Ketchup Chips: The Search for Delicious
When I was little, there was a girl in my class at school who, at lunch, would lick the ketchup off her French fries and then re-dip them. I've never forgotten it, mainly because it was so gross, but also because I sort of understood where she was coming from. Ketchup is delicious. I can't enjoy a burger without it. Or, for that matter, scrambled eggs at brunch, a ballpark hot dog, or a greasy diner grilled cheese.
With Super Bowl Sunday right around the corner, I've been thinking a lot lately about snack foods. And one of my all-time favorites is definitely ketchup chips. Not only are they completely addictive—salty, tangy, and a tiny bit sweet—they're also a shocking shade of paprika red. Way more sophisticated than nacho cheese orange, ketchup chips are the perfect addition to any sports-related smorgasbord.
Unfortunately, I almost never get to eat ketchup chips, because I can't find them anywhere! The only place I've ever seen them on the shelf was at a gas station convenience store in Maine (I bought every bag). I live in New York, a city where you're supposed to be able to get any kind of food you want, any time you want. Surely there's got to be a random supermarket or corner bodega somewhere that sells them.
So, Serious Eats readers, help me out. If you know where I can buy a bag of my beloved chips I'll be eternally grateful. Especially come this Sunday, when I'll be happily munching away, dipping (but not licking, mind you) each one in my other favorite condiment: mustard.
About the author: Lucy Baker is a graduate student in the writing program at Sarah Lawrence College. Before returning to school to pursue an MFA, she was an assistant cookbook editor at HarperCollins. She lives in Brooklyn and is currently obsessed with all things fennel.
Add a comment:
Previewing your comment:
HTML Hints
Some HTML is OK: <a href="URL">link</a>, <strong>strong</strong>, <em>em</em>
Comment Guidelines
Post whatever you want, just keep it seriously about eats, seriously. We reserve the right to delete off-topic or inflammatory comments. Learn more at our Comment Policy page.
If you see something not so nice, please, report an inappropriate comment.
29 Comments:
Have you seen or heard of these Burger King Ketchup and Fries chips? I saw them in a vending machine and got them...and they were gross. But if you like ketchup chips, these might be the thing for you!
charm city cupcake at 2:52PM on 01/30/08
I live in Herr's land. We also got mushroom flavored chips for the Kennett Sqaure Mushroom festival. There is Steak flavored chips with worcestershire sauce , and a popular local fav Old Bay and crab. There is also Old bay no crab. Herr's has a huge place here in Penciltucky and their main offices. Yesterday it smelled like cheese curls.
JerzeeTomato at 2:57PM on 01/30/08
about eight years ago, i received a package of herr's ketchup flavored in a gift basket. i couldn't believe the sweet and sour, crunchy and salty goodness! they are fabulous.
cybercita at 3:04PM on 01/30/08
lucy, i just reread your post. you live in brooklyn?! so did i when i first started eating them. they are readily available in new york! what neighborhood do you live in? you can easily get them in midwood or borough park, that much i can tell you. check the jewish neighborhoods. they are a kosher favorite.
i'll keep my eyes open and get back to you -- i'm not in brooklyn much these days {i live in washington heights now} but i know i've seen them around.
cybercita at 3:07PM on 01/30/08
I live in Midwood- Brookyln and these bad boys are plentiful where I am, I believe I've seen them in 3 or 4 stores. If I'm not mistaken Herrs chips are Kosher, so you'll probably find them at anywhere there is a Jewish community.
allakarasik at 3:15PM on 01/30/08
I was just talking about these chips with a friend yesterday. I've never had -- or seen -- the ketchup flavor before, but my friend says they are plentiful in his alphabet city key foods (although he didn't want me to disclose this info for fear that they'd be out the next time he had a craving) ...
katalia at 3:19PM on 01/30/08
Just buy them straight from herrs. Ketchup Chips,
jcrisco at 3:22PM on 01/30/08
When I lived in Williamsberg (near Graham Avenue) I would see them in C-Town and in the corner bodegas all the time.
marmalady at 3:23PM on 01/30/08
Ketchup only overpowers the food it comes in contact with and makes everything taste like ketchup. I would only use it on meat that has been burnt to a crisp, or maybe with some mayo and relish on a sandwich.
Soup_Dumpling at 3:27PM on 01/30/08
These things are awful. Yuck.
