These “Krinkle-Cut” dill pickle Kettle Chips aren’t exactly new, but they’re new to my pantry. I adore dill, and I’m always up for finding new ways to rock the flavour. Dill and potatoes are already a perfect match, which means these chips have the flavour genetics to be destined for greatness.
I’ve tasted several winners from the Kettle line before (Honey Dijon remains a classic, and Maple Bacon is superb), so picking up a bag of these was an easy sell. Old Dutch pickle chips are the standard that all others are judged by, and the ones from Lays, while OK, just aren’t the same.
These chips are the wavy variety (that’s Krinkle-Cut), with a good thick heft to them. When you bite into a chip, the chip bites back. (Don’t believe me? Watch the roof of your mouth for damage.) Each chip is solid, with the waves lightly dusted in flavouring powder that includes visible dill flecks. They’re not oily, and the taste profile starts out lightly sweet, then moves into sour, garlic and dill, with a strange lingering note to the finish and aftertaste that I wasn’t expecting all: orange zest. I don’t know how, but that’s what it tastes like, and it’s not entirely pleasant.
I could see these working with a ranch dip on a party table, if that’s how you like your chips. They’re thick enough to hold up to anything between a light dipping and an exuberant scooping. They may also work as a side to a grilled cheese sandwich or a grill-pressed Reuben. On their own, I’m not sold. But paired with something else, they could work.
The Details
Price: $3.99 on sale for a 220-gram (7.75 oz) bag at Save-On Foods in Edmonton.
Value for Money: A premium potato chip at a premium price. Not surprising.
Availability: I’ve seen them at lots of places that sell Kettle chips, so fairly common. Not as rare as some types can be.
Nutrition: 210 calories per 40 grams (13-15 chips). That means the whole bag contains 1,155 calories. Don’t eat the whole damn bag at once.
Verdict: Not bad, but not great. For a dill pickle chip, I’m still going to pick Old Dutch over these. But the meaty crunch of the chips is satisfying … and noisy.