McClure’s - Spicy Pickle & Garlic Dill Pickle (US)

I guess sometimes I think to myself, what direction I would like this blog to be travelling. What is this blog meant to be about? Up until this point and certainly from the blurb above, one could assume that my aim was about uncovering the best of the best in the crisp world. Facilitating in the selection process when my readers are presented with an insurmountable selection of crisps and snacks. This would explain all of the high scores because I want to save my loyal readers the heart ache of purchasing an inferior packet of crisps. And anyone, who has managed stay even remotely familiar with my writings, may be of the opinion that all I do is find the spiciest crisps, which is not true. Spicy crisps just happen to be delicious! As many of you know, I do like independent brands doing great things and I would hope that my readers feel the same way. I would hope that, like me, when my readers see an interesting, different, new flavour, they are so overcomes by curiosity and fascination that they simple must try the little known snack. I have decided that this is the direction I would like to send this blog. A guide to the lesser known snacks. Like Solange in a sea of Beyonce’s or The Faces in a sea of The Rolling Stones. The relatively unknown McClure’s are exactly that. I found them in a posh grocery store in Richmond and the flavours immediately jumped out at me; Spicy Pickle and Garlic Dill Pickle. So I grabbed both packets with the excitement of a school boy of the last day of term. When I got home I noticed both packets were nearing their used by date. Which I thought was funny because there were a lot of packets left. In any case, I took my interesting packets home and tonight I decided to open one. I opened the Spicy Pickle first, obviously, and I smelt the contents. The strong aroma of dill filled my nostrils, which I must say was slightly disconcerting. I reached in a plucked out the first crinkle cut crisp. I took a bit, and realised very quickly that this is no Walkers Pickled Onion. Quite the contrary. These crisps are the pits! They are no good at all. They are hardly spicy and the flavour is like the contents a baby’s overflowing diaper!  I then opened the Garlic Dill Pickle and these we’re only one notch up on the belt of an anorexic cheerleader. While my rising unhappiness for these crisps may never cease, I am glad I tried them, so that you don’t have to. ⋆

Twisties – Flaming Hot (Aus)

I tend not to dabble in the maze snack world, however, Twisties are a cheesy Aussie tradition. An institution of an Australian’s childhood. In this case I was unable to resist the Flaming Hot variation of the much-loved favourite. I am going to assume that everyone knows what Twisties are. If you don’t, in a roundabout way, I guess you might say they are like a disfigured cheese doodle that is all rough and lumpy and comes in all shapes and sizes because there is really no template for the Twistie and I would go as far as to say that no two Twisties are the same (Possible advertising campaign there) and I would also say they are crunchier than your average maze snack, almost like there is a hard crusty, crunchy shell with a lighter less densely packed interior. On the Flaming Hot packet there is a warning which reads “Caution: Extremely Hot”. I can confirm they do have a bit of spice which is quite enjoyable however I think the use of the word Extremely is a bit…. Well, extreme, to be quite honest. In any case, they have made an enjoyable crisp for the whole family. Not too spicy and a great variation on this stalwart of Australian crisps world. ⋆⋆⋆½