Packet #50 - Hula Hoops - Original

The Hula Hoop has been sampled twice before by the seasoned crisp eaters who run this exquisite blog.  "Very intense" they said about the BBQ Beef flavour, "ok" they said about the Salt and Vinegar variety, but what of the classic (and some would say most popular) red bag?

First we have to get something out of the way. Hula Hoops have a distinct advantage over other crisps, and that is that you can put one on each finger and wave your hands around pretending that you're partially made up of potatoey goodness.  But, in this, my first crisp review, I'm going to try not to be distracted by the aesthetic and focus on flavour and texture.

Flavour: It's good, but not great. I know there are those who enjoy the standard ready salted flavour, which these deliver, but frankly I'm looking for a little bit more. Having said that, if you are having these as an accompaniment to a sandwich or something, they lend themselves to almost any combination of flavours (cheese/chicken/ham/egg mayo, not so great with jam though). In summary, solid salty flavour, so if that's what you want you're in luck.

Texture: This is where the Hula Hoop comes into it's own as far as I'm concerned. You can sense the potato, the denseness means you get a proper chew, and if you want to you can even suck them for a while until they get soggy then mush them up with your teeth (or maybe that's just me).

The Original Hula Hoop is a solid crisp, fantastic for filling you up when you're hungry and adaptable which makes them a good accompaniment to many other things. Perhaps this is why it's so many people's favourite. I think they're hard to beat on texture, but I'd like a bit more excitement in terms of flavour. 

          Louise