Prairie at 3:27PM on 01/30/08
If you lived in Canada you would have no problem finding them. I have seen the Heinz ketchup chips at Sam's club (in Canada)
Sweetie at 3:35PM on 01/30/08
I've only had ketchup chips once from Canada...man, those were tasty. I've never actually looked for them in NYC, but I might have to now.
roboppy at 3:41PM on 01/30/08
Myer's of Keswick is a British grocery in the village. They carry Walker's crips there so it's possible they'll have the Heinz Ketchup version.
http://www.myersofkeswick.com/main.asp
herbovitz at 3:48PM on 01/30/08
We got them in the E. Village at a bodega on Ave A somewhere between 12th and 14th streets (on the west side of the street) over the fall. I remember because my friend was excited to see them, and it was the first time I ever tried them. I'm pretty sure they were the brand you have the photo of above.
lekkercraft at 3:56PM on 01/30/08
When I lived in Connecticut (Bridgeport, New Haven) ...all the corner stores and Krauzers (previously WaWas..man I loved going there as a kid) had ketchup chips.
FoodieCutie at 3:58PM on 01/30/08
My Canadian friend sent me a package of Ketchup flavored Pringles. They were delicious.
chlamers at 4:15PM on 01/30/08
I've had these. The idea is sort of gross but they're not half-bad. I think I've seen them up here in Boston.
RheaB at 4:23PM on 01/30/08
i've seen them at lots of bodegas and markets up and down the r train corridor (park slope, sunset park, bay ridge). i never could understand the appeal, though. i'm a ketchup fiend and a chip fiend and they still taste like crap to me.
if you ever go into o'connors bar at 5th ave & bergen check the chip rack, i've seen them there before too.
sloppy at 4:30PM on 01/30/08
Seriously... have you never heard of Google?
I did a search for Heinz Ketchup Chips and came up with many places you can buy them.
Including directly from Herrs: http://www.herrsstore.com/ke55ozba.html
Jennalynn at 4:39PM on 01/30/08
You can get them at pretty much every single grocery store in the Prairies in Canada. No idea why you'd want to though... Gross.
Peasantwench at 5:06PM on 01/30/08
I am Canadian, grew up with it widely available...wouldn't eat them for years (preferred BBQ chicken). But after moving to the US 8 yrs ago, I get occassional cravings for them. Though the last time I was back, I couldn't find the Pringles version in Toronto.
In any case you can get the Herr's version at Jack's 99 cent stores in Manhattan.
gnomatic at 8:22PM on 01/30/08
Not everyone wants to order online. There's just something to be said about walking in to a store and buying a bag of chips.
Whenever our friends come down to Bmore from NYC, they always leave with UTZ or Herr's chips. I think they are not in every store there like they are here. Personally, the ketchup flavor is my favorite of the Herr's line. It took me a second bag before I got hooked. Kind of like the UTZ OldBay/Crab chips. I was really excited to see the posting here. Acquired taste for sure.
bmorecupcake at 6:45AM on 01/31/08
They have them in the MET FOODS on Driggs Ave and Russell street in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. I get them once in a while...I love them.
What a wonderful, and delicious, concept.
DabbaMac at 9:37AM on 01/31/08
They're at the Gristede's in Brooklyn Heights at Henry and Clark--about the only reason you would want to step foot on this store.
amosbkln at 12:09PM on 01/31/08
This post is giving me a craving for salt and vinegar chips. If you eat too many, the vinegar flavoring starts to do uncomfortable things to the inside of your mouth... like if you ate too much sour candy. I have not experienced this sensation in quite some time, and am thinking I'd like to do it again. Soon.
Kerosena at 12:14PM on 01/31/08
they used to be available at jesse's deli on bond and pacific. i would get them pretty frequently - even though i kind of hate ketchup, i found these totally addictive, like you said.
mickeymets at 3:48PM on 01/31/08
bmore -- i'm glad that you mentioned crab chips, i had forgotten about those. they are tasty and are actually vegetarian which is a little odd (not as odd as seeing that maruchan shrimp flavor ramen has no meat but the oriental flavor does..or at least did last i checked years ago).
sloppy at 5:14PM on 01/31/08
You think finding them in New York is hard... try finding them in South Texas! When I ask about them people look at me like I'm nuts. We tasted them on Spring Break at Port Aransas from one of our Canadian friends, and got hooked. Anyone know of availibility in Texas? I guess there's always ebay...
MsKitty361 at 12:47PM on 03/18/08
I'm surprised no canadians brought up the OLD DUTCH KETCHUP VARIETY...
to die for.
deadly awesome chippies!
hungrychristel at 2:50PM on 06/11/09