"potato chips" news and stories

Just in time for football season, Slashfood has decided to start reviewing the best potato chips. Several years ago, we held a potato chip taste test, but with all the new brands of chips that have hit the shelves since then, we felt it was necessary to revisit the supermarkets and try them all again (tough job, we know).

First up in our new taste test series: BBQ. It's the most sought after flavor at the grocery store, but there are so man varieties available, where do you begin?

With over 25 different bags, we separated this taste test into five different categories to make it a little easier: plain BBQ, Mesquite, Hickory, Baked and Alternative (non-potato chip). There were also some stragglers, flavors that didn't fit into any category, but still needed to be tested. We gave this flavor the Editor's Choice award (we still can't get enough of them). We tested each chip on the following categories: chip thickness, coating of spices (intensity of BBQ flavor) and saltiness.

In the end, we chose an overall winner and loser for each category.

Each Thursday, we round up a selection of scrumptious links from our friends over at YumSugar. Here's what they've got cooking this week:

• Think you're good at food trivia? Test your skills by identifying the world's top-selling confections.
• Don't even think about the chip aisle with these easy homemade baked potato chips.
• Make the chips a side for this mind-altering salmon burger.
• Can you catch a bridal bouquet sans the helpful boost of booze?
• Realize summer's potential with must-have delectable dishes.
• And wash them down with strawberry-infused tequila.

Everything you love about potato chips comes down to the combination of three basic flavors: potatoes, oil and salt. But as health concerns about sodium continue to rise, food manufacturers are scrambling to figure out how to reduce it -- without sacrificing taste.

Research and development executives at PepsiCo, the company that owns Frito-Lay, think they have the answer. And it's a solution only a chemist could love: They're going to change the basic shape of salt.

A quick high-school science class recap: Salt molecules are basic cubes, which means it takes each crystal awhile to break down in your mouth when you're chomping on chips.

In celebration of National Chip Day (March 14th), Frito-Lay is giving away a year's worth of potato chips to one lucky Slashfood reader. How do you win? It's as simple as telling us your favorite Lay's chip flavor in the comment section -- from barbecue to salt-and-vinegar to the classic crunch of the original.

Continuing in the spirit of the fried snack, the Frito-Lay truck will be driving around New York City, handing out thousands of free bags this Sunday.

Truck stops and complete contest rules after the jump.