Now Vegetarians Can Have Bacon... (Smiths Frazzles)

Name: Nar2

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Product:	Smiths Frazzles
Date:	24/07/07 (108 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Slightly improved flavour, not as oily, Walkers have retained the 1980's feel packaging.

Disadvantages: Only standard packs available, supermarket versions are inferior.

Did you know that Walkers is celebrating 30 years of Frazzles? I didn't until I took up a small bag of the famous crisps to the cashiers and noticed the little square emblem on the right hand side at the top of the bag displaying "30" in huge yellow lettering.

Frazzles have been around since I was a child with barely any differences being added to them other than the fact that the small packets have got smaller and now come in foil packs alongside Walkers main crisp range to seal the freshness in.

Of course if you are one of those type of Vegetarians who is Vegan on one half and against meat of any shape or form (I was one once!) you will detest the look of an individual Frazzle, as it mimics a bacon rasher complete with fat which in terms of this corn snack is made up of slight beige and red stripes. It isn't particularly nice to look at although I have to say of recent when I bought a certain supermarket's version the difference was clear to see. Isn't it nice to know however that Frazzles are suitable for vegetarians though!


** Product Package & Design **


Frazzles are available in 25g packets or multi packs containing 6 of the same weighted packs. The packet is a deep purple-mauve colour with yellow lettering and in dated (dare I say) 1980's neon look writing "Frazzles" in large capitals and a lightning stripe located as a border at the bottom. It is of course highly important that you don't confuse some supermarket offerings of the same type of product because some supermarkets try to do one better and offer the same colour on their packets with see through areas which show the same sized corn rectangles. "Crispy Bacon," is additionally outlined at the bottom right hand side at the front of the pack.

As stated the design is rectangular, finger sized individually and looks like a bacon rasher.


** Costs **


One 25g bag should cost from 35p up to 49p depending on where you go. I paid 49p at local newsagents which typically in this day and age against bigger supermarkets shows the mark up that some sellers go to with this particularly old type product.

The multi-family packs costs 99p although recently I saw Tesco's had these at a slightly higher price of £1-19. Again all I can say is do shop around but avoid Wine franchise shops such as Victoria Wine as they tend to either sell them at bargain prices (Buy One Get One Free) or hype up the price accordingly on single packs.


** Scent & Taste **


Unfortunately if you don't like the smell of bacon and pork, then this isn't the product for you, but I love the smell of Frazzles and I love opening the packet to ingest the smell of this tasty snack before delving in.

In the past Frazzles were either too oily or too salty for my liking whilst there was inevitably the aftertaste of wheaty corn thanks to the fact that they are essentially corn snacks and not a proper crisp. Here however after the foil packet design internally reveals a collection of the rectangles the taste of the Frazzle has improved; it is no longer oily in my hands, it is not overly salty as they once were and as such with two improvements they don't mimic supermarket brands any longer. Pork, bacon and even roast beef (hey I like my meat) can all be obtained in terms of taste hints here and there from a couple of Frazzles in one go, and they still have a crisp bread consistency to them thanks to the corn content, which inevitably too much in one go can turn into a mush rather than a powdery break up. Leave one in your mouth for ages and it turns into a slippery thinner than it was thin Frazzle before it completely melts into your mouth.

But does it taste of crispy bacon though? Well in my mind it doesn't taste of crispy bacon because lets face it, some consumers may remove the fat and some may not, so how can Walkers think they can combine the two in a Frazzle? The answer is two fold; whilst I find that they are not as salty as they once were, they do taste of meaty bacon rashers but the corn aspect also includes a similar taste of crispy fat on proper bacon!

Depending on the way the pack has been handled, Frazzles can leave fragments of corn on your fingers, but like the mucky pup I can be sometimes, I love licking my fingers after each Frazzle; it is a delicate personal thing though; you just won't get any from me once my wet fingers have picked out My Frazzles from My pack!


** Downsides **


Well, there are a few downsides. Although they are no longer oily, they tend to stick to the sides of my teeth which is an original finding with older Frazzles. They are also, still a touch too salty and as such one Frazzle as opposed to a couple in one go is more than sufficient for the bacon hit.

Secondly if I eat too many too fast I end up getting bacon burps which burn the back of my throat and that is not a nice feeling at all! If you were to eat these, I'd say eat them in the privacy of your own home or at best if in public anywhere where you won't see a friend or partner in the next half an hour. The flavouring is so strong that it can put people off, and with the burning aspect it can also push out the flavour on your tongue which some could contest and say that this is bad breath!! I however just think the flavour is as strong as it always has been but too many can give you beefy breath!! Eat more than one pack and you may feel like you need some water to moisten up your mouth again too.

Another aspect I don't like about Frazzles is the fact that they don't come in larger packs. Whilst 25g is enough for an individual, I think it would be great if Walkers could just add a larger pack instead of the standard 25g packs. For parties for example I've always found that Frazzles always go down well (I prefer to buy them when alcoholic drinks such as beer is around against Twiglets which I can't stand!) but it is annoying that you need to buy a multi-family pack to make them go around as opposed to single packs.


** Conclusion **


Frazzles aren't the unhealthiest corn crisp type product on the market (certainly against the more dangerous Pork Scratchings which are a matter of taste) but they still hit the spot - slowly though as opposed to munching through the pack! Otherwise be prepared for that burning bacon flavouring and beefy breath! Nice…Thanks for reading. ©Nar2 2007.

Nutritional content can be viewed online at Walkers;
http://walkers.corpex.com/cr15p5/packinfo .asp?snacktypeid=38&flavourid=39

Summary: One for the stalwart crisp fan!