by The snack makers continue to put out munchies that promise to bring the heat, but too often these lean toward the Mild side. Here is my latest roundup, none of which set my mouth on fire, but a couple of these were still quite good.
Hot Ones Smoky Sweet Snack Mix: The Hot Ones brand seems to be everywhere these days, and I recently stumbled across these at World Market. This is definitely a very crunchy mix with the corn nuts, pretzels, and sesame sticks all providing plenty to bite through, and if you have sensitive teeth or might be experiencing some tooth pain, this may not be the mix for you. The seasoning delivers an earthy taste with maybe a hint of cumin that is quite noticeable in the Hot Ones Verde sauce (more on that one here). There is also just a hint of sweetness in there that gives each bite a nice finish. I actually like the bites with just the nuts the most and would love to see them put out a mix similar to this with just those.
As for the heat, the bag claims this is at the Medium heat level, but it only gets to about Mild on my scale. In fact, there is very little heat at first, and it takes a few bites before you start to feel the tingle. If I see a version of this with their Last Dab Apollo sauce, I would give that a try, but I doubt I would buy the Verde mix again. As mentioned, I found this at World Market, and other gourmet shops may have it as well.
Clancy’s Spicy Dill Pickle Wavy Potato Chips: I made my first trip to Aldi’s a couple of weeks ago (we don’t have them in San Antonio, but I was visiting Houston), and I believe this brand is exclusive to that store. These chips have a really good crunch to them, almost as if they were kettle-cooked, though they don’t indicate that anywhere on the bag. They have an immediate sweetness followed by a notable dill pickle flavor with an extra hint of garlic. There is not a lot of tartness, but the taste of pickles is definitely there, though not and overpowering pucker like similar chips can be. These have more emphasis on the sweet than the vinegar, but it’s not like they are going for the taste of a bread-and-butter pickle. There is also a peppery flavor from the seasonings, and the heat from that starts to build up the more you eat.
They do not get much beyond Mild on my scale, but it is a nice warmth and leaves a tingle in your mouth. I really enjoyed the dill pickle taste with that little bit of heat, and I will buy them again if I see them next time I’m in Aldi’s. If you happen to know if these are available from other retailers, mention it in the comments below.
Kettle Brand Spicy Pimento Cheese Chips: Pimento cheese is a southern staple (you can find a good spicy recipe for that here), and a particular favorite of mine, so when I saw this latest flavor from Kettle Brand, I knew I had to give it a try. These have the cheesy sharpness you expect from pimento cheese, and that is followed by a little peppery kick along with some sweetness. There is a touch of acridity as well, which may be off-putting to some, but it does not bother me. These also have a really good crunch, as you expect from kettle chips.
There is not much heat at first, but it builds to a little above Mild. I would have liked these to go higher on the heat scale, but I still enjoyed them as they are. They do a good job of replicating the taste of pimento cheese, adding in just a bit of a kick. I found these at Sprouts, and they should be available at other retailers that carry Kettle Brand.
Nutrition Info:
Hot Ones Smoky Sweet Snack Mix
Ingredients: Peanuts, Toasted Corn (Corn, Canola Oil, Sea Salt), Mini Pretzels (Enriched Wheat Flour [Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid], Malted Barley Flour, Salt, Malt Tapioca Blend [Tapioca Syrup, Malt Extract], Canola Oil), Sesame Sticks (Enriched Wheat Flour [Unbleached Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Soybean Oil, Sesame Seeds, Bulgur Wheat, Salt, Beet Powder [Color], Turmeric [Color]), Cashews, Smoky Sweet Seasoning (Sugar, Apple Cider Vinegar Powder [Maltodextrin, Apple Cider Vinegar, Modified Food Starch), Jalapeno Powder, Natural Flavors [Including Smoke Flavor], Salt, Onion Powder, Citric Acid, Parsley, Cumin, Malic Acid, Black Pepper, Spice Extractives, Less than 2% Tricalcium Phosphate Added to Prevent Caking), Vegetable Oil (Canola Oil and/or Peanut Oil), Sea Salt.
Serving Size: ¼ Cup (30g)
Calories: 160
Fat: 10g (1.5g Sat/0g Trans)
Protein: 4g
Carbs: 13g
Sodium: 240mg
Clancy’s Spicy Dill Pickle Wavy Potato Chips
Ingredients: Potatoes, vegetable oil (contains one or more of the following: cottonseed, corn), seasoning (sugar, corn maltodextrin, dextrose, garlic, spices, salt, modified corn starch, citric acid, onion powder, natural flavors, vinegar powder [corn maltodextrin, white distilled vinegar], medium chain triglycerides), salt
Serving Size: 28g (About 12 Chips)
Calories: 150
Fat: 9g (1.5g Sat/0g Trans)
Protein: 1g
Carbs: 16g
Sodium: 200mg
Kettle Brand Spicy Pimento Cheese Chips
Ingredients: Potatoes, vegetable oil, (canola, safflower, soybean and/or sunflower), salt, sugar, cheddar cheese (cultured pasteurized milk, sal, enzymes), cayenne pepper poder, pimebto pepper powder, White vinegar powder, garlic powder, citric acid, onion powder, natural flavor, acetic acid, lactid acid
Serving Size: ¼ Cup (30g)
Calories: 160
Fat: 10g (1.5g Sat/0g Trans)
Protein: 4g
Carbs: 13g
Sodium: 240mg
