For three years foodies, snack lovers, and potato heads around the United States have participated in “Lay’s Do Us a Flavor Contest” to create innovative potato chip flavors. During that time, some interesting flavors have hit the market that might sound strange to non-Americans, such as cappuccino, Southern biscuits and gravy, and chicken and waffles. That got us thinking about what kind of potato chip flavors exist in other countries. Here are some of the more unique Lay’s (although the brand name is different in some countries) flavors from around the globe.
Number Ten: Mint Mischief. Mint can be used in sweet and savory cooking, but it is most commonly associated with dessert, toothpaste, or chewing gum. In India, the flavorful plant is used to season chips. Nothing like a bag of minty chips to give you that freshly brushed feeling.
Number Nine: Lasagna Beef. Lasagna is an Italian-American food staple. Layers of tomato sauce, cheese, and sheets of pasta sound like a hearty meal, but in Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay, they are a snack in chip form. This is a version of lasagna that Garfield may even turn down.
Number Eight: Salmon Teriyaki. Warning: seafood-flavored potato chips will pop up a few more times on the list. Teriyaki is a flavor profile most Americans know. Salmon is a fish most Americans know. But salmon teriyaki chips from Thailand probably are not something Americans know.
Number Seven: Vegemite. If the 1980s Men at Work song “Down Under” was written today, the line “He just smiled and gave me a Vegemite sandwich” could very well be: “He just smiled and gave me a Vegemite potato chip.” While it certainly doesn’t have the same ring to it, Vegemite-flavored potato chips exist in Australia. Vegemite, a paste made from brewer’s yeast extract mixed with vegetables and spices, has been a popular sandwich spread since 1922. Now people can eat Vegemite chips with their Vegemite sandwich, if they want.
Number Six: Prawn Cocktail. A common appetizer in the United States is shrimp cocktail. Similarly, in the United Kingdom, people enjoy prawn cocktail. Prawns are basically large shrimp, but do either prawns or shrimp and cocktail sauce belong on chips? The U.K. thinks so.
Number Five: Scottish Haggis. Sometimes just the mention of haggis can sour some stomachs. Traditionally, haggis is minced sheep organ meat, oats, and spices all sealed and cooked in a sheep’s stomach. In the United Kingdom, this bold flavor made its way onto potato chips – or crisps, as they are called in the U.K. – into bags, and into consumers’ bellies.
Number Four: Blueberry. Most Americans enjoy fruit salad or potato salad for picnics and cookouts, but they are rarely, if ever, combined. In China, there is a propensity to combine fruit and potato chips. A blueberry chip sounds like even Violet Beauregarde would pass. Don’t worry if blueberries aren’t your thing; there’s also a kiwi version.
Number Three: Red Caviar. Oh, good, more seafood. In many parts of the world, caviar is considered a delicacy. Caviar, roe, or fish eggs have often been associated with wealth and social status. What screams “baller” more than caviar…on potato chips? This Russian delight is like Mountain Dew making champagne. It might taste good, but it feels so wrong.
Number Two: Squid. The final seafood-potato mash-up on our list comes from Thailand, where squid is the star ingredient. Squid is one of those foods that divides people. Either you love it, or you hate it. So, squid may sound off-putting to some to begin with, but putting that flavor on a chip may frighten people even more.
Number One: Cucumbers and Goat. It is thought that the french fry originated in Belgium, so it’s no surprise Belgians love the crispy snack. Belgians also enjoy the potato chip, french fries’ skinnier cousin, but one flavor that sticks out is “cucumbers and goat.” Okay, Belgium, that’s not a flavor profile we are too familiar with, but maybe we could understand this better if it said “cucumber and goat cheese.” Alas, it sounds like there is delicious goat flavor in every bite, which could be one explanation for so many screaming goats lately.
There are tons more interesting chips around the world. These were just a few unique flavors. While these chip flavors may sound odd to us, they could be just as tasty as “New York Reuben” or “Mango Salsa.” Try them to find out for yourself.