Potato Boom Snacks

My coworkers get a monthly snack box with treats from around the world.  I *love* this, as it gives me a chance to sample a huge variety of items not normally accessible in the US, and also, to just try ... #allTheThings.  And obviously, I love snacks.

This month's box was from the Ukraine, with a rare two products from the same vendor: Potato Boom.  If they were going to include two products that were nearly the same, just different flavors, these must be amazing, right?

So what is Potato Boom?

"Original corn sticks are a good snack for your favorite drinks."

Ok, a corn stick?  I can kinda imagine that.  To pair with my ... drinks.  Ok.

"A popular chips taste in a new format. Unlike traditional potato chips, our product is not subject to roasting in frying fats. It can be enjoyed without harming the health. They are great for light snacks, as well as snacks for your favorite beverages."

Ah, ok, I love chips, and these are made with corn instead, and baked instead of fried, so, healthy.

But these descriptions weren't actually very good.

Packaging.

The packaging was more revealing, and made them look like french fries.  It promised a "Hit Snack".

Who can resist?  Not me!

Original Sticks with Onion Flavour.

The snack really is the shape of fries, certainly not like traditional chips, and certainly not what I expected as a corn snack.

It turns out, they aren't ... really corn sticks.  Yes, corn flour is the first ingredient, but there is plenty of potato starch and potato flakes, and wheat flour too in the mix.  The texture is light and airy, like a puffed chip of sorts, but obviously an entirely different form factor.  They taste more like ... styrofoam?  But that is just the base.

The onion flavor is strong, and tasted just like sour cream and onion potato chips.  Just, airier, healthier, perhaps.

A nice alternative to chips I guess, but not as interesting as I was hoping.

Original Sticks with Veal & Adjika Flavour.

And then I tried the next flavor: veal & adjika.  Yeah, what?

These were just crazy tasting.  Same form factor, look like fries, light and airy, but they tasted ... well, meaty?  Veal flavor?! Savory and meaty and yet on a light fry-chip ... my brain didn't know what to make of these, at all.  

I'm not familiar with Adjika, but its a Ukrainian dip, hot and spicy.  I didn't find these spicy exactly, but there was certainly a ton of flavor.

I don't think I liked these exactly, but I certainly couldn't help but try them over and over again, just so confused how a beef stew like flavor was in a chip-like thing.