Maretti – Tomato, Olives & Oregano Bruschette Chips
Every once in a while I get really nostalgic for snacks and crackers I had as a kid, even if a part of me kind of reviled them. I was a kid, I was hungry and I got desperate. But sometimes Stockholm syndrome kicks in and I begin to enjoy said snacks unironically. I’m ashamed to admit I was once so desperate I combined ketchup with those super dry rye crackers in hopes of making some edible combination. For the record, it did not take.
While not exactly like the detestably dry snacks of my childhood, these do kind of remind me of them. In fact, these oven baked snacks remind me of Melba Toast crackers I had as a kid. Are those things still around? It’s basically taking dough and putting it into an oven until it’s all dry and crispy. It’s not a new concept, but it is a tasty one if executed properly. This has the benefit of a good 20 years of culinary snack technology, and of course seasoning.
These things look quite angrily red on one side of the chip. This particular flavour is tomato olives and oregano. They’re branded as bruschette chips, kind of like the actual food item itself which is usually served on crunchy toasted baguette. It’s usually paired with diced tomatoes and the contrast of the soft refreshing veggies alongside the toast make it quite a tasty and popular brunch item.
The first noticeable thing is that these are quite an angry looking orangish red. It makes sense that the seasoning is only one side, as the other side is probably what’s sitting on the conveyor belt as it’s cooking in the oven. The smell of oregano and tomatoes comes through well, though not in any overpowering way. Which is kind of surprising given the colour.
If you’ve ever had any kind of baked bread chip or cracker, you’ll know what the texture of these is like. Think of bagel chips – it’s basically like eating a very dense piece of crunchy toast. As such, it’s generally very dry compared to potato chips or crackers. It’s also what makes it great for pairing with other things that you would an actual piece of toast. Though probably not with this one, given that it’s already got a lot of flavour packed in.
Speaking of flavour, there’s a lot going on. Tomato is the most obvious flavour, but not the strongest. I get hints of rosemary, garlic and oregano, all of which make themselves more present than tomato or olive. In fact, I can barely taste any olive at all. That’s probably a good thing, on account of my enjoyment for them being a low rating. The flavours do a pretty good job of emulating most of what it’s supposed to, without being overly strong or aromatic. Usually when I have snacks that are supposed to have oregano or olives or even tomato paste, they leave a very distinct, almost stringent after taste. I don’t get that here, and it doesn’t leave any lasting or linger flavour, which I always appreciate.
Thankfully, unlike my childhood of snacking mistakes, these go down easy and stay down. They are quite tasty and I can see myself ploughing through these pretty quickly. These get a big thumbs up from me.
