast chicken flavor-- kind of like Lipton's soup chicken flavor. Nice.
***Walkers Worcester Sauce: Wow, another dead-on flavor-- tastes like chips that have been strongly sprinkled with Worcester sauce! Strong enough a flavor that I wouldn't eat them all the time, but a nice once-in-a-while flavor.
*Wheat Crunchies Spicy Tomato: interesting: crunchy tubes with a kind of sweet Gazpacho (cold tomato soup) flavor. Or like shrimp cocktail sauce with no horseradish in it. Odd, crunchy.
Mr. Porky- Prime Cut Scratchings: I'm guessing they're pork rinds...but I didn't even buy a package. I have a morbid fear that I will like such things far too much and end up on one of those medical shows on Discovery Channel.
British candies (random goodness):
Smarties: better version of M&M's (better chocolate)
Crunchie: chocolate covered honeycomb-- nice!
Aero: Mint-flavored! Thanks for introducing them to us, Amy!
KitKat Dark: chocolate's a bit strong/over-whelming for a kitkat bar.
Oh, and we never found a bad Indian restaurant! We randomly picked several Indian eateries and all were as good as the best in the US. Nice service, too-- and open late!
Here is the Flickr photo set with all the package pics!
Britain has better snax. At least, better than the mass-distributed snacks that us-Americans can get. The chocolate is of better quality and British companies seem more willing to try new things.
Specifically, potato chips!
They have steak-flavored chips ("crisps" as they're known locally-- chips will get you a wad of greasy fries in a newspaper cone!), prawn-cocktail flavor, roast chicken and obscure things like thai-sweet-chicken flavor. Not all of these are complete successes, but here's what we found (rated 1-3 stars):
**McCoy's Flame Grilled Steak: thick, corrugated style chip that has a vaguely burnt soy-sauce flavor to it. Okay if there isn't anything better (but there are better flavors out there!).
***Walkers Steak and Onion: light chip that has a faint soy flavor (apparently what they mean by "steak") and a somewhat overpowering sweet onion flavor (in the 'States, they'd call this "sweet Maui onion"). Nice-- much better than the McCoy's steak chip. Walkers is apparently the British division of the American "Lays" brand and the chips reflect this: light, salty chips.
*McCoy's Chedder & Onion: Another heavy chip with a light cheesy-onion flavor. Still don't care for this style of chip: has a kind of starchy flavor.
***Walkers "Sensations" chips-- "Oven Roasted Chicken with Lemon & Thyme": a pompous, over-blown name for...the BEST OF THE CHIPS! Wow-- these are terrific! They really *do* taste like a gourmet roast chicken! Very chicken-y flavor with clear thyme and more subtle lemon flavor-- none of which are over-powering. Wondreful!
*Mccoy's Thai Sweet Chicken: a muddle of flavors-- "mud" being the operative word. Starchy with various spices, the only one that is vaguely identifiable is the chili burn (very mild). Actually, the chili is a lingering burn, so that's something, but the other flavors are just "spices", the combination of which does nothing for me.
**Walkers BBQ Rib: when they say "BBQ" they mean bbq ribs like you get in a Chinese restaurant-- those sweet-sauced ribs. That being the case, these are all right. Kind of a sweet flavor with a touch of chili (no burn) and possibly lemon. Very mild.
*Walkers Prawn Coctail: one of the weakest of the Walkers chips-- vaguely sweet flavor with a -hint- of shrimp flavor (though that could be my imagination-- not sure what I would have said in a blind test). Eh.
***Walkers Smokey Bacon: if you like bacon, you'll be in heaven. Strong, accurate smokey bacon flavor! Like eating really crisp bacon, actually.
**Walkers Ready Salted: pretty much like regular Lays potato chips. I like 'em!
**Walkers Roast Chicken: decent chip-- would have gotten 3-*'s if I didn't try their premium brand later ("Sensation"). More subtle roast chicken flavor-- kind of like Lipton's soup chicken flavor. Nice.
***Walkers Worcester Sauce: Wow, another dead-on flavor-- tastes like chips that have been strongly sprinkled with Worcester sauce! Strong enough a flavor that I wouldn't eat them all the time, but a nice once-in-a-while flavor.
*Wheat Crunchies Spicy Tomato: interesting: crunchy tubes with a kind of sweet Gazpacho (cold tomato soup) flavor. Or like shrimp cocktail sauce with no horseradish in it. Odd, crunchy.
Mr. Porky- Prime Cut Scratchings: I'm guessing they're pork rinds...but I didn't even buy a package. I have a morbid fear that I will like such things far too much and end up on one of those medical shows on Discovery Channel.
British candies (random goodness):
Smarties: better version of M&M's (better chocolate)
Crunchie: chocolate covered honeycomb-- nice!
Aero: Mint-flavored! Thanks for introducing them to us, Amy!
KitKat Dark: chocolate's a bit strong/over-whelming for a kitkat bar.
Oh, and we never found a bad Indian restaurant! We randomly picked several Indian eateries and all were as good as the best in the US. Nice service, too-- and open late!
Here is the Flickr photo set with all the package pics!
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no subject
Date: 2007-12-14 04:11 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-12-14 09:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-12-14 10:12 pm (UTC)Does the US have Coffee Crisp yet? It another of my favorites. Trust Canada to make a coffee-flavoured chocolate bar.. "You know what this chocolate bar really needs?" "What?" "More coffee!"
no subject
Date: 2007-12-15 12:49 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-12-14 04:28 pm (UTC)The bacon and Worchestershire sound really good too. I wish they'd import some of these to the US!
no subject
Date: 2007-12-14 09:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-12-14 04:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-12-14 09:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-12-14 09:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-12-14 04:51 pm (UTC)No Hula Hoops??
no subject
Date: 2007-12-14 09:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-12-14 04:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-12-14 09:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-12-14 05:26 pm (UTC)A very good friend sent me a big parcel with many different flavours and some of those Walkers "Sensations" line was the best of them all.
My favorite was also this "Oven Roasted Chicken" followed by other more exotic ones like "Caramelised Onion & Sweet Balsamic Vinegar" and hm "Gently infused Lime & Thai Spices".
Hmmm.. I need to ask him send some more :9
no subject
Date: 2007-12-14 09:35 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-12-14 09:57 pm (UTC)There was once a brand that made a roasted chicken flavored chip, but that didn't stay on market for much long.
Even a cheaper Asda one (Beef & Horseradish - Hand cooked crips) was more interesting than the cheaper brands we get here.
*sighs* I do need to get more of those Sensations chips some day. Not only the taste was good, but the texture and crunchiness were great too. :)
no subject
Date: 2007-12-14 10:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-12-14 06:47 pm (UTC)I like overseas candied stuff because IT HAS REAL SUGAR IN IT! Not that Corn Syrup garbage!
;)
-J
no subject
Date: 2007-12-14 09:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-12-14 08:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-12-14 09:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-12-15 12:55 am (UTC)FULLY AGREED. Every time
no subject
Date: 2007-12-15 03:31 am (UTC)Very awesome review, I see you've tried more than I have!
I love your avatar... no durians allows *snickers*
:D
no subject
Date: 2007-12-17 11:40 am (UTC)