Patatas fritas en sartén - A casa vella

"A casa vella" potatoes are thinly sliced and pan fried in Galicia with all the tenderness and tradition of a land known for the witches/fairies and the quality of its food. The secret mix of oils together to the salt origin make of these potato chips a mystic experience.

The salt of the Añana valley is considered to be the best salt in the world. The purity of this salt is due to freshwater courses that cross solid salt deposited more than 200 million years ago, and to its traditional production process. It has a natural balance of minerals and is rich in trace elements.

The mix of virgin olive oils of the picual and hojiblanca varieties is excellent for its fatty acid composition and natural antioxidants amount. These potato chips are given a degree of smoothness, freshness and acidity that compares to none.

Features:
The biggest potato crisps is	7.5 cm long
and has a thickness of	1.01 mm
Crunchiness:	71 dB
Other features:	Thin potato slices, juicy.
Origin:
Country, region	Spain, Galicia
We got them from	a close relative living in Spain.
Price / gram	1.49 € / 150 g
On-line:	http://www.acasavella.es

Inside a bag of A casa vella potato chips

Seawater experience - Mediterranea

Summer! Finally a bit more free time to enjoy with the family and share potato chips reviews.

Here we have the alleged first potato chips producer replacing common salt by seawater.

The potatoes are soaked in seawater before being fried in a mix of olive oils. Directly afterwards the chips are packed, without any added salt.

At first, these chips taste like eating non-salted or low salt potato chips. But then one realizes that the taste is very uniformly distributed in the whole potato. Not a single salt grain on the surface of the chips. All the potato chips, even the last one at the bottom of the packaging (usually too salty) will taste as good as the first. 

The chips are neither bland nor salty. Simply something else ;-)

Features:
The biggest potato crisps is	5.6 cm long
and has a thickness of	1.08 mm
Crunchiness:	78 dB
Other features:	Small potato slices, solid and very uniformly salted.
Origin:
Country, region	Spain, Comunitat Valenciana
We got them from	a close relative living in the Mediterranean coastal area.
Price / gram	1.27 € / 150 g
On-line:	https://www.aguademar.es

Inside a bag of Mediterranea - Seawater experience potato chips

Patatas Fritas en Aceite de Oliva Sabores del Mediterráneo - Vicente Vidal

We were surprised receiving another potato crisps bag by Vicente Vidal, this time from a "Sabores del Mediterraneo" edition, traditionally baked in 100% olive oil. 

These potato chips are carefully selected and bought directly to farmers from the Iberian peninsula. Once washed they are sliced flat and baked in the same way it's been done since 1931.  A pinch of salt is added at the end. We notice a soft crunch and a vegetable flavor that turns into a bitter sensation after a few seconds. For some it might be an unpleasant feeling similar to eating a rancid product. However such a bitterness might also be due to the presence of polyphenols in the olive oil. It can also be due to the above-the-average-content of olive oil in weight (38%) in the product.

Features:
The biggest potato crisps is	7.5 cm long
and has a thickness of	1.18 mm
Crunchiness:	80 dB
Other features:	Medium to big size potato slices, partly peeled and baked in abundant olive oil.
Origin:
Country, region	Spain, Navarre
We got them from	A local shop in Munich promoting Spanish specialties.
Price / gram	1.99 € / 150 g
On-line:	papasvidal.es/en/

Inside a bag of Patatas Fritas en Aceite de Oliva, Sabores Mediterraneo by Vicente Vidal

Marinas Flor de Sal d'Es Trenc - Vicente Vidal

Today we taste another of the Marina's collection product: Extra crunchy Mediterranean crisps with salt flower from Es Trenc. 

The salt from Es Trenc is a finest-quality sea salt harvested by hand and following a delicate process in which nothing is added or taken away. This gift from nature for healthy gourmets is added to today's tested chips in a very precise quantity: 0.6%. Enough to enjoy the taste of the thin and curled potato chips, cut flat and fried in sunflower oil (27%) according to a traditional recipe. 

The whole combination tastes to sunlight, summer and cristal clear waters.

Features:
The biggest potato crisps is	6.6 cm long
and has a thickness of	0.89 mm
Crunchiness:	93 dB
Other features:	Thin, pale yellow with darker roasted edges.
Origin:
Country, region	Spain, Navarre
We got them from	A TK Maxx store
Price / gram	1.99 € / 150 g
On-line:	www.patatasmarinas.com

Inside a bag of Marinas Flor de Sal d'Es Trenc, by Vicente Vidal.

