Kartoffel Chips Salz - Bravo

Bravo chips took our attention from the supermarket shelf: a matt bag with "SALT" glossy letters simulating lightbulbs, the packaging additionally reading "30% less fat". 

These chips allegedly contain less fat than regular potato chips (sunflower oil is 22% of total weight). Such low fat may feature at the expense of a faded potato taste. For us the chips felt dry, less juicy than other chips. On top of that the chips felt very salty (we calculated a 2% salt in weight). 

Features:
The biggest potato crisps is	6.4 cm long
and has a thickness of	1.01 mm
Crunchiness:	85 dB
Other features:	Flat cut, peeled, light yellow colour.
Origin:
Country, region	Germany, Schleswig-Holstein
We got them from	a Penny market in Hamburg.
Price / gram	0.99 € /150 g
On-line:	http://www.wilkbonbon.de/

Inside a bag of Bravo Kartoffelchips Salz

Patates Fregides Cruixents Artesanes - Casa Ametller

The Ametller family cultivates vegetables since the mid XIX century. In 2001 and seven generations later, the business model changes: two Ametller brothers decide to start commercializing their products directly, without intermediaries. Nowadays, their products are sold in their own brand shops and are a sign of fresh, close and quality product.

The potatoes in this review come from Casa Ametller’s own fields and are traditionally fried with high oleic sunflower oil. In principle such oil keeps the food stable, preserves the flavour, is low in saturated fat and has no transfat. The proportions between crunchiness and thickness of its potato chips is excellent, together with the amount of salt. Once in the mouth, the potato breaks into pieces that feel light and taste good.

Features:
The biggest potato crisps is	6 cm long
and has a thickness of	1,10 mm
Crunchiness:	105 dB
Other features:	Different shapes, sizes and colours: brown, orange, yellow.
Origin:
Country, region	Spain, Catalonia
We got them from	a Crisps&Critics reader bought them at a “Casa Ametller” shop in Barcelona
Price / gram	1,45 € / 170 g
On-line:	http://www.casaametller.net

Inside a bag of "Patates Fregides Casa Ametller"

Nature chips - Spar Premium

These Nature chips of Spar Premium can be considered to be family relatives with the already reviewed Nature&Blue chips.  

As it happened with the "coloured" review, when we opened the bag, we smelt nothing. And this has an unadverted effect on the flavour. 

Flavour is not the same as taste. Flavour is understood as a combination of at least the following senses: taste, smell, touch... And if the smell is missing, the flavour feels weird. Is the lack of smell the price to pay for a low-fat product? 

These swiss potatoes have been baked underpressure, allowing frying at a lower temperature. The result: yellow pale colour potatoes with a hard crust. When chewing them we feel a good crunch and then have a dry sensation which some relate to a "healthy-food" feeling.  The slices are cut super thick, probably the thickest potato chips we have tasted so far.

Features:
The biggest potato crisps is	5.5 cm long
and has a thickness of	1.84 mm
Crunchiness:	101 dB
Other features:	Flat thick cut, pale yellow
Origin:
Country, region	Switzerland
We got them from	a Spar supermarket in Salzburg, Austria.
Price / gram	1.69 €/ 100 g
On-line	www.spar.at

Inside a Nature chips bag

Nature & Blue Chips - Spar Premium

Crunchy colours, mmmmm!!!

This bag has two different potato varieties: nice purple potatoes from St. Gallen (Switzerland) combined with well-known-to-us yellow potatoes. The differences in color between varieties of potatoes are basically differences in carotenoid and flavonoid content (pigments).

The yellowish potatoes in the bag are cut thick (one of the thickest we ever tried) and quite crunchy. The purple ones are just a bit thinner and feel softer, lighter, airier but still crunchy. 

These potatoes do not smell. Still taste good, feel natural and are chic.

Innovation is the key also for this Swiss potato chip manufacturer. Chips are gently fried in a vacuum with pure sunflower oil at 140ºC (regular frying is at around 180ºC). Like this, each chip absorbs 40% less fat. 

Features:
The biggest potato crisps is	6.5 cm long
and has a thickness of	1.80 mm
Crunchiness:	96 dB
Other features:	Purple colour, flat thick cut, no curls..
Origin:
Country, region	Switzerland, St. Gallen
We got them from	Spar supermarket, Salzburg
Price / gram	1.69 € / 100 g
On-line:	http://www.spar.at/

Inside a bag of Nature & Blue chips