Ruffles Double Crunch – Jalapeno Cheddar
It’s been a while since I’ve had Ruffles. Back in the day Sour Cream and Onion was basically synonymous with Ruffles. If I wanted that flavour, I would get Ruffles. If I wanted Ruffles, I’d get that flavour. Obviously these days, as a consumer we have far more options available to us at that same price point, but back when I was a kid it was either that or Lays. And the typical Lays chips and I haven’t seen eye to eye in a long, long time.
As far as jalapeno cheddar flavours go, this ones is a lot lighter on the jalapeno and heavier on the cheddar, which makes these a lot easier to put back if you’re a spice wimp. The flavour is pretty good though, it’s just lacking the heat that I was expecting. It’s a good or bad thing depending on how you feel about spice, and cheese flavour in general. The one thing that Ruffles does right is that strong distinct cheese flavour which I love. One thing I have noticed with a lot of flavours is that jalapeno tends to have a banana-like quality to it. It’s not as present here, but still something I notice. Who knows, maybe I’m just going crazy.
These do indeed have a more distinct crunch than the Ruffles I remember. The Ruffles I remember have a somewhat softer crunch and have a starchier texture. These are like double fried french fries, they don’t have much starch or substance to them and are mostly just crunch. Some people may find that disconcerting, largely because these have the potential to cut you like shrapnel in the mouth, but I kind of love them for that same reason. I am indeed a fiend for the crunch. A side benefit to having these be so thick and hardy is that they would be great for dipping, if you choose to do so. Not sure you would need to given how much flavour these already have, but if they have a regular flavour of these, you’ve got options.
Overall I enjoy these enough to want them a second time. Sure, the jalapeno side disappointed a bit, but even without it I’m a fan of cheddar flavour chips in general so that combined with that crunch that could take a tooth out make this a winner for me. If nothing else, this comes in multiple flavours so I’ll give those a try as well because the texture of these is a real winner for me.
