Sukiyaki Pringles

I have never been much of a Pringles person. Sure, being a fairly organized person who likes orderly spaces, the concept of Pringles appeals to me. Who wouldn't love an anal-retentive concept in which your chips are well-behaved and identical such that they stack neatly into a canister. What's not to love if you're compulsively tidy?

What has never been for me to love is the texture. Compared to potato chips, they have a crumbly, softer texture because they're not only made with dehydrated potato, but also flour. They are a more processed version of something which is superior in its original form.

All of that being said, I've not eaten deep fried food regularly for a long time and I can't digest it well. My husband is the chip eater in the family and, if I sample just two of his fried chips, I'll be feeling it hours later. These Pringles didn't bring on any digestive problems like deep-fried chips seem to. That's quite the bonus right there. One thing is for sure, gluten is my friend as the wheat flour mixed in these didn't cause one problem for me.

The place where these really shine is the sukiyaki flavor. It's very savory and "meaty" in a way I've not experienced before in a chip. The flavor depth is impressive and I loved that (and I don't even like beef). You get a lot of complexity including onion, garlic, mushroom, and, of course, the beef. I really liked these chips, much to my surprise. I guess that my enjoyment was absolutely amplified by the lack of regret later on.

I did a little research on Pringles because I've always wondered why anyone would try to make a processed chip when natural chips are so tasty. I thought perhaps it was one of those wartime things where a product comes about because of a shortage or, like custard powder in the UK, the product was created because someone had a food allergy. The answer seems to be because a food chemist and storage technician could do it and because people complained about how messy chips could be. It's not the most exciting answer, but it is an answer.

Pringles Mayonnaise Potato

I've never "got" the appeal of Pringles. If you are so incredibly anal retentive or compulsive that you'd rather eat a processed pressed foodstuff that has the consistency of sawdust held together with potato starch, then maybe you should consider whether or not salted snacks are simply too unpredictable for your nature. Perhaps you'd prefer some nice, perfectly shaped Anafranil tablets.

I can't recall ever buying a can of Pringles of my own volition, but I got this small (40 gram/1.41 oz.) can of mayonnaise potato Pringles from my Okashi no Machioka "lucky bag". Note that they have to say these are  "potato flavored" because they know these aren't real potato chips. I imagine that if one were inclined to buy these, they'd cost about 100 yen ($1.22) for a can.

Though Pringles are usually stacked fairly evenly, this can is only partially filled so they are turned over on their side. I guess they wouldn't do for really compulsive sorts, but they're okay for someone like me who is indifferent to them in any form. After regarding the contents with mild disdain, I gave them a try. They smell like normal Pringles. It's that cooked processed potato substance scent. There's also a slight hint of what I'm sure passes for mayonnaise.

The salt from the first chip hit an irritated spot on my throat and sent me into a coughing fit, but I didn't hold that against it. No, I held the fact that it had a very strong and spicy mayonnaise flavor against it. The first chip really came across as bordering on overbearing. By the second chip though, the mayonnaise flavor mellowed out. Clearly taste buds become acclimated rapidly to faux mayonnaise flavors. After that, they tasted like slightly spicy Pringles. The ingredients include whey powder (yum, yum), garlic, butter, cheese, and corn syrup. Mayonnaise is nowhere in the list.

These aren't horrendous or anything. I just don't like Pringles and the mayonnaise flavoring does nothing to make these more appealing, and spending 206 calories on this small portion of them isn't something I'd choose to do. My guess is that their future is to sit in my basket of partially consumed snacks for a couple of months. I'll eat a chip or two once in awhile and then remember that I didn't especially care for them in the first place. Eventually, they'll go stale and I'll throw the rest out. Such will be my utter indifference to them.