Boulder Canyon: Thanksgiving Kettle Chips

I have to say that I dislike most flavored potato chips. I certainly am intrigued by the potential, like Chicken & Waffles or Cheddar Bacon Mac & Cheese, but they are usually a major disappointment. Not only do they not taste like the stated flavor, but they don't even taste good. So, when I heard about kettle chips with the flavors of Turkey & Gravy and Pumpkin Pie, I was justifiably wary but also curious. I received media samples of these chips and was pleasantly surprised by what I tasted.

Back in 1994, brothers Don and Jay Poole started Boulder Canyon, with the objective of creating the best potato chip. They had previously been involved in engineering and serving manufacturing equipment for the food industry and one of their clients was a potato chip company. The Poole brothers were intrigued and created a better way of making potato chips. Don and Jay started producing kettle chips, using their new small-batch cooking methods, as well as America-grown potatoes and natural ingredients.

Kettle cooked potato chips use thickly sliced premium potatoes that are slow cooked in small kettles using sunflower and/or safflower oil. They have a crunchy texture and locally, you probably have enjoyed Cape Cod Kettle Chips. Boulder Canyon also now produces Frozen Riced Vegetables, Popcorn, and Speciality Chips made from other ingredients besides potatoes. They also make a series of Seasonal items, such as the summer Sweet Corn Chips and Peach Cobbler Chips. And for Thanksgiving, they offer Turkey & Gravy and Pumpkin Pie.

I hadn't previously tasted any of the Boulder Canyon kettle chips so these Thanksgiving flavored chips were my first experience. It won't be my last.

The Turkey & Gravy kettle chips are crunchy, with a slightly thicker chip than you get with the average potato chip. It is a well-made kettle chip and I can easily see how their basic kettle chip would be appealing all on its own. The ingredient label notes the chips contain sea salt, onion powder, molasses and spices and other information seems to indicate those spices might include sage, thyme and rosemary. Frankly, the chips don't taste like turkey or gravy, but they do bring to mind the typical spices found in Thanksgiving dinner, especially those in stuffing. The savory notes are tasty and may not taste like poultry, but the spice combination works well. They certainly would be an excellent addition to your Thanksgiving feast. They are also one of the best flavored chips I've enjoyed in a long time.

The Pumpkin Pie kettle chips are just as crunchy as the Turkey & Gravy ones, solidifying my thought that the basic kettle chips would be thoroughly appealing. The ingredient label for these chips lists pumpkin, molasses, cinnamon, paprika, and spice. And when you open the bag, a prominent aroma of cinnamon with hints of pumpkin wafts through the air. These chips actually resemble the flavor of pumpkin pie, though the pumpkin flavor is more subdued in these chips with the cinnamon being much more dominant. And the flavors once again work well, a pleasing combination of sweet and salty, which are also addictive. I enjoyed these chips far more than I expected.

Boulder Canyon impressed me with these two flavored kettle chips and now I'll be seeking out more of their products. If you want to bring something different to your Thanksgiving feast, why not bring one or both of these flavored chips. It certainly would also make for one of the easiest Thanksgiving dinners, just open a couple bags of the kettle chips.

Primizie Thick Cut Crispbreads: Healthy & Tasty Snacks

As I mentioned in my prior post, Boston Wine Expo: Food Finds, I enjoyed the Primizie Thick Cut Crispbreads. Coming in a variety of flavors, they gave away free bags of their crisp breads, plus coupons, at the Expo, although they didn't showcase all of the flavors they made. Primizie also sent me media samples of some of their other flavors. Overall, I continued to be impressed with these crispbreads and would recommend them as a tasty and versatile snack.

Primizie Thick Cut Crispbreads was founded by Mark & Lisa Spedale, and its origins extend back to 2001 when Mark founded Primizie Catering. A trip to Italy would help inspire the idea for the crispbreads, as they sought a way to use leftover bread with hors d'oeuvres. The bread would be grilled, crisped and then sliced into smaller triangles. In 2011, they started selling these crispbreads to retailers and the company has grown since then, now available nationwide.

