REVIEW: Popcorners – Memphis BBQ Popped Whole Grain Chips

Rating: ©©©-3/4 chips  (notable)

Comments:

“The New Shape of Popcorn Whole Grain”

What exactly was the old shape of Whole Grain?

Maybe to answer that question, we must first understand what whole grain represents in this case.  According to the ingredients list on the back of PopCorner’s bag, the whole grains in this instance are none other then the infamous sorghum grain?  That’s right, sorghum; and we’re not talking about what you get from eating too much beef jerky.  According to Wikipedia: sorghum “is a genus of numerous species of grasses, one of which is raised for grain and many of which are used as fodder plants, either cultivated or as part of pasture. The plants are cultivated in warmer climates worldwide.”  As far as we know, these are officially the first line of chips that we have ever tasted made from a species of grass….

The rustic whole grain chips consist of a unique monotone mixture of colors, that somehow includes hues of light greys and steely blues in certain spots.  Their mouth feel is light and crispy, without being very hard or dense.  They work pretty well as crunchy flavor delivering devices.

Luckily for us, the Memphis BBQ seasoning compliments the popped whole grain chips rather nicely.  The chips are evenly coated with a slightly sweet and tangy seasoning blend that is properly salty, but has no smoky notes what so ever.  We are not quite sure what defines Memphis BBQ (anyone?), but all we know is that it is a tasty blend, and we can say straight off that we are fans.

As always, these are our thoughts, we would love to hear what you think.  Agree or disagree, let us know.

Chips provided to Chip Review from PopCorners for review

Chip Ratings Scale:

(1/4 increments)

© – return to sender

©© – tolerable

©©© – notable

©©©© – lip-smacking

©©©©© – “A” list

REVIEW: Pan De Oro – Garlic Herb Tortilla Chips

Rating: ©©©-1/2 chips  (notable)

Comments:

Pan de Oro means “bread of gold” in Spanish.  However, in this case, the “bread” appears to have been replaced by pungent garlic, and rustic corn, rather than precious metals.

Pan de Oro’s Garlic & Herb Tortilla Chips, their entire line-up in fact, are among the minority of chips in the market today that without any indication on the packaging, we could have told with one bite that they were all natural.  These chips proudly carry just about every healthy label that one chip can support.

The tortilla chips themselves are semi-thick, but not very dense, with a light and crispy crunch.  One taster described the chips as being almost flaky.  Visually, we could see the herbs scattered throughout the chips, but unfortunately, we could not taste any of the said herbs!

Note to Pan de Oro: “if you are going to flavor tortilla chips, you need to go ALL IN.  Meaning, you can’t just lightly sprinkle some seasoning onto the tortilla chips and expect us to embrace them.  Corn tortilla chips on their own have a lot of flavor; you know this, your tortilla chips are delicious.  On their own, the tortilla chips are earthy, rich and rustic, however if you don’t commit to flavoring them (like for instance: Doritos….they do know how to season), then you are only going to muddle up the natural corn flavor, and in the end just complete a big mess.”

The seasoning really just tastes like raw garlic; actually garlic, and onion powders, and not in a very kind and tasty way. The garlic is a bit harsh, it hits, and burns the backs of our throats, ever before really hitting our taste buds.  However, that is not to say that these chips are bad in any way – they just seem to be indecisive, and on the verge of completely falling apart.  That is, except for the simple fact that they are Pan de Oro tortilla chips – in other words meaning they are tasty!!

As always, these are our thoughts, we would love to hear what you think. Agree or disagree, let us know.

Chips provided to Chip Review from Pan de Oro for review

Chip Ratings Scale:

(1/4 increments)

© – return to sender

©© – tolerable

©©© – notable

©©©© – lip-smacking

©©©©© – “A” list

RATING: J&D Sriracha Popcorn – Thai Hot Chili Sauce Popcorn

Rating: ©©©©-1/4 chips  (lip-smacking)

Chip Ratings Scale:

(1/4 increments)

© – return to sender

©© – tolerable

©©© – notable

©©©© – lip-smacking

©©©©© – “A” list

RATING: Garden of Eatin’ – Black Bean Tortilla Chips

Rating: ©©©-1/2 chips  (notable)

Chip Ratings Scale:

(1/4 increments)

© – return to sender

©© – tolerable

©©© – notable

©©©© – lip-smacking

©©©©© – “A” list

RATING: Alexia – Hot Pepper Waffle Fries

Rating: ©©©-1/4 chips  (notable)

Chip Ratings Scale:

(1/4 increments)

© – return to sender

©© – tolerable

©©© – notable

©©©© – lip-smacking

©©©©© – “A” list

Chip Review of the day…..

