| Product: |
Smiths Frazzles |
| Date: |
17/03/06 (274 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: So many to mention...
Disadvantages: Not everyone likes bacon....
I am a crisp addict. I love them. It comes from having numerous operations on my mouth and not being able to eat crisps for weeks at a time. Now I have a packet at least once a day. Frazzles are my favorite ever crisp. They were around when I was a child and as I like buying produce that is familiar to me, if I'm ever faced with the dilema of what crisp to choose, I go for frazzles.
They used to be made by Smiths crisps, which also made my second favortite crisps 'squares' Now taken over by Walkers Crisps, they have been around for 30 years. I think that's enough to show how wonderfully tasty these crisps are. Mostly because they are not just your average crisp. far from it.
The Frazzle, is a corn snack. Which basically means that it is made from corn. Cornflakes are made from corn also, but this tastes nothing like a cornflake, or maybe it would if you sprinkled some bacon flavouring upon it. A corn snack in a very small rectangular shape made to look like a slice of streaky bacon. Which brings you directly to the flavor. Bacon. Now there are two types of people, those who like flavours, and those who are quite happy to settle down with their ready salted crisps. But these are not your average smokey bacon flavoured snack. I will tell you why.
But first the boring bit. Frazzles come in a packet which is best described as a browny colour. The name Frazzles just leaps out at you in funky yellow with a lighting strike in red and yellow beneath it! They have also indicated that they are original Frazzles, I think that this is just Walkers telling you they are as good now as they were 30 years ago. A packet of Frazzles contains 121 calories and 5.8g of fat, Slightly more than a packet of Wotsits or French Fries, which tend to be more popular with those of us wanting to watch the waist. They can be obtained in a variety of places. Most noted are the packets of Walkers Variety, in which you receive, as it suggests, packets of Frazzles with-in a selection of other Walkers delights. These are usually sold in the region of about £1.70 for 10 packets. Which averages at 17p a bag, which is the going rate for crisps brought in multipacks. However there is always the disapointment of a flavour in there that you just don't like.
The ultimate bargin is the pack of 6 Frazzles on sale for around £1. Considering that the price of a single bag of frazzles at your local corner shop is 40p, and the size and quantity in a bag, for some reason, does not differ in weight. Then the multipacks are really a must for value.
When you open a packet of Frazzles you are immediately hit with a waft of bacon. Quite strong, but not enough to rival Scampi Flavoured Fries.
The taste is much more mild than expected from the smell, but it is enough to tingle the taste buds without making you want to spit it back out and make a face like you've just had one of those sour fish you used to eat as a child.
This is, however, a possibility. As with all Walkers crisp corn snack varieties, the packet and it's contents may settle. Which means that the crisps on the top of the pack, can lack the strong flavour of those on the bottom, causing you to reel back in shock as it is quite over powering. However I have noticed that this is worse with Wotsits, and is easily remedied by giving the packet a little shake before opening.
The taste is, I would say, an average bacon flavour. It is the texture of the crisp, which seems to absorb the flavour, which makes you just keep stuffing them into your mouth like there's no tomorrow.
Now for the fun part. As a crisp fanatic, I like to subject my crisps to a series of tests. 7 in all. Thus establishing the king of all crisps, which, in my opinion. The Frazzle is.
Test One: The Drink and Dunk Test.
Whilst many of us won't admit to it, one of the things we like best is discovering what beverage is the most suitable with our crisp, as God forbid, we choose the wrong one. The Frazzle, with it's distinct texture and flavouring, can be tricky. A hot drink, for example, would cause the frazzle to melt far too quickly and take the taste away from the crisp. A cold drink such as fizzy pop would distract you away from the taste and texture of the frazzle as the bubbles pop in your mouth. A cold drink such as squash can be overpowering and become combined with the frazzle and leave a very unpleasant taste in the mouth. Yet water is just too boring. The solution? As with the salt and vinegar variety. Milk.
Test Two: The Sucking Test.
Not content anymore with just putting the crisp in our mouth crunching away and swallowing. Some of us are more concerned with savouring the flavour of our crisp. This had led to the sucking phase. And who can blame us? Imagine you are sat watching a film. Your partner is munching away on a packet of crisps. You glare at them, they are blissfully unaware that the noise is putting you off eyeing up the films talent. Not a problem with the Frazzle. This is the ultimate sucking crisp. You just pop it in and go. The flavour stays with the crisp as it just melts away. Yes, it may leave some stuck in your teeth, but then what else is the milk for?
Test Three: The Sandwich Test.
I am yet to meet anyone who doesn't like a crisp sandwich. It is a classic. The bread, the butter, and of course, the crisp. A combination of heaven. The Frazzle is an excellent sandwich filler. It absorbs the butter and does not stray from the bread. Avoiding the messy picking up of the extra crisps that have fallen onto the plate.
Test Four: The Accompaniment Test.
Assessing which sandwich filler is the best accompaniment to your crisp is a long process full, I'm afraid to say, of many errors before success. I have never been able to find a crisp that compliments fish so well, as salt and vinegar. This traditional flavour goes well with anything, as does ready salted, although to a lesser extent. The Frazzle acts as a perfect accompaniment to almost all sandwich fillings, not so much as a union of flavours but as a really funky looking crisp that brightens up your day!
Test Five: The Nick a Crisp Test.
We've all been there. Sat together on the sofa, your partner reaches for the crisps, they ask if you want a packet, you say no. Then 5 minutes later, you want one. Not a packet, just ONE. So it is necessary to find out just how easy it is to take one from the packet with out them noticing. This I'm afraid to say, is where the Frazzle fails. The packet is much too small to allow your hand ease of access, and the act becomes quite obvious to your intended victim. However, this usually results in them offering you the packet to take one, or two, at your leisure. Or they will eventualy go and fetch you a packet of your very own. Result!
Test Six: The Noise Pollution Test.
Whilst watching television, everyone knows that you can not disturb your fellow watchers. It is necessary to conduct the noise pollution test, to check how best to eat the crisps in silence, short of emptying them out onto a plate. The Frazzle packet is excellent for this. It is not usually foil wrapped, in fact I have never come across a packet that is, this means that it is not so noisy as your average Walkers crisp bag, thus ensuring you a quiet viewing.
Test Seven: The Children's Party Test.
I'm afraid to say, that the clear winner at every childs party is the Wotsit. But who can blame them? They're bright orange. They're really cheesy and they turn your fingers a funny colour! But the frazzle makes an excellent case for itself. At a children's party earlier in the year, I witnessed true genius from the humble frazzle. Ham sandwiches had been cut out with a pastry cutter and placed onto a plate circling the edge, carrots had been sliced and placed on the top of each sandwich. Party sausages had been placed in the middle and next to them was the Frazzle. Shaped like streaky bacon! It was a plate of BACON, SAUSAGE AND EGGS. It looked amazing and children and adults alike thought it was hilarious.
And so the Frazzle reaches it's conclusion. A truly tasty crisp, with all the necessary qualifications to bring a smile to everyone's face. I can not recommend them enough!
Summary: The King Of Crisps!
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