If you read Sporked, you know we’re pretty big Hidden Valley Ranch fans. No, it isn’t our favorite ranch dressing (that honor goes to Marie’s, which is delicious), but if Hidden Valley slaps its name on a product, you can bet we’re going to want to get our hands on it. We even tried the ranch ice cream they released with Van Leeuwen, and while it wasn’t our cup of tea for a number of reasons, that won’t stop us from getting excited about the latest Hidden Valley collab to drop: Hidden Valley Ranch Chili Crunch. That’s right. Hidden Valley is getting all fance and teaming up with celebrity chef Stephanie Izard and her brand This Little Goat on a trendy new condiment, and we already have a bowl of noodles ready.
What can we expect from Hidden Valley Ranch Chili Crunch—and what are we supposed to do with it?
According to a press release, This Little Goat’s Hidden Valley Ranch Chili Crunch puts a tangy, decidedly American spin on a spicy Asian condiment. Good chili crunch (aka chili crisp) has three things: heat, a pleasantly crunchy texture, and good-tasting oil. And it would seem HVR Chili Crunch has all three covered. It’s made with gochugaru chiles for heat; fried garlic, puffed quinoa, and masa chips (say what??) for crunch; and sesame oil for that slick, unctuous consistency. Oh, and it also has Hidden Valley seasoning, obviously. I know what you’re thinking: Couldn’t I just add Hidden Valley seasoning to the chili crunch I already have in my fridge? I mean, sure, but if you know anything about Stephanie Izard, you can probably trust she’s done a better job with this than you could (no shade). Besides owning several extremely delicious restaurants—I’ve eaten at both her L.A. and Chicago restaurants and can vouch for them—she was the first female identifying Top Chef winner and also won a Best Chef James Beard Award in 2013, which is a big deal in the food world. Plus, her packaged food brand, This Little Goat, already produces a line of highly reviewed chili crunches, so this isn’t her first chili crunch rodeo.
We’ll be trying and reviewing this as soon as we get our hands on it, but if you’re ready to go ahead and buy your own jar, you can do so starting Wednesday, September 20 on This Little Goat’s website.
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!