Bobby’s Snack Party

You may remember a recent post in which I congratulated Bobby on the high quality of his BBQ Sauce Potato Snax.  If you don’t know what I’m talking about, then click here.  When Bobby’s representative replied to me, she advised that I try some of his other wonderful snacks.  Well, who am I to refuse the suggestion of Bobby’s representative?

Nobody.  I’m nobody to refuse that.

Please find below the results of my experimentations.

BBQ Sauce Potato Snax

It’s the snack (or “snax”) that started the whole thing off.  The construction of the BSPS is a particularly inventive affair: a lattice-work body formed into an ovoid.  On the face of it, this could sound overly elaborate, but don’t be fooled.  The shape has function as well as a beautiful form.  The delightfully delicate shape allows the magnificent taste to flow freely from within.

The taste itself is a complex beast; ranging from BBQ sauce to a bit bacony.  It’s a real challenge for the pallete, but a challenge well worth persevering with.

I feel blessed to live in a world where such a product is freely available to purchase in independent corner shops.  It’s a small thing (literally), but a BBQ Sauce Potato Snak (that’s the singular of snax) makes you realise how amazing it is to be alive.  And how many things can we say that about in this miserable existence that we call life?  Not many.

Can the mighty Bobby and his snack-making minions ever hope to trump the snackable powerhouse that is the BBQ Sauce Potato Snax?  It’s seems unlikely given the absolute taste sensation on offer, but let’s try some and find out for sure.

Spirals – Salt & Vinegar

 The vibrant yellow banner atop the resplendent blue package announces a  ”special price” and, at a measly 29 pence, I think we can all agree with that assessment.  The question is: can any snack live up to a price that special?  Let’s open the pack and find out.

The packaging uses the slogan ”…they’re twisted!”, and this is literally the case.  The Salt and Vinegar Spirals use the classic salt and vinegar spiral configuration that is so pleasing to the eye and to the tastebuds.

Like all the best salt & vinegar flavoured snacks, they’re very strong and make you desperate for a drink as soon as you’ve consumed them.  Top marks for Bobby’s flavourteers for refusing to compromise on this.

It’s questionable whether the “s&v spiral” (as all the kidz are calling them) are applicable in an industrial drilling scenario – they’re simply too fragile.  Luckily, this isn’t their intended purpose.  Their intended purpose is strictly food-based.

The big question is whether or not they can surpass the inherent majesty of the BBQ Sauce Potato Snax.  The answer is no, but at such a special price, they’re well worth a punt.

Football Crazy

Like much of the UK population, Bobby is football crazy.  It’s safe to say that he’s football mad.  In tribute to his favourite sport, he has released the charmingly named “Football Crazy” snacks.

The snacks are playfully shaped like a footballer and his ball – although they’re clearly not to scale, which is slightly disappointing.

Variety is the spice of life… or as Bobby would say: variety is the spicy of lifey.  The intentionally ambiguous ”spicy” flavour is dripping with delicious irony, but, don’t worry, they also taste delicious too.

There’s so much I could write about Football Crazy, but won’t.  I will say this:  I recreated a 90-minute 11-aside football match with this packet, before devouring them like a hungry wolf.   Both teams played as “skins”, which was pretty confusing, so I don’t know who won.  It was still a lot of fun, though.

Get on your shopmobility scooter and down to your local shop today.  They will have sold out of the incredibly alluring Football Crazy snacks, if you’re not careful.  Would you be able to forgive yourself if that happened?

I didn’t think so.

Sprials – Prawn Cocktail

This is very much the most controversial of all the snacks.

Prawn cocktail has always been a favourite flavour of mine.  It’s fishy goodness is a treat for man or beast.  But a spiral? Is that right?

The National Society of Snack Shapes is very clear in its ruling that spirals should be used for salt and vinegar flavoured snacks only.  Bobby is a maverick.  The two worlds were bound to collide eventually.

Let’s cut to the chase: this is one bout won by the challenger – it’s a knockout punch by the undefeated Bobby.  These snacks are, quite simply, a triumph!

There’s going to be literal egg on the faces of the NSoSS’s ruling council.  They are infamously reluctant to change their rules, but I humbly believe that they have no choice in the matter, here.

I don’t think it is over-exaggerating to call Bobby the Heston Blumenthal of the snack world.  His achievements will be celebrated by many generations to come.  I imagine there’ll be a statue at some point, too.

Bacon Streaks

BIG VALUE! screams the packaging.  On this front there can be no dispute.  What about the rest of the snack?  Can it really live up to Bobby’s seemingly stratospheric standards?

On the face of it, no. Bacon Streaks have been written off by many of the leading journalists in the snack media of being a blatant Frazzles clone.  You can certainly see where they are coming from.

Dig a little deeper.  Could Bobby merely copy another manufacturer’s snacks?  Clearly not.  So, what is the story here?

I think that the Bacon Streaks product range is a clear satire by Bobby on the whole of the snack industry.  He’s challenging them to raise their games and think, literally, outside the pack.

These may not be Bobby’s tastiest of snacks, but they may be his crowning glory.

This is his legacy. He is a true snackmaster.