Regional Potato Chips Are Local And Down To Earth
I love potato chips and I love to travel. Perhaps, that’s why I enjoy trying regional potato chips. I didn’t sample any local chips while I was traveling to and from Yellowstone earlier this summer, but I did get some Utz Crab Chips while I was visiting my dad on the Eastern Shore of Maryland last week.
Readily available throughout Maryland, the chips are enhanced with a generous dose of Chesapeake Bay crab seasoning. I can’t get these chips in Seattle, so they are one of those “special treats” I enjoy while visiting Maryland. When we lived in Alaska about five years ago, my kids became hooked on the Grizzly Chips from the Alaska Chip Company. Made with Alaska grown potatoes, the chips are kettle cooked and absolutely superb. They were readily available throughout Anchorage back then, and we initially found them at the farmer's market in our neighborhood. From time to time, my children still talk about and crave those chips.
Of course, I could probably order either of these chips by mail, but I’ve never bothered to do so. I guess I figure it’s more fun to eat these inexpensive local snacks “on location.” Do you have a favorite regional potato chip?
Photo by Carolyn B.Trainer
--Melissa A. Trainer
Jason on August 08, 2010 at 04:54 AM
When in Louisiana, I must get my hands on Zapp's Spicy Creole Tomato chips spiked with Tabasco. http://www.amazon.com/Zapps-Creole-Tomato-Tabasco-Potato/dp/B003I9GEPU
Anne Cacioppo on August 08, 2010 at 05:51 AM
I grew up in Ohio, and have lived all over since then, but I still crave Mikesells potoato chips!
Unique Chocolate Gifts on August 08, 2010 at 02:49 PM
I'd like to eat the chip you've talked about.Thank you.
RIRose on August 08, 2010 at 03:58 PM
Middleswarth - Northeast PA. My ex-husbands family brings them to me when they come visit him!
Trotter on August 09, 2010 at 02:13 PM
Anybody that grew up in St. Louis loves Old Vienna Red Hot Riplets.
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Brent on August 10, 2010 at 06:28 AM
I remember loving Guy's Potato Chips when I was a kid growing up in Bloomington IL. They would come by your house in a Guy's truck and take your order, and the chips came in big tin cans with fitted lid. If I remember correctly you got a discount for returning the empty tins, which they would wash and reuse I guess. They were similar to Lays regular potato chips, and they also had a BBQ version but I liked the plain the best.
Beege Welborn on August 10, 2010 at 06:43 AM
Ditto on the Zapp's! Their original or the sweet potato fries? OHHH, BABY!
Dang bag never lasts the day out, hard as I try. The only one I can honestly say I've treated with respect is the commemorative "WHO DAT?!" black and gold bag they did for the Saints victory. THAT bag is still untouched in the pantry...for the moment.
Jim on August 10, 2010 at 07:10 AM
I remember Terrels Potato Chips in Syracuse as a kid. They also came in a big tin. They were possibly the thinnest, crispest chips I ever had, making them a delightful delivery device for salt and fat... They still sell them but I've only seen the bags recently. FWIW, the Old Bay Seasoning they use in flavoring Utz's awesome crab chips is an all-star spice for cooking seafood, poultry or eggs. It was originally a crab boil seasoning but has a lot of other uses.
JoeBlow on August 10, 2010 at 07:33 AM
A highlight of summers in Maine was always Humpty Dumpty clam flavored potato chips. The bold flavor of clam chips was sadly eliminated from the product line, along with several other flavors including Ketchup and Dill Pickle, in 2006 when this Canadian chip company was taken over by Minnesota-based Old Dutch Foods, However, I'm happy to report that on a recent trip to Maine I did see a bag of Ketchup chips at Hussey's store in Windsor.
Dave (in MA) on August 10, 2010 at 07:38 AM
Cape Cod Dark Russett chips. http://www.taquitos.net/snacks.php?snack_code=1121
MH on August 10, 2010 at 07:39 AM
The "Carolina BBQ" chips by Utz are even better than the crab chips.
jaymaster on August 10, 2010 at 07:44 AM
I live near the Utz factory in Hanover, PA. There are literally dozens of chip (and pretzel!) producers in the area, so we’re blessed with options, from mom and pop shops to mega producers.
The Utz factory tour is a must see for any snack food fan. My favorite Utz offering is their Dark Russets.
The Middleswarth’s mentioned above make it into my regular rotation as well.
But my absolute favorite chip is Gibble’s, from nearby Chambersburg, PA. Cooked in pure, lovely, lard. The porky goodness can’t be beat!
Roger Byrne on August 10, 2010 at 08:35 AM
Dirty potato chips Cajun style are great......
dunk on August 10, 2010 at 09:12 AM
Utz Crab chips are the best in the world. I regularly travel from Baltimore to Hanover to buy a 10 pound can of them. Nothing better.
Beth on August 10, 2010 at 09:27 AM
Zapp's Crawtater chips, but any Zapp's will do. Send a mixed box to any chip lover and you'll be in their good graces. Next time you're in New Orleans, drive down Airline Highway and tour their plant!
John on August 10, 2010 at 10:33 AM
If you like seasoned potato chip and popcorn, try sprinkling Old Bay seafood seasoning over plain chips or popcorn. Once you start, you can't stop.
Greg on August 10, 2010 at 11:39 AM
"I can’t get these chips in Seattle, so they are one of those “special treats” I enjoy while visiting Maryland."
Seriously? You can buy freaking anything on the internet. You can even purchase them from the same site you linked to in your article.
Bill N on August 10, 2010 at 11:44 AM
John is spot on--"Crab Seasoning" is just Old Bay. You can certainly get that around the country and sprinkle it on anything you want. And while the chips are great, I hope you at least got some crabs while you were there. I was visiting family in southern Delaware last week, and got to partake. If I sniff really hard, I can still smell the Old Bay and briny goodness under my fingernails. Or perhaps that's just an olfactory mirage....
cheeflo on August 10, 2010 at 12:34 PM
Did you read her last sentence, Greg?
jaymaster on August 10, 2010 at 01:20 PM
I'm pretty sure there is more to the Utz crab flavor than just Old Bay Seasoning.
I don’t think it’s real crab, but there is a depth and complexity beyond the spice. Probably a closely guarded secret…..
Rocking Toys on August 10, 2010 at 01:24 PM
I remember trying some similar chips to these when I was in Cape Cod, when traveling round the states. In the UK we have an amazing range of chips but you can normally get the same ones all over the country. My favorite are Prawn Cocktail which are similar to these crab chips, I would recommend them to anyone coming to the UK!
jaymaster on August 10, 2010 at 05:44 PM
Oh my, Bill N.....
Reading back through the comments, I realized that we must be careful what fate we wish upon our favorite bloggers!
“I hope you at least got some crabs while you were there.”
MikeD on August 10, 2010 at 09:34 PM
As a Californian who, occupation wise, was forced to spend 5 years in metro DC/MD/Chesapeake, the only good crab there was in crabcakes!
We West coasters wouldn't/couldn't waste our dungeness crabs like East coasters do the crappy crabs they harvest!
Mr. Bingley on August 11, 2010 at 12:08 PM
We were on vacation in Scotland a few years ago when my Bride grabbed a bags of "crisps" that she thought were just regular ones...until she ate one and discovered they were haggis flavored.
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