19 March 2012

A Chip Odyssey

When I was a kid, I never ate plain potato chips -- they were totally yuck! At some point either someone invented or I discovered barbeque-flavored chips. Then I ate potato chips. In fact, you couldn't stop me eating potato chips.

Flash forward a couple decades and I find out I should not eat potatoes any more. So what would I snack on? Well, I cannot eat wheat, so wheat crackers are out. I can eat a little corn, so how about corn chips? Okeh, corn chips are fine.

And then, one day, I discover Fritos. Where have you been all of my life? I totally LOVE Fritos (and no, they are not paying me to say this). I cannot eat very many of them, but if I am going to eat a corn chip it will be Fritos. Why should it be that I like corn chips but LOVE Fritos? There is a big difference in flavor and satisfaction.

The other night I asked Matt if he had any idea. Corn chips and Fritos are made from the same three ingredients: corn, oil and salt. Fritos uses only corn oil, while the brand of corn chips we get uses one of four oils -- three of which are not corn. However, while corn chips taste fine, Fritos sends me. Why? I have no idea.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I find that it's the salt on Fritos that is completely addicting. After all, as you say, all corn chips are made from the same basic ingredients, but somehow Fritos, like another Lays chip, Ruffles, have somehow discovered a salt delivery system second to none. Sigh.

Cristiane

Christopher said...

Mmmmm. Salt.