Truly irresistible vegetable crisps to tempt your tastebuds! (Co-Op Truly Irresistible Mixed Root Veg Crisps)

Member Name: Foxy-Lady

Product:	Co-Op Truly Irresistible Mixed Root Veg Crisps
Date:	11/06/09 (203 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Scrumptious

Disadvantages: Expensive

At the moment I seem to find myself tucking into a packet of crisps virtually every lunch time. Fancying an unusual flavour or alternative brand to my normal choice, I spotted something temptingly different whilst browsing the shelves of my local Co-op...The Co-operative Truly Irresistible Mixed Root Vegetable Crisps.

A price of 89p for a 40g bag made me grimace initially. I did stop and think twice about trying some but the product shot on the front of the sophisticated style packet persuaded me that these really needed to make their way into my basket.

A combination of root vegetables (parsnip, carrot and beetroot) are grown and specially selected on Tyrell's Court Farm in Herefordshire. The crop is apparently harvested at the optimum time and then immediately peeled, sliced and hand cooked in sunflower oil. Distinctive seasonings are added in just the right quantities to provide a delectable flavour.

The description alone was enough to get my taste buds tingling and on opening the packet for the first time (which is foil lined for freshness), I was greeted by such a delicious smell that I was positively drooling! A warm, rich and indulgent aroma, highly reminiscent of home prepared slow roasted vegetables which I absolutely adore. Following that, a slight touch of spiciness but not too strong to detract from the vegetables.

I chose to tip the crisps into a bowl rather than eat them straight from the bag. This is not something that I would do with regular crisps but I just felt the need to give these special treatment and savour them a little bit more. I'm so glad that I opted for the bowl as they look gorgeous! Like some kind of exotic, edible pot pourri in a wonderful array of rustic shades...the burnt orange colour of the carrot and a light brown of the roast parsnip together with a lovely deep red of the beetroot. Each crisp is a completely different shape with random sizes, curly and twisted crispy flakes. These would look wonderful presented as grown up party nibbles! The majority of the crisps are quite large (although smaller than regular potato crisps) with just a few broken bits in the bottom - somewhat unavoidable and to be expected from a snack of this fragile nature. I must admit that they don't look quite as perfect as the pack shot would suggest but it doesn't matter as they are only going to get eaten anyway!

The taste is quite simply savoury heaven. Rich, roasted flavours with a delicate hint of sweetness to the aftertaste. The crisps aren't too salty and in my opinion they are perfectly seasoned to compliment the vegetables without overpowering their natural flavours. I'm not sure exactly what the seasoning comprises of as ingredients simply state the vegetables, sunflower oil and salt. The crisps are certainly very tasty though and I find myself unable to stop eating a packet once I've started.

As well as the size, the texture varies between the crisps too. Some are a bit thinner and crispier than others...almost brittle. The slightly thicker ones don't have quite as much crunch to them, although they are still just as lovely. The variation adds to the appeal, simply making them feel more authentic and hand made. The crisps are very slightly oily on your finger tips but not excessively so. The presence of the oil obviously remains from the cooking process but is perhaps a benefit as it stops the crisps from feeling too dry on the palate. They don't actually taste greasy or oily which is an important factor.

On reading the pack description I noticed that these crisps are produced on Tyrell's Court Farm in Herefordshire. I'm aware that there is a similar product available called Tyrell's Mixed Root Vegetable Crisps (some reviews can be found here on dooyoo). Now I've never tried these before but surely the name isn't just a coincidence. It makes me wonder if the contents of the two packets are the same?!

Anyway, no matter...I love these crisps and I think it's great that they are made from home grown British vegetables! Due to the price I can honestly say that I won't be buying them on a regular basis though. Although they are scrumptious I can't quite justify spending quite so much on a mere snack all the time. They've certainly made their way to the top of my savoury treats list though.




Nutritional info (per bag):

Calories 195
Fat 13.9g (of which saturates 1.5g )
Carbohydrates 15.4g (of which sugar 9.3g)
Salt 0.4g
Fibre 5.1g

Suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

Summary: A lovely alternative to potato crisps