Oogie’s Gourmet Popcorn – Movie Lovers Buttered Popcorn

Rating: ©©–1/2 chips (tolerable)

Comments:

Did someone say date night?  Movie theater here we come.  But, why go to the Cineplex, and spend tons of dough, when you can enjoy all of the pleasures of digging into that same buttery tub of freshly popped popcorn from the comfort of your own living room?!?  Well, if that is what you are expecting, or hoping for, when you reached for your store bought, pre-packaged, Oogie’s Buttered Popcorn, then we are sorry, but you are definitely in for a letdown.

That is not to say that Oogie’s Movie Lovers Buttered Popcorn is bad necessarily, it’s just not really comparable to true movie theater popcorn.  We’re sorry to have to be the ones to tell you, but we have not tasted any powdered snack seasoning that really imitates real butter flavor, and it is not really practical to think that real melted butter can be used (sorry Angie).  What we would equate this popcorn to would be cooled down, butter flavored, microwave popcorn – that we did not have to microwave.  Anyone who has ever tasted a bag of butter flavored microwave popcorn knows what we are talking about.  That glowing yellow, extremely (lip stinging) salty, slightly butter flavor resembling, powdered seasoning, that coats each and every kernel, along with your fingers and sides of the bag.  The seasoning itself is actually rather tasty, especially when you do not expect it to deliver any real, rich, fatty, delicious, butter flavor.

Similar to Oogie’s other popcorns we’ve reviewed, these popcorn kernels were on the smaller side, and definitely had a bit of that chewy, toothsome, staleness going on to them.  So, if you are really in the mood for some real buttered movie theater popcorn, or looking for a really great pre-packaged version of buttered popcorn (like Ziggy’s), then we would tell you to skip Oogie’s Movie Lovers popcorn.  However, if you are just looking to get your fix of fake butter powdered popcorn, akin to microwave popcorn without the necessity of needing electricity or a microwave, then this popcorn could surely do the trick.

As always we would love to hear what you think. Agree or disagree. Let us know.

Chip Ratings Scale:

(1/4 increments)

© – return to sender

©© – tolerable

©©© – notable

©©©© – lip-smacking

©©©©© – “A” list

Chip Review of the day…..

Rocky Mountain Popcorn – Cinnamon Sugar

Rating: ©©-1/4 chips  (tolerable)

Comments:

Wait, this popcorn tastes eerily familiar…. Have we tasted and reviewed this popcorn before?  Our records indicate that we have not ever tried Rocky Mountain’s Cinnamon Sugar Popcorn before.  However, after some further reflection, and investigation, we are fairly certain that what we were thinking of was Smartfood’s (much better version of) Cinnamon & Brown Sugar Popcorn!

Sorry, Rocky Mountain Popcorn, but your cinnamon and sugar popcorn, doesn’t hold a kernel to Smartfood’s version.  In fact, we are very close to simply describing Rocky Mountain’s popcorn as the antithesis of Smartfood’s popcorn, except that there are a few low-lights that should be addressed.  First, the popcorn kernels are very small and soft.  They just do not exude any of that full, light and crispy kernel-ness that everyone wants from their popcorn.  Secondly, who at Rocky Mountain Popcorn has the unbelievably heavy hand with the all too fine sugar?!  The cinnamon is present, but both it, and the popcorn, are practically lost under the mounds of super fine sugar that annoyingly stuck to our fingers while trying to pinch the tiny kernels.

Note to Rocky Mountain Popcorn: when producing a sweet version of  a traditionally salty and savory snack, the seasoning should not sway too far from the savory end of the spectrum.  There is a reason why certain snacks are iconic = because they work!!  In other words, do not forget to include at least some of that savoriness, and most importantly: SALT!!

As always we would love to hear what you think.  Agree or disagree.  Let us know.

Chip Ratings Scale:

(1/4 increments)

© – return to sender

©© – tolerable

©©© – notable

©©©© – lip-smacking

©©©©© – “A” list