America’s number one snack food – the potato chip was born when a restaurant customer kept sending his potatoes back to the kitchen because they were thick and soggy.
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Other food historians trace the history of the potato chip to earlier times, as early as 1824 but the most commonly accepted version is that of the unhappy customer.
Side note: the next time you are out dining and feel unsatisfied with your food, don’t hold back on complaining because you never know what menu item you’ll be inspiring.
So what the chef in charge did was cut the potatoes as thin as he could and fry them adding a little extra salt. The customer was happy, the food was added to the restaurant’s menu, and the first version of the potato chip was created.
Although production of potato chips for home consumption didn’t kick off until the 20th century, once that happened, it took all of America and the whole world by storm. There has been no going back and now potato chips revenues are more than $15 billion a year.
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Are you a contributor, because here are the brands and the potato chips most worth munching on!
- Lays Oven Baked Potato Crisps, Original: are light, thin, and as per the description on the bag – crisp, really crisp. Not overly greasy since they are baked, these chips are a healthier alternative to fried chips, although do take note: they contain sugar.
- Ruffles Crinkle-Cut Original: are the life of any party and best eaten with dip, preferably garlic scented, but French onion is a pretty great choice of dip too.
- Tim’s Cascade Style Sea Salt and Vinegar – farm grown in the Pacific Northwest, these potato chips are fried at low temperature first, then at raising heat for a signature crunch that followers of the brand say it’s exceptional. Care to disagree? You can buy these online if not available in your supermarket.
- Trader Joe’s Classic Potato Chips: are greasy chips with a balanced level of salt and good on their own as well as with dip. Not expensive either and you can find them just about everywhere.
- Popchips Sea Salt or Cheddar & Sour Cream Chips – are chips with real ingredients and with a healthy take on the standard chips. The sea salt version is coated with healthy oleic oils and the second flavor has only natural colors, no fake flavors ever added.
- Deep River Zesty Jalapeño – are fiery kettle chips best enjoyed with a frosty drink to put some of the fire out. They are flavorful and not for the faint-hearted.
- Cape Cod Sour Cream and Green Onion – for when you’re opting for sans dip, this is well worth the salt. No, it’s not that they’re overly salty, they’re just that perfect pick of value for money.
- Pringles Original – are as they used to say back in the day: once you pop, you can’t stop. People keep going back to this favorite for a reason: they’re addictive!
- Mikesell’s Old Fashioned Original – are about as historical as chips themselves. The company goes back to 1910 and is one of the oldest in the country. These chips are golden, crisp and groovy.
- Vietner’s Louisiana Hot Sauce Potato Chips – for when you feel like buffalo wings but in a bag and made from potatoes. Great choice of chips from a company based in Illinois, but you can find these at Target anywhere.