![\"Lay's](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5181\/5746178030_680f026810.jpg?resize=500%2C397\")
<\/a><\/center><\/p>\nIn recent years it’s as if Lay’s has decided test marketing is entirely too pass\u00c3\u00a9 for them. Apparently, all the cool kids are now releasing regionally-specific products and quietly incorporating the best loved flavors into the national lineup over time. Besides, test marketing sounds so\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 iffy. It’s the difference between “Hey, try this\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 thing!” and “I made this just for you!”<\/p>\n
Luckily, this practice has not yet been applied to their Kettle Cooked line. Both new flavors managed to make their way to my obscure, out-of-the-way location way out in the middle of everywhere. And thank God, because the Sandy Egg keeps getting lumped in with the general Southwest and receiving an annual truckload of rebranded nacho cheese chips. Really, Lay’s? Really? You had me at chile lim\u00c3\u00b3n. <\/p>\n
Please stop barraging me with malformed clones and crappy imitations. I will try them once, foist the remnants on unsuspecting party guests, and never ever touch this season’s abomination again, and you know this.<\/p>\n
What’s that? One of the new Kettle Cooked flavors is Spicy Cayenne & Cheese (heretofore known as SCC)? Great. Thanks.<\/p>\n
I choose to approach this bag still hoping for the best. Lay’s has trained me to automatically delight in Easy Mac powder and dried jalapenos delivered in bold new ratios. My expectations are low; my palate bored stupid.<\/p>\n
Kettle cooked chips always feel more refined, somehow, than their counterparts. I don’t know why this is \u00e2\u20ac\u201c they’re greasier, fatter, and far more prone to little oil bubbles. If they were people, I’d probably quietly avoid them. In chip form, though, they might as well come with little monocles and bow ties stamped on. They are the nouveau riche of chip empire, loyal to their potato roots, a little trashy, totally inept at blending in with the classics, but irresistible when dolled up in just the right bag. The rest of the snack aisle must hate them.<\/p>\n
The newest additions to this Beverly Hillbillies-esque clan are Creamy Mediterranean Herb (CMH) and the aforementioned nacho cheese retread. Both are made with white cheddar and bonus goodies. CMH gets the buttermilk treatment, as well as oregano, basil, and sun-dried tomatoes. SCC comes complete with a bit of a cayenne, but fewer overall frills.<\/p>\n
Let’s dig in.<\/p>\n
We might have a small problem on our hands, but don’t panic. Just answer me this: have any of you seen Cool Ranch or Nacho Cheese Doritos around lately? Because I think I just found their flavorings scattered about in the wrong bags, red and green spicy flecks strewn this way and that, cheese powder spilling onto my jeans. Oh the humanity! While mildly horrified at this gruesome turn of events, being something of a psychopath myself, I do have to admit that the Kettle Cooked line of chips seem to wear their stolen coatings well.<\/p>\n
![\"Lay's](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/farm4.static.flickr.com\/3329\/5745626923_3c3f148ef6.jpg?resize=500%2C292\")
<\/a><\/center><\/p>\nThe pre-dipped sour creaminess of CMH is quickly growing on me. The basil flavor is balcony-garden fresh and prominent in every bite. The buttermilk also manages to shine through, adding some ranchiness to the mix. The sun-dried tomato flecks, however? Purely aesthetic. CMH manages to toe the line between refreshing and dense. I find myself going back for a handful now and then, but this definitely isn’t one of the “oh no \u00e2\u20ac\u201c oh dear god no \u00e2\u20ac\u201c HOW IS THE BAG ALREADY EMPTY?” kind of flavors. I’m used to seeing this combination more in cracker form where backdrops of baked wheat and oats work in tandem with the creaminess to keep things from getting sickeningly heavy. It works here for awhile, but at a certain point, I hit a wall.<\/p>\n
![\"Lay's](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/farm4.static.flickr.com\/3340\/5745625175_f6349f7a7d.jpg?resize=500%2C329\")
<\/a><\/center><\/p>\nSCC tastes vaguely similar to cheesy Sun Chips at first bite. The cayenne delivers a nice kick without sending me rushing for a glass of water. I’m powerless to say no to zesty cheese even after one hundred previous incarnations of varying quality have assailed my senses. These taste much lighter than their creamy herb buddies and many of the other Kettle Cooked varieties. The cheese hasn’t been overdone this time, and I think that’s the difference. It’s there, but it’s quiet, and it’s distinctly white cheddary, rather than whatever it is Kraft keeps cranking out. The nondescript “cheese” label does these guys a huge disservice. I might actually buy these again, provided I forget to eat before heading to the store.<\/p>\n
All in all, a good showing from Lay’s. Both flavors make for interesting and tasty additions to the picnic table this summer, especially if your region lacks chile lim\u00c3\u00b3n goodness. However, I do not recommend combining the two flavors and calling it a complete meal. That was a mistake.<\/p>\n
