Crisps

For the last few months, I have allowed myself the weekly treat of a packet of crisps from the convenience store around the corner from my office. I'm not actually the potato chip craving type, but I decided that it was a cultural obligation to check out the local fare, and I have yet to repeat a flavor. You see, Americans may be experts at junk food production, but when I last lived in the country ten months ago, our potato chip selection was significantly less creative. When traveling through Asia, we quickly learned that our favorite chips were American Style (which we were pleased to discover was akin to sour cream and onion) rather than the other odd combinations we never grew to appreciate, and I somehow assumed that what I would call weird flavors were limited to Asian (and perhaps Mexican) grocery stores. Not so.

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It takes me a while to decide here. Will I be brave enough to try my first animal-flavored crisp in the form of Prawn Cocktail or T-bone Steak (I kid you not) or perhaps Roast Beef And Mustard or should I go for a more far-flung sampling like Chicken Curry, Oriental Ribs or Thai Red Chili? Perhaps the one with the most adjectives like Sea Salt and Balsamic Malt Vinegar, Sea Salt with Crushed Black Peppercorns or Soured Cream And Cracked Black Pepper. I did try Roast Chicken with Thyme and Rosemary last week and was exceedingly disappointed by its blandness, not to mention a bit turned off by the claim that they were the only chicken-flavored crisp that couldn't be eaten by vegans. Not that I am for artificial flavoring or anything, but I couldn't decide if that made me more or less likely to find these appealing.


One day a few months ago, I was standing in the narrow aisle contemplating that day's selection, when a concerned "Are you ok?" spoken into my ear shook me out of my intense chip-selecting reverie. I was embarrassed to have been found staring so forlornly at the junk food section by one of my coworkers. When I explained to him the overwhelming task of choosing something from the seemingly unending options (I was new to this back then), he gave me a brief Tour of British Crisps, highlighting his favorites and ones to avoid. He said I simply must try the Pickled Onion Monster Munch, but I didn't feel up for it yet. Too much, too soon, I thought as I reached past the Flame Grilled Steak, the Smoky Bacon and the Tomato Ketchup for a more benign Soulmate Cheeses With Onion (perhaps my favorite name yet).

Today, however, I was ready. I sit here at lunch snacking on Pickled Onion Monster Munch, something I have been building up courage to try for months now and decided to mark the momentous occasion with a post on potato chips. But honestly? I'm not so keen on the Monster Munch.