Pringles Bacon

Did someone say "bacon"?

The Attraction:

As part of my recent trip to Walmart, I saw this "exclusive flavor" just for Walmart. Even though it's new to me, it's not that unusual as Walmart also had a similar to deal with ice cream makers Ben and Jerry. Perhaps I'll write about that in another review, but for now, I got bacon on the brain.

The Review:
What is it about the word "bacon" that catches my eye? This year I've tried a Maple Bacon flavored product, a Bacon Mac and Cheese potato chip and lastly a Bacon Cheddar popcorn. Why not just try a straight up bacon flavor? Thank goodness Pringles saved me from having to search near and far for such a snack.

I "pop the top" off the can and peel back the seal. A smoky, innocuous scent comes drifting out. Not too aggressive; that's a good sign.

I pick up a chip and contemplate if I should shove the whole chip in my mouth or try to act semi-human and take a bite. My mother would be proud as to the route I took on this one.

As I crunch into the chip, the saltiness is the first thing to strike me. There's a reason it doesn't say "low in sodium" on the outside of this can. Whoa momma!

After that shot of salt subsides, the smoke and subtle cured flavor come in to talk me off the ledge.

"Hey, buddy. You are going to be just fine.", they console me.

"We are going to make it all better".

And you know what? They do.

Pringles stack: A person with OCDs dream come true

The Sweet:

Great smoky flavor without feeling like you licked an ash tray.

The Bitter:
Not exactly shy with the salt on this one. I'm not sure bacon was the flavor that came to mind.

I was considering  Photoshopping that chip back in...

Conclusion:
I wouldn't say these particularly taste like bacon to me, but they certainly do taste good, even with the amount of saltiness that comes screaming through. Pringles is one of those snack brands that I have begun to trust. Other than some of the sweet flavors, I haven't encountered a flavor that I didn't think was at least "OK". In the case of Pringles Bacon, it's more than just OK.

Video of the Week
Recently there has been a bunch of "challenges" making their rounds around the 'net. Many of which involve food like the Bean Boozled challenge. Here's a good example of why I don't take these challenges.

Be warned; this doesn't end well

Pringles Xtra Tangy Buffalo Wing

I've been fooled by "hot" claims before!

The Attraction:

I've been on the hunt for a good spicy, savory snack lately. I've tried a few like Cheez-Its Hot and Spicy, Wheat Thins Spicy Buffalo, and Pop Chips Crazy Hot. Though some were better than others, none really brought the heat the way the scary artwork on the packaging would suggest. Let's see if these Pringles can actually deliver the goods....( I don't feel too optimistic about this)

The Review:
I dig Pringles and even though I don't love all their products, (see here and here), I enjoy their products enough to give them a chance when I see a new flavor that might work. Let's "pop the top" and find out where this flavor stands.

I break the seal on the can and I catch a hint of tabasco. Yes, that tabasco. OK, the product doesn't claim to actually use the brand Tabasco sauce, but it sure smells like it. I take chip out of the narrow canister and toss it in my mouth. "Oh yeah, vinegary like Tabasco too.", I think to myself. If it ain't Tabasco, it sure taste a whole lot like it and that is a good thing. Once the initial vinegar hit subsides, you can feel some of the advertised heat start to rise in your mouth all while tasting the familiar Pringles flavor.

The spiciness works really great in this instance. It adds another dimension to the flavor of the chips. If you love Asian noodles in soup like I do, a good analogy might be that Pringles by itself is like a noodle soup and Xtra Tangy Buffalo Wing flavor is what happens to your noodle soup when you add sriracha or hot chili oil to your noodle soup.

Looks innocent enough...

The Sweet:

Classic Pringles taste with a enough heat to make you stand up and notice.

The Bitter:
Not for the faint of heart "mild spicy"eaters.

Whoa...did you feel that too?

Conclusion:
Pringles didn't mess around when they said Xtra Tangy Buffalo Wing. Surprisingly, they brought the heat and didn't water down this snack. It's a bit more of a cumulative affect, but you'll get there. I'm not sure why it took so long to find something that hit the spicy spot just right. Perhaps the other snack makers wanted their product to appeal to more of the masses, so they tone down the heat index on their items. A part of me understands the business decision behind that, but the spicy snack lover in me can't help but feel alienated and bamboozled when I buy into the claims of "hot" snacks. I know the term "spicy" is very subjective from person to person, but surely, I can't be alone in saying that some of these claims of "spicy" or "hot" just fall completely by the waist-side when I eat them.

Well, search no more.

Video of the Week
Who said eating at fast food joints aren't good for you? Take this guy for example. In addition to be "bennurished", he has developed a skill that will pay dividends for at least a few minutes.

Move over Calvin Harris, there's something meatier...

Pringles Tortillas Nacho Cheese

Nacho Cheese Doritos Lite?

The Attraction:

I'm a Pringles kind of guy. I'm a fan of the Original and Sour Cream and Onion flavors. Although I wasn't nearly as enamored with the festive flavors they offered, I saw these on sale and thought it was high time to try another flavor variation from one of my favorite savory snack brands.

The Review
I would have to say that the Sour Cream and Onion flavored Pringles is a staple in my snack vault. It's a go-to snack for me. When I saw the Nacho Cheese Tortillas offering from Pringles, I immediately thought of Doritos....and who dislikes Doritos? Not this snack blogger.

Sure enough as I pop my first Tortillas Nacho Cheese flavored Pringle into my mouth, there were two comparisons that surfaced to my mind quickly; a not as cheesy-version of a Nacho Cheese flavored Doritos or a cheese flavored version of Tostitos. Both aren't bad things and Pringles does a great job of integrating the cheese-flavor while still maintaining their core "Pringles" taste. They certainly taste good, but that's not the issue. The question is can one product that reminds you of another product be successful living in the shadow of it if the newer product to you doesn't break new ground or offer a significant twist or upgrade?

As I ate a few more chips and pondered this, I kept thinking this is what cheese-flavored Tostitos would taste like....and I think I found my answer.

The forecast calls for a light dusting of
nacho cheese flavoring

The Sweet:

All the things you love about Pringles are there; OCD-like neat can stacked with chips that have that signature "Pringles" taste. Crispy chips that deliver nacho cheese flavor in enough doses to slip between two other popular snacks without tasting exactly like them. 

The Bitter:
Somehow it doesn't taste exactly like either of the products I mentioned, but enough that at times it feels like a knock-off version of them.

Guess where the other half went...

Conclusion:
The folks at Pringles manage to create a product that differentiates itself just enough so it doesn't taste exactly like some of their competitors, but to it's disservice, it's close enough to make you realize how good those other products are. For me, Pringles Tortillas Nacho Cheese flavor doesn't differentiate itself enough to earn a permanent spot in my shopping cart.


Video of the Week
Going through a divorce is never easy for the parties involved....unless you are the lawyer. In that case, you get to have fancy cars, scantily clad women and shirts that show your watch off. It's just the big business of divorce.

Getting a divorce? They couldn't be happier for you!