by Following are the results from my latest spicy snack roundup, with one new item (the Cajun Chips) and two that have been around for a while:
HEB Wavy Cajun Chips: HEB puts out special edition flavors from time to time, and just recently they added the Wavy Cajun Potato Chips that offer a Louisiana-style kick. These deliver that good Cajun seasoning twang from the first bite, with a peppery kick along with savory spices similar to what you’d find in a crab boil. There’s also just a touch of sweetness to balance out the boldness of the seasoning—and maybe a hint of garlic in the background. They have a good crunch since they are wavy—not quite like kettle-cooked, but still rather satisfying.
You notice the heat right away as it goes beyond Mild and heads to Medium on my scale. Cajun isn’t necessarily super hot, but the combination of robust flavor and a good kick from cayenne pepper makes these a tasty and spicy snack. HEB has my vote to make these a permanent flavor, but for now they’re limited edition—so you’ll want to grab a bag pretty soon. They sell for $2.60 for a 7 oz bag in my area.
Ass Kickin’ Habanero Popcorn: The Ass Kickin’ line has been around for quite a while, and I know I’ve tried some of their popcorns, but I can’t remember if I sampled their habanero flavor before. So when I found a few bags at my local World Market, I decided to pick them up. The popcorn pops up quite well into fluffy pieces and leaves very few kernels behind. It has a good buttery flavor without tasting too artificial, as some microwave popcorns can. And then it follows that up with a nice peppery kick. It doesn’t have much actual habanero flavor—or much seasoning at all—so if you want more than just the taste of butter and pepper, you may want to sprinkle on some spices.
What this popcorn does have is good heat, going beyond Medium and approaching Hot on my scale. The first few bites didn’t seem to light things up too much, but after about a handful, my mouth was burning—so this one definitely delivers a kick. I find the Ass Kickin’ brand pretty regularly at World Market for around two or three bucks a bag, and you can also buy directly from their website.
Frank’s RedHot Goldfish: Frank’s RedHot is one of the oldest Louisiana-style sauces out there, with bottles hitting store shelves in 1920. It has since become rather ubiquitous (along with another Louisiana staple—Tabasco), and the company is making sure that people are putting that sh*t on everything. And if people aren’t doing it themselves, Frank’s is partnering with other companies to ensure wide exposure of its sauce. Case in point: Pepperidge Farm added it to their Goldfish crackers a while ago, and those are still on the shelves.
I thought I had reviewed these previously, but apparently not—so that was an excuse to buy a bag when I was at the store recently. These spiced-up crackers have the good cheddar Goldfish taste you expect, amped up with the flavor of Frank’s RedHot. They’ve got the tang of that sauce along with a peppery kick, and it merges with the cheese flavor of the crackers to make a perfect combination. If you thought Goldfish crackers couldn’t get better, this proves they can.
Heat-wise, they seem rather Mild at first, but that builds up as you continue munching. By the time you’ve eaten one serving, your mouth is definitely tingling as the burn gets closer to Medium on my scale. And the good news is that these appear to be a permanent addition to the Goldfish lineup, so they won’t be disappearing from shelves anytime soon (hopefully). They’re also pretty widely available, selling for around three bucks a bag in my area.
Nutrition Info:
HEB Wavy Cajun Chips
Ingredients: Potatoes, Vegetable Oil (Contains One Or More Of The Following: Cottonseed Oil, Corn Oil, Soybean Oil, Safflower Oil, And/Or Sunflower Oil), Salt, Corn Maltodextrin, Sugar, Spices, Tomato Powder, Onion Powder, Paprika, Garlic Powder, Citric Acid, Calcium Silicate, Paprika Extract, Sunflower Oil, Natural Flavoring, Silicon Dioxide, Natural Smoke Flavor. Contains A Bioengineered Food Ingredient
Serving Size: 28g (About 11 Chips)
Calories: 150
Fat: 9g (2.5g Sat/0 Trans)
Protein: 1g
Carbs: 16g
Sodium: 260mg
Ass Kickin’ Habanero Popcorn
Ingredients: Popcorn, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Salt, Spices, Natural & Artificial Flavors, and Habanero Pepper
Serving Size: 31g (About 2 Cups)
Calories: 140
Fat: 8g (1.5g Sat/0 Trans)
Protein: 3g
Carbs: 18g
Sodium: 290mg
Frank’s RedHot Goldfish
Ingredients: Enriched Wheat Flour, Cheddar Cheese (Milk, Bacterial Culture, Salt, Enzymes, Annatto), Vegetable Oil (Soybean, Canola And/Or Sunflower), Seasoning (Maltodextrin, Salt, Modified Corn Starch, Aged Cayenne Red Peppers, Citric Acid, Vinegar Solids, Gum Arabic, Paprika Extract, Autolyzed Yeast Extract, Natural Flavour, Paprika, Garlic Powder, Spices [Contains Celery], Dehydrated Onions, Sunflower Oil, Calcium Stearate, Calcium Silicate, Silicon Dioxide), Salt, Yeast, Sugar, Autolyzed Yeast Extract, Ammonium Bicarbonate, Monocalcium Phosphate, Baking Soda.
Serving Size: 30g (About 55 Pieces)
Calories: 140
Fat: 5g (1g Sat/0 Trans)
Protein: 20g
Carbs: 3g
Sodium: 300mg
