"The timeless struggle. The eternal choice." You might think these phrases describe some weighty, life-altering decision, but you'd be wrong. As emblazoned on the packaging of Frito-Lay's newest snack, they characterize the dilemma many of us hope to avoid: choosing between potato chips or fries.
The company's new Ruffles Crispy Fries are not your ordinary potato sticks. The thick French fry-shaped snacks are sliced from real potatoes (says so right on the bag), with slivers of potato skin left on for good measure. They're offered in two varieties - Original and Cheese-Flavored - and are sold primarily at 7-Eleven stores in 1.4-oz. bags for $1.09. No MSG to be had in either flavor. (Frito-Lay lists these products on its "Not Containing Gluten Ingredients" list.)
The original flavor beats the cheese variety hands down, whether out of the bag or out of the microwave. That's right - I heeded the suggestion on the bag to warm them for 30 seconds to see if they were any good. While actual fries cannot be reheated with any level of success, the heat actually improved the taste even as the Crispy Fries retained their crunch.
It wasn't on my Outlook calendar, but apparently National French Fry Day is this Saturday, July 13. (Shouldn't it be on a Friday?) I'll be celebrating with some more Crispy Fries.
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