Unexpected fusion foods tend to capture my attention. Combining one cuisine with another in a culinary mashup can yield both interesting results and unmitigated train wrecks; the results vary widely.
In this case, R.W. Garcia Thai Sweet and Spicy Tortilla Chips combine Thai seasoning with tortilla chips, which sounded like a combination that would yield a delicious result. While I’d never considered mixing the two flavours before, I could easily imagine what it would taste like as soon as I saw the bag.
The Pitch: “Thailand is famous for its food. Rare, exotic spices give it unexpected sweet and savoury flavour combinations. But the combination of spices with the nutty taste of flaxseed isn’t just exotic, it’s out of this world. Great with dips or straight out of the bag, our Thai sweet & spicy tortilla chips bring the flavour of Thailand to your next get-together.”
The Look: Simple bag design with nice big pictures of the tortilla chips on the outside. Not flashy, but nice. The bag is also much heavier than I was expecting for the size. The chips themselves are a deep golden-yellow colour, with big black flecks of flax in each chip. They’re kind of strange looking, though appetizing.
The Taste: Spicy, which I expected. The chips are quite basic, with a great crunch and a mouthfeel that’s more scruffy/scratchy than oily. The flax is interesting, though it doesn’t dominate. The seasoning is uneven and not strong enough, with some chips spiced more heavily than others. The heat is the main note, but there’s some garlic, peppers, and a bit of sweetness (though it could stand to be a tad sweeter). Note that the heat builds steadily.
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RATINGS AND DETAILS
Cost: $3.69 for a 200-gram bag at Planet Organic.
Value for cash money: Good.
Availability: Planet Organic. Maybe elsewhere?
Nutrition?: Per 19 chips (50 grams): 250 calories, 12 grams of fat, 140 mg of sodium, 4 grams of fibre, 3 grams of protein.
Organic, non-GMO cred: “Made with non-genetically engineered organic yellow corn flour and corn oil or sunflower oil.”
The verdict: Good, though I’d prefer a whole lot more flavouring. I tried it with some organic salsa, and the Thai seasoning was easily buried.
I spotted something I couldn’t resist in Planet Organic yesterday(chocolate you say?) …yeah how’d you guess?;-) Well two portions of chocolate in the ingredients – but believe it or not, chocolate tortilla chips! And they’re quite good too! A U.S. product, the website is http://www.foodshouldtastegood.com/flav (for the chip flavours) – but yeah, made with semi-sweet chocolate, Dutch cocoa & vanilla aside from the rather obligatory sea salt.
Huh…aHa! http://www.foodshouldtastegood.com/index.html#/home/
*fingers crossed* that should be it.