Well, two of them anyways. To celebrate the World Cup (which concludes on December 18th), Lay’s released three new chip flavors inspired by World Cup soccer teams: Adobadas, Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Popper, and Carnitas Street Taco.
International flavors of Lay’s are a big deal, so any time there’s a new release the excitement in the Sporked office is palpable. I would argue that international flavors of Lay’s simply taste better and are more exciting than their American counterparts. Sour Cream & Onion vs Nori Seaweed? It’s no contest. Recently, managing editor Gwynedd Stuart showed up to work with two bags of the new World Cup-inspired chips (Adobadas and Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Popper). How did they taste? I tried them both to find out.
USA! USA! What’s more American than a bacon wrapped jalapeño popper? These are quite delicious. They taste meaty, slightly spicy, and definitively cheesy. Jalapeño popper is an excellent flavor of potato chip (see: Herr’s cheese curls), and these prove that the flavor should be ubiquitous in snack culture. This flavor was released to celebrate the US men’s national soccer team, which was sadly knocked out by the Netherlands. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t seek out a bag. I ask you: Is there any better way to celebrate American football than with a Lay’s jalapeño popper flavored chip?
These chips celebrate the best of Latin American flavors with a spicy, citrusy, salty taste that’s dang near impossible to put down. Abodaba is Spanish for “marinated,” and typically refers to meat (usually pork) marinated in chili sauce, vinegar, and herbs. The ingredients list for these chips features lime juice, tomato powder, sour cream, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder, so they pack a ton of flavor and spice. They taste almost like Takis in a way. The acidity is lovely and the chips pack such a pronounced bite. These were the chips that Gwynedd loved most (the bag she brought was noticeably more empty than the other flavor), and they just edge out the jalapeño popper flavor.
Danny is a comedian, cook, and food writer living in Los Angeles. He loves gas station eggs, canned sardines, and Easter candy. He also passionately believes that all the best chips come from Pennsylvania (Herr's!). If you can't understand Danny when he talks, it's because he's from Pittsburgh.
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!