Chips, Crisps & Wafers Pop-Up Potato Chip Shop
About 2 weeks ago, I stopped by a market in Little India to get some supplies. In the impossibly long check-out line, the people behind me were carrying armfuls of Lay's India's Magic Masala chips. Chips have been my favorite unhealthy indulgence for a long time and over the years, I've more or less managed to wean myself off them. It wasn't easy.
Now they are a very infrequent treat, and this enticing flavor seemed to be worthy of breaking my chips ban. I enjoyed the Indian "chaat" type of flavor.
I found out that for more than 30 years, Barbecue flavored chips were the only flavor available outside of plain salted chips. In the 1990's, other flavors started coming in. Many crazy flavors can be found for sure these days, but after comparing them to some of the international and even U.S. regional flavors, I craved something more than Zesty Ranch!
When a friend emailed me a link to this global Potato Chip Pop-Up shop, in the IAM8BIT art gallery, called Chips Crisps &Wafers, I knew it had to fit into my busy holiday schedule somehow.
I was detained at another event during opening night, but later on in the weekend, we managed to squeeze a visit in. Good thing because today is the last day it's running.
The exhibit is pretty straightforward with over 50 varieties of chips flown in from around the world as well as within the U.S. The bags went for a fairly steep 5 bags for $20 and a bit more for larger bags.
Samples were not offered, nor were bags of sold out chips on display, so the mysteries inside each bag could only be discovered on your own. They'd also make stocking stuffers anyone would love.
On opening night the inventory practically got decimated. I read that the first flavors to sell out were President's Choice Maple Bacon from Canada and Haldiram's Aloo Masala from India (which might have been similar to the bag of Magic Masala). Even the Ketchup flavor had sold out.
Here are a few flavor highlights from what remained during our visit. Let's start closer to home.
USA
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| Herr's Baby Back Ribs - Pennsylvania, USA |
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| Zapps' Cajun Crawtator - Louisiana, USA |
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| Zapps' Cajun Dill Gator-Tators - Louisiana, USA |
Zapps chips seem to have a cult following, and like most food from Louisiana, they never disappoint. The Cajun Dill Gator-Tators is a flavor I tried and they were fantastic. I love sour and love spicy, so this blend worked on all levels.
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| Utz The Crab Chip - Pennsylvania, USA |
I didn't taste these, but one can hardly go wrong with crab + old bay seasoning on something fried. An added fun fact is that Utz was a product represented by ad agency Sterling Cooper on Mad Men, my favorite TV Show.
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| Dirty Potato Chips Funky Fusion - Tennessee, USA |
I stared at this bag for a long time wondering what Funky Fusion entails. The woman from the gallery noticed and shared that it mixes all of the Dirty flavors. Sold! They were very highly seasoned, to the point where I couldn't taste the potato, but I do enjoy over-spiced food.
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| Herr's Fire Roated Sweet Corn - Pennsylvania, USA |
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| Dandy's Hot & Spicy Shrimp - Louisiana, USA |
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| Herr's Old Bay - Pennsylvania, USA |
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| Zapps' Voodoo - Louisiana, USA |
Louisiana clearly wins on tempting flavors, in the US category.
UK
England definitely loves their meat and potato flavors, but also managed some creative combinations.
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| Seabrook's Beefy - Yorkshire, England |
Notice the "Lovingly Cooked in Yorkshire" slogan. Charming.
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| Tesco's Goat's Cheese & Sticky Chili Jam - UK (sold out) |
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| Tesco's Hoisin Duck - UK (sold out) |
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| Seabrook's Prawn Cocktail - Yorkshire England (also lovingly made) |
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| Walker's Roast Chicken - UK |
These chips had a mild chicken flavor, very subtle. The potato taste shone through. Walker's makes the shortbread cookies, very popular in the US also.
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| Walker's Salt & Shake - UK |
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| Roysters' T-Bone Steak & Golden Wonder's Sausage & Tomato - UK |
Let's move on to Asian flavors, which always come through on creativity and taste.
Japan
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| Calbee's Seaweed & Salt - Japan |
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| Calbee's Seaweed & Salt - Japan & Haldiram's Aloo Masala - India (sold out) |
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| WME Wasa Beef's Plum Wasabi - Japan |
Canada
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| President's Choice Spicy Peri Peri (African Birds Eye Chili) - Canada/South Africa |
Within about 15 minutes we were checked out with purchases and on our way.
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| Gallery's window display, from inside |
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