A Dissenting Opinion: Micheal Season’s Honey Chipotle Chips
The people at Micheal Season’s are masters at putting their products in the hands of capable snack reviewers, so both Rachel and I wound up with a bag of Micheal Season’s Baked Honey Chipotle Chips. Yet, despite our superior snacking skills, we’ve managed to come up with starkly different opinions on this product, just as experienced wine tasters often disagree on the best years for Burgundies (I still say the ‘92 was better than the ‘03, dammit!). So sit back and relax as I make a case for my new favorite chips, Michael Season’s Baked Honey Chipotle.
As I’ve stated before on this blog, I’m a spicy snack lightweight. This hearkens back to the days when my dad would pay me a dollar to eat a Blue Chip, and I would spend the next fifteen minutes with my tongue under the kitchen faucet (that dollar was totally worth it, though).
My fear of all things spicy was only reinforced by traumatic food accidents – such as the time I was eating fried vegetables at a Chinese restaurant, and accidentally swallowed a whole chili pepper. After losing hearing in my left ear, I sprinted out of the restaurant (sticking my friends with the check) and into a nearby CVS, where I ripped open a gallon of milk and chugged it until I felt nauseous. That chili pepper haunts me to this day.
So, imagine my surprise when I tried one of Michael Season’s Honey Chipotle chips and f’ing loved it.
Like Michael Season’s other chip varieties, Honey Chipotle chips are made with whole grains, and are baked instead of fried, making them a lot healthier than other chip brands. Yet, as with the Original version of these chips, their grainy texture can be a little overpowering. It’s like they really want you to know you’re eating an organic product, and as a result, you’re chewing on something akin to condensed wood chips. Rachel might disagree with me on this, but I have to say that although both the Cheddar and Original varieties are pretty good, they ultimately elicit a “meh” on the flavor-meter when compared to other chips. Are they healthier than Bugles? Definitely. Are they tastier? Debatable.
However, unlike the ho-hum flavors of Original and Cheddar, the Honey Chipotle seasoning was an instant hit. It quickly became apparent that Michael Season’s “unique” texture wasn’t gonna keep me from mouth-vacuuming these chips.
When you first toss a Honey Chipotle into your mouth, you’re immediately hit with a subtle, barbecue-y sweetness. “Mmmm,” you think. “Not bad at all.” And then, just as you’re reaching for your second chip, the slow burn of the chipotle starts to kick in. The sensation isn’t strong enough to send medium-spice tolerators running for the kitchen faucet, but the tip of your tongue will definitely be sizzling.
Of course, if you plan to seriously snack on these things, it might pay to have a glass of milk or beer nearby (both are spice neutralizers). As I studied for finals last week, I ploughed my way through two bags of Michael Season’s Honey Chipotle Chips, and I was constantly swigging from a Red Bull to prevent my taste buds from melting off. As a side note, those of your with big tests in their futures (*cough* LSATS *cough*), should totally pair spicy snacks with highly caffeinated beverages if you want to study ’til the sun comes up. Just promise me you’ll take a break when your hands start to shake.
So yeah, final verdict: While other Michael Season’s products were good, I honestly doubt I would’ve bought them on my own. These, however, I’ll be looking for on my next trip to the supermarket.
Buy Michael Season’s Products Online:
at Amazon.com
2 Comments
Jim on December 23rd, 2008
Michael Season would f’ing love this review.
Rachel on December 23rd, 2008
Wow, it’s so interesting how two people can taste the same product,
and experience the same tastes and textures, yet process them in
completely different ways. Congratulations on finding a new favorite
chip ::debates hitting the supermarket for her favorite, the cheddar
variant::