Friday, May 24, 2024

Proper Crisps, New Zealand

I like snacks.  I liks chips in particular.  I also like to travel, and try new products while traveling.  And thus ... this review.  Proper Chips, from New Zealand, served on board an Air New Zealand flight.

Update Review, 2024

I haven't really liked the more interesting flavors of Proper Crisps before, but, I've been on a bit of a chips/crisps kick lately, so I decided to give their basic chips a try.
Marlborough Sea Salt.
"What is it that makes our Crisps so delicious, you ask? Each batch of our New Zealand grown spuds are sliced to perfection, then hand-cooked in small batches by our talented Proper Chefs using High Oleic Sunflower Oil, topped off with a Proper touch of Marlborough Sea Salt. That's all! This is a 100% NZ Made bag, with Oil from Canterbury, Salt from Marlborough, and Potatoes from our local farmers. Choice!"

And ... yeah,  not my thing.  Just thin and crispy sorta kettle style. I don't really like this style.  Very greasy.  Light salt is a very boring flavor.  **+.

Original Review, 2018

Proper Chips is a fairly new company, started only in 2010, with founders on a mission to less processed and less artificial chips, sorry, crisps.  They use high quality high oleic sunflower oil to fry, sea salt from Marlborough, etc, etc.  And of course, everything is non-GMO, vegan, gluten-free, etc.  For me, the interesting part was the unique flavors.

I was only able to try potato chips, but I'd gladly try more, but more specifically, I'd love to try some of their other Proper Crisps: parsnip, beetroot, carrot, and more!
Sweet Smoked Paprika.
" OlĂ©! Sizzling with Sweet smoked Spanish seasoning, these Proper Crisps are flavoured with mature sweet bell peppers that have been naturally dried over hot smoked oak chips and ground to perfection."

"Sweet and Smokey – The finest matured Spanish bell peppers dried on oak for 18 days – our 100% natural take on the BBQ flavour."

These were fine crisps, I guess.  Thin sliced, not skin on, generic crisps, but, uh, crispy?  No complaints on the base but it wasn't particularly exciting.

The spicing was certainly odd.  I have paprika on other things, but it isn't what I've ever had on my crisps.  It was somewhat BBQ-eque I suppose, but far more subtle, not as complex.  Which, makes sense, as the only ingredients, besides the potatoes and oil, are salt and paprika.  So, they tasted, well, like paprika, and little more.

Not the most interesting chips for me, but, if you really like paprika, perhaps you'd like these.  **+.
Rosemary & Thyme.
"We practically raided the garden – sprinkled dried and rubbed herbs on the freshly kettle cooked Agria making a delicious herbaceous take on the traditional Sunday Roast."

The Rosemary & Thyme variety fared the same way.  The chips were fine, crispy, nicely cooked, and the ingredients were simple, just the potatoes, oil, and herbs.

The spicing was strong, very very obvious that they were rosemary and thyme.  Indeed, they did seem like a Sunday Roast in a chip.  Which ... for me, was a bit much.  Rosemary and thyme are things I don't mind, but, as the dominant, primary flavor of something, I wasn't quite into it.  **.
Cider Vinegar & Sea Salt.
"Our Award winning moreish apple cider vinegar crisp – has the perfect balance of sweet and zing, we make ours with real vinegar!!"

Certainly a more classic flavor, just named a bit more interestingly than the standard "salt and vinegar" name we have in the US.

The chips though ... eh.  Just fried thin crispy chips.  Very tangy.  Salty.  Eh.  **.
Onion with Green Chives.
"We thought why not make a classic Onion flavour using only simple, real ingredients? This delicate balance of Gourmet Onions, Chives and Marlborough Sea Salt will definitely tantalise your taste buds.  Let your cravings begin!"

Another simple flavor, onion and chive.  Nothing too strong, but a bit more interesting than a plain chip.  Works in a pinch if you want chips and onion dip, and don't have any dip I guess.

Again, not much interesting to say about the chips themselves, just thin fried crispy chips.  Not really my thing. **.

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