These crispbreads are intended to be healthy, lacking artificial colors, artificial flavors, and preservatives. They continue to be grilled, crisped and hand-cut, while the seasonings for each variety are mixed into the dough. The only area of their FAQ which doesn't appear to be correct is the section, Minimal Ingredients, which states "All Primizie products are made with fewer than six ingredients." For example, the Ancient Grains and Gouda & Garlic flavors are made with more than six ingredients. It isn't a major issue though as if you consult the ingredients list, it is clear why those ingredients were added and they don't appear to be anything you wouldn't want in such a snack.

The Simply Salted is their basic version, made from only four ingredients including wheat flour, sunflower oil, salt (Sel Gris, French Velvet Grey Sea Salt) and yeast. The "chip" itself is thick and sturdy, able to stand up to any dip without breaking or wilting. You could also stack other ingredients atop it to make your own hors d'oeuvres. All of their flavored crispbreads are equally as thick and sturdy, which is an advantage. The Simply Salted has a mild, buttery taste, enhanced by the salt, and make for a nice snack on their own, though the addition of some salsa or cheese dip works well too.

The Gouda & Garlic, made with Smoked Dutch Gouda cheese and roasted garlic, adds more flavor to the basic crispbread, with plenty of smoky cheese flavors and lots of garlic. There is a intriguing tang to the flavor which elevates these snacks. I really enjoyed these on their own, though they too would work with plenty of dips.

The Applewood Smoked Cheddar brings a different cheese flavor to the crispbreads, though there is still that smoky edge. Maybe my favorite flavor was the Ancient Sprouted Grains, made with organic Amaranth, Quinoa, and Sorghum plus poppy seeds, caraway seeds, and organic molasses. I loved the rich nuttiness of these crispbreads, a satisfying blend of flavors which were perfect on their own, though topped with cheese they were also excellent. As healthy as these crispbreads are, they still possess a compelling taste which will appeal to anyone.

Their crispbreads get even healthier, with the Green Harvest (made with Kale and Spinach) and the Rustic Beets (made with beets). These aren't flavors that usually attract me, though the crispbreads actually didn't totally turn me off. And those who like those flavors really enjoyed these crispbreads.

You'll also find Primizie in other flavors, including Italian Herb, Chile & Lime, and Dolce Caramel. If you're looking for a new snack to try, one that is healthy but still tasty, then pick up a bag or two of Primizie Thick Cut Crispbreads.

Boston Wine Expo: Food Finds

As I mentioned previously, the Boston Wine Expo had numerous food exhibitors, many offering free samples of their products. This was beneficial with all of the wine offered in the Grand Tasting as you had a way to refresh your palate, and help soak up the alcohol. You also possessed the opportunity to try some food & wine pairings. Some wines, especially the more tannic ones, taste better when consumed with food. In addition, you could find some new food products that you'll want to later buy and eat at home, take to a party, or share with family & friends.

I'm certainly interested in finding new food products so my wanders through the Grand Tasting Hall always include checking out the various culinary booths. I'm going to highlight some of my favorite food finds from the Expo, and would like to hear about your own favorites too.

Wine & cheese can be an excellent pairing and there were plenty of cheese samples at the Expo. I wandered from Yancey's Fancy New York Artisan Cheese (pictured above) to Cabot Creamery, from Finlandia to Kerry Gold. Each vendor offered several different varieties and flavors of cheese, allowing you to play more with various potential wine pairings.

Several restaurants had booths at the Expo, sampling out one of their dishes. For example, The Living Room offered Momos, a South Asian dumpling, native to Tibet and Nepal. You could get a Vegetable or Beef Momo, and then add your choice of sauce, from Soy-Sake to Sweet Chili. I enjoyed the meaty Beef Momo, and stopped by the booth multiple times.

McCrea's Candies, which regularly has a booth at the Expo, produces a diverse variety of tasty caramels and I've been a fan of their caramels for about five years. Some of their flavors include the following: Black Lava Sea Salt, Single Malt Scotch, Rosemary Truffle Sea Salt, and Ginger Fusion. I'm also pleased that this is a local company, another reason for my support. These caramels can pair well with some dessert wines, such as Cream Sherry, or even sparkling wines. I would like to do a taste test, pairing some of these caramels with hard cider.