(Nutrition Facts \u00e2\u20ac\u201c 1 ounce\/16 chips \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Creamy Mediterranean Herb<\/b> – 150 calories, 80 calories from fat, 9 grams of fat, 1 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 2 grams polyunsaturated fat, 4 grams monounsaturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 140 milligrams of sodium, 360 milligrams of potassium, 16 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 1 gram of sugar, and 2 grams of protein. Spicy Cayenne and Cheese<\/b> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c 150 calories, 80 calories from fat, 9 grams of fat, 1 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 2 grams polyunsaturated fat, 4 grams monounsaturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 140 milligrams of sodium, 350 milligrams of potassium, 16 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 1 gram of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.)<\/small><\/p>\n
Item:<\/b> Lay’s Kettle Cooked Potato Chips (Spicy Cayenne & Cheese and Creamy Mediterranean Herb)
\nPrice:<\/b> $1.99 on sale (regularly $3.49)
\nSize:<\/b> 8.5 ounces
\nPurchased at:<\/b> Albertson’s
\nRating:<\/b> 7 out of 10 (Spicy Cayenne & Cheese)
\nRating:<\/b> 6 out of 10 (Creamy Mediterranean Herb)
\nPros:<\/b> Tiny monocles. Basil explosions in my mouth. The light kick of cayenne. The subtlety of white cheddar. Chips made just for me. Chile lim\u00c3\u00b3n. Picnics. The convenience of hungry party guests.
\nCons:<\/b> May or may not have murdered some Doritos for their flavors. More nacho cheese stereotyping for the Southwest. Creamy Mediterranean herb gets kind of dense and overwhelming after a few handfuls. Kettle cooked chips greasy, fat, and alienated from the cool kids. Spicy cayenne and cheese must compete with all the other clones for my attention.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In recent years it’s as if Lay’s has decided test marketing is entirely too pass\u00c3\u00a9 for them. Apparently, all the cool kids are now releasing regionally-specific products and quietly incorporating the best loved flavors into the national lineup over time. Besides, test marketing sounds so\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 iffy. It’s the difference between “Hey, try this\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 thing!” and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1440],"tags":[1474,1594,1476,1787],"class_list":["post-9389","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews","tag-chips","tag-frito-lay","tag-lays","tag-potato-chips"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":false,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":19779,"url":"https:\/\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/2016\/03\/14\/review-lays-kettle-cooked-olive-oil-herbs-potato-chips-flavor-swap\/","url_meta":{"origin":9389,"position":0},"title":"REVIEW: Lay’s Kettle Cooked Olive Oil & Herbs Potato Chips (Flavor Swap)","author":"Marvo","date":"March 14, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"I get the feeling these new Flavor Swap varieties are just rejects of other flavors Lay's have made. Like the designers working on the next iPhone or me passing Math 100 in college, I'm sure the folks in charge of developing flavors didn't accomplish what they wanted in one try.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Reviews"","block_context":{"text":"Reviews","link":"https:\/\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/category\/reviews\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Lay's Kettle Cooked Olive Oil & Herbs Potato Chips (Flavor Swap)","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/farm2.staticflickr.com\/1599\/25767357296_8b497f062e_z.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/farm2.staticflickr.com\/1599\/25767357296_8b497f062e_z.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/farm2.staticflickr.com\/1599\/25767357296_8b497f062e_z.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":16440,"url":"https:\/\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/2014\/03\/05\/spotted-on-shelves-lays-kettle-cooked-lattice-cut-potato-chips\/","url_meta":{"origin":9389,"position":1},"title":"SPOTTED ON SHELVES – Lay’s Kettle Cooked Lattice Cut Potato Chips","author":"Marvo","date":"March 5, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Fancy cut! Fancy flavors! I think I shall eat them with fancy gloves on and my pinky finger sticking out. (Spotted by Leah at Giant.) If you\u2019re out shopping and see an interesting new or limited edition product on the shelf, snap a picture of it, and send us an\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Spotted on Shelves"","block_context":{"text":"Spotted on Shelves","link":"https:\/\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/category\/spotted-on-shelves\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Lay's Kettle Cooked Lattice Cut Roasted Garlic & Sea Salt Potato Chips","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/farm4.staticflickr.com\/3833\/12946495725_e371322c64.