Xips de verdures - Ve de gust

Today we bring you potatoes of the sweet type. Together with extremely thin slices of yucca, beetroot and platain that complement eachother very well. All are cut flat and carefully fried in sunflower oil. The ensemble provides a crunchy symphony and subtle flavour mix in our palates. Sweet and salty never went along so well. The package transmits purity and luxury.

Features:
The biggest potato crisps is	4,2 cm long
and has a thickness of	? mm
Crunchiness:	95 dB
Other features:	Very thinly sliced sweet potatoes with yucca, beetroot and platain.
Origin:
Country, region	Spain, Catalonia
We got them from	a butcher in Mataró.
Price / gram	4,50 € / 130 g
On-line:	http://www.xipsvedegust.com

Inside a bag of Xips de Verdures of Ve de Gust.

Sin Sal añadida - Vicente Vidal

A bit of salt may highlight potato chips' taste, but often, too much salt ruins the true potato flavour. For us the joy of good potato chip lays mainly in the crunch and the potato taste. What we find in these Vicente Vidal's product is a soft sweet potato flavour, a normal crunch and a slightly dry texture. We have been positively surprised by the taste and flavour of this product with the only salt the own potato has. Once you try these chips you wonder why on earth so often excessive salt is added to many potato chips snacks...

Features:
The biggest potato crisps is	10.1 cm long
and has a thickness of	? mm
Crunchiness:	88 dB
Other features:	Big, pale yellow chips with aureoles.
Origin:
Country, region	Spain, Navarra
We got them from	a supermarket in Barcelona.
Price / gram	1,35 € / 140 g
On-line:	www.papasvidal.es

Inside Vicente Vidal's "Sin Sal" potato chips bag

Patatas Artesanas Al estilo tradicional - Snack Day

Snack Day's Patatas Artesanas were tested while travelling in a high speed AVE train between Barcelona and Madrid. Our palate cannot distinguish some flavours when we are flying on a plane. Since our train was figuratively "flying" through tunnels, hitting speeds of 300km/h, our ears were feeling pressure differences. Are our palates and smell altered by the pressure changes, low humidity and surrounding noise? See here.

We felt these chips can play in the top league: We perceived a very good flavour with sweet scents and a real taste to hand made potato chips as the label indicates ("Artesanas al estilo tradicional"). Without jacket, these chips are cut flat, fried in 100% olive oil and modestly seasoned with salt. A balanced combination.

If you try them in "normal conditions" and think otherwise, please share!

Features:
The biggest potato crisps is	7.4 cm long
and has a thickness of	? mm
Crunchiness:	99 dB
Other features:	Golden yellow chips, oily, no jacket.
Origin:
Country, region	Spain, Catalonia
We got them from	a Lidl supermarket in Spain.
Price / gram	0.89 € / 150 g
On-line:	www.lidl.es

Inside a bag of Patatas Artesanas Snack Day

Sabores de nuestra tierra - Vicente Vidal

Iberian selected potatoes from the sour variety (Agria), directly bought to the farmers, making sure their business is profitable and sustainable. The whole process is closely monitored: From the selection of the potato chips, through the plantage, growth and harvesting. Once stored, the potatoes are washed, peeled and fried in sunflower oil (33%), adding a pinch of salt following a traditional recipe from 1931.

The result are big thin and light chips with some bubbles that taste very good and crunch solidly.

Features:
The biggest potato crisps is	8.1 cm long
and has a thickness of	? mm
Crunchiness:	94 dB
Other features:	Many bubbles, thin chips.
Origin:
Country, region	Spain, León
We got them from	a shop near Sa Caleta, in Menorca
Price / gram	1.41 € / 160 g
On-line:	www.papasvidal.es

Marinas Sal de Formentera - Vicente Vidal

The chips, from the potato type Agria, are of average size and cut flat. Then, they are fried in abundant olive oil (38%) and very correctly salted (0.8%). 

When opening the bag we felt a slight rancid smell that immediately disappeared leaving a deep authentic flavour and aroma. 

The chips have many bents, like the hilly roads to Cadaqués where we tested these chips. Loud crunches prevent us listening the swaying sound of waves at the Roses gulf, by the Mediterranean sea. 

The salt used is extracted in a traditional way from the natural parc Ses Salines in Formentera. It is hard to know if the salt origin makes some difference to the final product but we dare to guess a nuance in the right direction, be it the precise salt quantity and/or quality.