Another local producer is Top Shelf Cookies, which makes a variety of fresh cookies from a kitchen in Dorchester. Owner Heather Yunger, a huge Boston Bruins fan, began with her Black & Golds, a chewy dark chocolate cookie studded with peanut butter chips. She makes around 17 different types of cookies, such as the Cocoverdose, a chocolate lover's dream with its three kinds of cocoa and three kinds of chocolate chips. The Fluffernutter is a very local cookie, using peanut butter from Everett and Marshmallow Fluff from Somerville.

Primizie Thick Cut Crispbreads gave away plenty of sample bags of their various flavors. I'll be talking more about Primizie in its own post in the near future, but in short, these are thick, tasty chips, perfect for using with dips.

I was impressed with the crunchy cheese bites from Umland's Pure Dry, a Midwest family-owned company which was just founded last year. They use "100% natural kosher Wisconsin cheese", as well as gluten free, which is vacuum dried into tiny crunchy pieces. There are three flavors: Crunchy Cheddar, Gouda and Pepper Jack. When you look at the back of the package, and look at the ingredients, all you will see is a single ingredient, Cheese! I found these to be nearly addictive, and it's very easy to devour a bag of these crunchy cheese snacks. Though my favorite flavor was the Gouda, the other two were tasty as well. I like the crunchy texture of these snacks, and would like to use these atop a salad or in some other dish.

The local producers continue! Yummy Yammy, based in New England, makes 100% sweet potato salsas which use no tomatoes. You can find three different varieties, including Moroccan, Tuscan, and Mexican (which comes in three heat levels). My favorite was the Moroccan Salsa (medium heat), which is made with Curry, Lentil & Kale. It has a strong and delicious curry flavor and is an excellent dip, though I could easily see that as an ingredient in a variety of dishes. It only has a mild spicy kick and I would like to see another version of this Salsa with more heat. The Tuscan Salsa (medium heat) is made with roasted red pepper, white bean and basil. It is a thicker salsa, with rich flavors, and a mild spicy kick. The Medium Mexican Salsa, which is made with corn, black bean, lime juice, and chipotle, was also rich in flavor and has a different, but compelling, flavor from usual tomato salsa.

What were your favorite food finds at the Expo?

Food Should Taste Good

The Boston Wine Expo has a number of food vendors on the outside aisles where you can sample their goodies. It is a good place to stop during your wine tasting, to help cleanse your palate as well as to help you from getting too intoxicated. Though I enjoyed some of what I tasted, one food item stood and which I want to recommend.

Food Should Taste Good, Inc. produces a delicious line of flavored "chips." Their website claims "The chips combine the crunchiness of a chip, the crispness of a cracker, and the dippability of a tortilla chip."

I have to agree with their sentiment as these chips are crisp, crunchy and strong enough to be very dippable.

Pete Lesco founded the company in 2005 and they make chips with all natural ingredients. These chips are gluten free, cholesterol free, certified Kosher, dairy/lactose free, have no trans fats, and have no genetically modified ingredients.

The chips are currently available in seven flavors including: multigrain, jalapeno, chocolate, olive, the works, sweet potato, and buffalo. I am sure additional flavors will eventually be added. The chips are available in 1 ounce (about $1-$1.50) and 6 ounce bags (about $3-$5). At the Expo they had a special of four 6 ounce bags for $10.

After tasting some samples, I bought a couple bags of both the sweet potato and buffalo. The sweet potato chips are delicious, and definitely remind me of sweet potato with a bit of sweetness. They are not overly sweet though and are an addictive snack. The chips are thick enough to stand up to any dip without breaking and have a nice crunch to them. The buffalo chips are made with cayenne pepper, vinegar, and garlic and they have an excellent spicy flavor though not overly hot. Their taste and smell reminds me of buffalo wings and they are like spicy tortilla chips, though thicker. I melted some Mexican cheeses atop a plate of these chips and was very happy.

The chips are available at many grocery stores, including Stop & Shop, Shaws, and Whole Foods. Not all stores though may have all of the available flavors. I highly recommend these chips as delicious and fairly healthy snacks.