Moscow Food Co-op ReviewCorn Chips
by Vicki Reich, from the August 2000 Newsletter
You may have noticed we have quite an extensive selection of snack food here at the Co-op. Pretzels, rice cakes, potato chips and corn chips abound. As I walked by our wall of chips thinking about what to taste test this month, I wondered if the corn chips I always buy are indeed the best tasting chip we carry. And thus was born the taste test of the month.
I love corn chips. There’s is something so appealing about the combination of corn, salt, and crunch. And of course what better way to eat a pint of fresh salsa (especially homemade, made now while the tomatoes are so good) than one crispy dip after another. I limited my testing to yellow corn chips (even though I have a preference for blue corn, it will have to be another month) and even that was not so limiting. We carry 7 different, plain yellow corn chips; this doesn’t even include the chips with flavors or additional ingredients like sesame chips. Of those 7, we tested 6. I eliminated Garden of Eatin’ Yellow Chips because they had the same ingredients list as the Mini Corns. So off I went to spinning with my bags of chips, and was greeted with smiles (chips are much more fun to taste test than water or chicken broth, although I was asked when we were going to test wine again).
The first chip up to bat was the bulk organic salted chip. These are made by Mexi-Snax and bagged in the store by a fine group of volunteers. They had a good corn taste and weren’t too salty. They were a little chewier than most people preferred, but were a good solid dipping chip. They cost $0.12 per ounce and come in a variety of sizes. The second chip we tasted was Kettle Foods Yellow Corn Tortilla Chip, made with organic corn. These have an intense corn flavor with just the right amount of salt. They are very crunchy and hearty with a distinctive stone ground corn taste. They cost $0.17 per ounce and were an instant hit.
Next up were Garden of Eatin’ Mini Corns, made with organic corn. These were described as a typical chip, more like you’d find in main stream stores. They have a good crunch but are a bit on the salty side. They cost $0.19 per ounce. The fourth chip was Kettle Foods Little Dippers, made with organic corn. I was surprised at how different these were from the Yellow Chips by Kettle. Besides being small and round, as opposed to big and triangular, the Dippers are saltier and not as corny as their big brother. They do have good flavor and texture though, and they’re a nice snack size. They cost $0.22 per ounce.
Native Fresh-Cut White Corn Thick Tortilla Chips were up next. These are very thick chips and have quite a crunch. Some of the testers thought it took too much work to chew them, but I love that extra crunch. They have a more traditional flavor (if there is such a thing) with a hint of lime and a good aftertaste. These chips will stand up to the thickest guacamole or bean dip you can make. They cost $0.18 per ounce. Last, but not least, was Que Pasa Yellow Corn Chips, made with organic corn. These are light and crunchy with the perfect amount of salt. They have a nice toasted flavor and were well liked by everyone. They aren’t the best choice if you’re serving thick dips since they are so light and crispy. They cost $0.14 per ounce.
It was a deliciously crunchy evening of tasting. The favorites were the Kettle Yellow Corn Chips and the Que Pasa Yellow Corn Chips, but they were all good. Why not buy a bag for that new Salsa, Salsa, Salsa made fresh in Moscow?
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