Features:
The biggest potato crisps is	7.0 cm long
and has a thickness of	1.08 mm
Crunchiness:	92 dB
Other features:	Good crunch and taste.
Origin:
Country, region	Spain, Navarra
We got them from	a seaside beach bar in Roses, Costa Brava.
Price / gram	1.59 € / 150 g
On-line:	www.patatasmarinas.com

Inside a bag of Marinas Sal de Formentera by Vicente Vidal

Creïlles fregides amb oli d'oliva - Consum

Big and very well peeled potatoes with many bubbles. Cooked in a mixture of pure olive oil and olive-pomace oil that amounts to a 32% olive oil. Olive pomace oil is olive oil extracted from olive pulp after the first press with the help of solvents. 

Product with character collecting the essentials of nature and providing a unique spirit to the art of chips cooking.

Creïlles is the name given by the Valencians to the potatoes. Some say the word comes from the Spanish term "criadilla" because the potato plant was a fast growing plant. Some others consider the word origine being "creole", Europanamerican descendants. If any of our readers has a better clue, please share!

Features:
The biggest potato crisps is	8.2 cm long
and has a thickness of	mm
Crunchiness:	92 dB
Other features:	Many bubbles, a bit salty.
Origin:
Country, region	Spain, Valencia
We got them from	a Consum supermarket
Price / gram	1.15 € / 130 g
On-line:	www.consum.es

Inside a bag of Consum's creïlles fregides

Premium - Frit Ravich

The first time we reviewed the Frit Ravich Premium potato chips was in 2014. At that time the chips were cooked with a mixture of vegetable oils: 30% olive oil, 70% sunflower oil. 

In 2016, Frit Ravich keeps on labelling these chips as Premium but using only sunflower oil. In our opinion, the use of high quality olive oil provides a soft but authentic scent to the chips. We miss that scent in the 2016 edition of the Frit Ravich Premium.

The chips have a lively yellow colour and are partly peeled. The measured crunch is reasonable for the chips' size and thickness. The flavour is good but in our opinion many other potato chips without flashy premium labelling deserve that labelling more.

Features:
The biggest potato crisps is	6.4 cm long
and has a thickness of	1.04 mm
Crunchiness:	88 dB
Other features:	Lively yellow colour
Origin:
Country, region	Spain, Catalonia
We got them from	a blogger from Barcelona bought them for us ;-)
Price / gram	1,60 € / 170 g
On-line	http://www.fritravichgroup.com

Inside a bag of Frit Ravich Premium

Purple Chips Papá Daniel - La Santamaría

Back in 2014 Crisps&Critics first reviewed Purple Chips. In 2015, we tasted Papá Daniel's Traditional Potato Chips. In 2016, while feeding our souls at a stylish eatery in Munich, Barna, we were offered purple chips that we liked very much: Papá Daniel's Purple Chips.

When opening the bag we see a huge variety of colours, from light yellow to dark purple. Every chip has its own aureole, as if each potato was an artwork deserving a frame. Multiple bubbles are spread over the many curls and bent-overs of each chip. The taste is very authentic, juicy and very slightly salted. Traditionally cooked in batches, the purple chips are pan fried in abundant sunflower oil, keeping its full flavour and texture.

Eating healthy in style is possible. Try them out.

Features:
The biggest potato crisps is	8.4 cm long
and has a thickness of	1.14 mm
Crunchiness:	93 dB
Other features:	Light yellow to dark purple colour.
Origin:
Country, region	Spain, Pinto (Madrid)
We got them from	Barna, feed your soul
Price / gram	3,90 € / 130 g
On-line	www.productoslasantamaria.es

Inside a bag of Purple Chips Papá Daniel, La Santamaría.

Traditional potato chips - La Abuela Nieves

A brave and determined woman, Ms Nieves, was always searching for the best quality potatoes to sell them in the Madrid market back in 1940. Soon, her son Saturio joined and became an Europe wide successful potato farmer. In 1999 Ms Nieves' grandchildren started frying the potatoes until they got to the product that we are tasting today, one of the Spanish leaders in hand cooked potato chips.

The best quality tuber are selected, washed, peeled and sliced. Each batch of potato chips is pan fried separately (not continuously in a line) in abundant pure sunflower oil. Once drained, the chips are slightly salted with Mediterranean salt and packed.

The taste is very authentic, like home made potato chips. The chips have a variety of sizes. Many chips have bubbles and different colour tonalities, from more to less cooked areas.  The crunch, addictive, leaves a juicy "frying stall" impression towards the end.

Features:
The biggest potato crisps is	9.0 cm long
and has a thickness of	1.34 mm
Crunchiness:	86 dB
Other features:	Many sizes, shapes, yellow tones and bubbles.
Origin:
Country, region	Spain, Castilla y León
We got them from	Mitte Meer market
Price / gram	1.99 € / 200 g
On-line	www.laabuelanieves.com

Inside a bag of La Abuela Nieves