After a very pleasing experience with Wavy Fried Green Tomato – the first flavor in Lay’s 2017 “Do Us a Flavor” lineup – I was excited to try Kettle-Cooked Everything Bagel with Cream Cheese. I waited a few days to open the bag though, because Arne and I inhaled the whole bag of Fried Green Tomato chips in no time, and I didn’t want to eat another whole bag of chips right away.
When we did open the bag, the chips looked good. Thick cut, with lots of folded chips – I love folded chips and maintain that they have a more satisfying crunch. Arne sets them aside for me. Many of the chips boasted black speckles reminiscent of the poppy seeds on a classic everything bagel, which seemed an encouraging sign.
But the existence of speckles is where the resemblance to an everything bagel ended. On putting a chip in my mouth, I was disappointed to taste none of the flavors – onion, garlic, sesame, poppy seed – that characterize the classic bagel topping. Well, I take that back. One everything bagel seasoning flavor was there in spades: salt. Lots and lots of salt. Instant parched tongue, grabbing-for-a-glass-of-water levels of salt.
Expending some effort to ignore the powerful flavor of SALT, I did manage to sense a slight dairy tang that suggested cream cheese. But my imagination failed to fill in any sesame, onion, or garlic. Which I find baffling, especially since the Fried Green Tomato flavor was so beguiling. How could you fail on something as simple and powerful as onion and garlic? I also found the chips a little too hard, breaking into sharp shards when chewed. Combined with the extreme saltiness, the texture left my mouth feeling cut up and sore.
The upshot: Everything Bagel with Cream Cheese was at least as disappointing as Fried Green Tomato was tasty. Last up is Spicy Taco…
I have heard those are out there but haven’t yet spotted a bag! I’d love to try them.
I agree with your assessments completely. The taco ones are my favorite…but what about the Bacon -Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers?