Taste Test: Two Bags of Potato Chips
On Wednesday morning I walked into Rite Aid to buy some envelopes. I was checking out when I saw them, when I saw the item I’d been having reoccurring dreams about since mid-May: Reese’s Cups filled with Reese’s Pieces. They had finally arrived. Being that it was 8 a.m., though, I didn’t feel it was the proper time to be buying candy. I told myself I’d return after a successful day at the salt mines. So I did. But they were gone. Sold out. So I sped home and surfed the Internet wave straight to my blessing-of-a-curse, eBay and ordered eight of the bars. And before you start thinking “It’s August — that shit is going to melt when it gets sent through the mail” I’ll have you know that I ordered thermal shipping. Success.
Now I shall tell you that somewhere between leaving Rite Aid and clicking Buy Now on eBay was when I had this epiphany: “Wouldn’t it be a hoot if I blogged about my experience eating this Reese’s Cups filled with Reese’s Pieces?!?” And I only have to wait until they arrive no later than Tuesday!
I woke up this morning — around 5 a.m. — and then promptly went back to bed after I decided it was too dark out to go for a run and also realized that it was a Sunday and I had no reason to be up. I woke up again a short time later and decided to fart around on the Internet, answer an email from my father, and then watch the men’s marathon. After watching the marathon, I was more than ready to finally go for my run. I went downstairs to find my shoes when the sky opened up and God’s bladder started going nuts. Being that I only have one pair of running sneakers and I intend to work out tomorrow morning in dry sneakers, I felt it was best to not get drenched and realized I had to find some other strenuous activity to take up my time on my lazy Sunday.
“Ah! The chips!” I thought to myself. The two 2.34 oz bags of special flavor Lay’s potato chips I bought the other day and intended to use as a pre-taste-test experience so that I could really nail the Reese’s when they arrived. And here I had, thanks to the rain, a moment when I could dedicate my time to really sensing the taste of the chips and really cultivate an understanding of the rigors of taste testing and critiquing food?
In this case, I have decided to pit the two special edition flavors against each other and, in the end, pick a superior chip:
Product: Brazilian Picanha flavored Lay’s Potato Chips
Product: Greek Tzatziki flavored Lay’s Potato Chips (wavy)
Palate Cleanser: tap water
Conclusion: The Brazilian Picanha is the better overall chip but the Greek Tzatziki is a very close second. The Greek Tzatziki wins in flavor for sure, but it’s almost too bold to eat a lot of. I’d liken the Brazilian Picanha to the tortoise and the Greek Tzatziki to the hare, especially if you want to eat more turtle than rabbit.
