Friday, March 22, 2019

Trader Joe's Organic Elote Corn Chip Dippers


When I saw these bags on the new-products display at Trader Joe's, I couldn't understand why they were promoting one of their most stalwart old items as new. I had to look more closely to notice that these were not the usual Dippers.

I loves me my Dippers. You could send a SWAT team to break in and do a random surprise inspection of my kitchen any day, any time, and you'll always find at least one bag of them in my cupboard, and usually two or three so that I'm never at risk of running out of them. So of course it was an instant "yes" to try this new version. Heck, I love the original so much that I would have bought any new variation on them that TJ's cared to offer, short of "Super Onion Flavored Onion Corn Chip Dippers, Now With Extra Onion."

I confess that I had never heard of "elote" before. Relying on the first result in a Google search, I learn: "Elote corn is Mexican street corn roasted over an open grill and coated with salt, chile powder, butter, cotija, lime juice, and mayonnaise or crema fresca." That sounds delicious!

Compare that with the seasonings added to these new TJ's chips: maltodextrin, sugar, salt, chipotle peppers, nonfat dry milk, lowfat buttermilk, "spice," corn flour, "natural flavor," citric acid, sunflower oil, habanero pepper powder, "natural smoke flavor," turmeric extract, and "trace of lime."

I'd say those lists are only vaguely similar.

So how do they taste? Not so great, if you ask me--and nothing like what my brain conjures up from the quoted description of elote. There's definitely some mild heat from the peppers (though this is quite variable from one chip to another, I found). Then there's a fairly complex mix of other tastes that I can't put my finger on--presumably the sum of the turmeric, "smoke" and other unspecified "flavors."

This is one of those times when I can't explain exactly what I don't like--but I don't like. Maybe it's the turmeric, which I haven't liked in any of the TJ's products in which it has appeared.

Nina and I were eating them with the last of my stockpiled jars of Fall Harvest Salsa. I objected to the chips clashing with and even dominating the lovely flavors of the mild salsa. Nina, conversely, thought it was a fabulous combo. In fact, after a dozen or so salsa-laden chips, she declared these to be her favorite corn chips of all time. This is not the kind of announcement she drops casually or thoughtlessly.

So you've got a very, very mixed review here.


Will I buy it again? 

No. Well, not unless I accidentally grab the wrong bag, once these migrate to the regular snack shelf of the store.

7 comments:

  1. I just tried the Elote flavored chips yesterday and loved them. I lil kick, and a tasty combo. I like Elote corn as well. Kudos to TJ's.

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  2. Gotta say, I love them, as well!
    Betcha they'd be good on homemade mac n cheese... or in other like recipes!

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  3. These seem to be a love-em-or-hate-em snack. I adore them, but they definitely seem to get a mixed response. I served them to some friends yesterday: half of my guests lunged for the bowl and gulped them down, while the other half tasted the chips, made a face, and didn't want anymore. Mystifying, because I love them so much!

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  4. Thanks for your subjective opinion. These things fly off shelves. I'll go off data and say they're probably pretty good if they can't keep them in stock.

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  5. I love them! ...and they're out at my local!! Please tell me this is because they are so well loved.

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  6. These seasoned corn chips are fantastic! I just love the turmeric. The price at $2.29 for a 10 ounce bag is extremely reasonable. They make for a very healthy snack, as well, considering that they contain lots of protein and fiber and ZERO sugar. Bravo, Trader Joe's!

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  7. These chips are fantastic! Bravo, Trader Joe's!

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