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":19771,"url":"https:\/\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/2016\/03\/11\/spotted-on-shelves-lays-kettle-cooked-lattice-cut-sea-salt-potato-chips\/","url_meta":{"origin":9389,"position":2},"title":"SPOTTED ON SHELVES: Lay’s Kettle Cooked Lattice Cut Sea Salt Potato Chips","author":"Marvo","date":"March 11, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"I'm surprised this wasn't one of the original flavors when Lay's introduced their lattice cut chips two years ago. (Spotted by Marvo at Times.) If you\u2019re out shopping and see an interesting new product on the shelf, snap a picture of it, and send us an email (theimpulsivebuy@gmail.com) with where\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Spotted on Shelves"","block_context":{"text":"Spotted on Shelves","link":"https:\/\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/category\/spotted-on-shelves\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Lay's Kettle Cooked Lattice Cut Sea Salt Potato Chips","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/farm2.staticflickr.com\/1536\/25067857573_8be9f7e6d1_z.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/farm2.staticflickr.com\/1536\/25067857573_8be9f7e6d1_z.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/farm2.staticflickr.com\/1536\/25067857573_8be9f7e6d1_z.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":20359,"url":"https:\/\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/2016\/07\/25\/spotted-on-shelves-lays-brazilian-picanha-chicken-szechuan-chicken-greek-tzaziki-and-indian-tikka-masala-potato-chips\/","url_meta":{"origin":9389,"position":3},"title":"SPOTTED ON SHELVES: Lay’s Brazilian Picanha, Chicken Szechuan Chicken, Greek Tzaziki, and Indian Tikka Masala Potato Chips","author":"Marvo","date":"July 25, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Lay's Brazilian Picanha Potato Chips Lay's Chinese Szechuan Chicken Potato Chips Lay's Wavy Greek Tzaziki Potato Chips Lay's Kettle Cooked Indian Tikka Masala Potato Chips Lay's Passport to Flavor Mix Update: We reviewed some of them! Click here to read our Brazilian Picanha review. Click here to read our Chinese\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Spotted on Shelves"","block_context":{"text":"Spotted on Shelves","link":"https:\/\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/category\/spotted-on-shelves\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Lay's Brazilian Picanha Potato Chips","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/farm8.staticflickr.com\/7794\/28533056145_0168242cf7_z.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/farm8.staticflickr.com\/7794\/28533056145_0168242cf7_z.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/farm8.staticflickr.com\/7794\/28533056145_0168242cf7_z.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":61523,"url":"https:\/\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/2024\/04\/04\/spotted-lays-flavors-that-hit-home-potato-chips\/","url_meta":{"origin":9389,"position":4},"title":"SPOTTED: Lay’s Flavors That Hit Home Potato Chips","author":"Marvo","date":"April 4, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"All are returning flavors, including the one not shown here, the West Coast-inspired Crispy Taco. Here are our reviews for Fried Pickles with Ranch, BLT, and Crispy Taco. Unfortunately, three of the four flavors are only available regionally in brick-and-mortar stores (Lime & Cracked Pepper is available nationwide). However, you\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Spotted on Shelves"","block_context":{"text":"Spotted on Shelves","link":"https:\/\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/category\/spotted-on-shelves\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/layskclimecrapep24.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/layskclimecrapep24.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/layskclimecrapep24.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/layskclimecrapep24.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/layskclimecrapep24.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":46219,"url":"https:\/\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/2021\/03\/29\/lays-kettle-cooked-extra-potato-chips-review\/","url_meta":{"origin":9389,"position":5},"title":"REVIEW: Lay’s Kettle Cooked Extra Potato Chips","author":"Holly","date":"March 29, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"What are Lay's Kettle Cooked Extra Potato Chips? Two new additions have been released within the Lay's Kettle Cooked chip line: Extra in Honey Habanero flavor and Extreme Cheddar flavor. Not a lot of information exists other than they are supposed to be EXTRA crunchy and have EXTRA flavor. How\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Reviews"","block_context":{"text":"Reviews","link":"https:\/\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/category\/reviews\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Lays-Kettle-Cooked-Extra-Potato-Chips-Extreme-Cheddar.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Lays-Kettle-Cooked-Extra-Potato-Chips-Extreme-Cheddar.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Lays-Kettle-Cooked-Extra-Potato-Chips-Extreme-Cheddar.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Lays-Kettle-Cooked-Extra-Potato-Chips-Extreme-Cheddar.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Lays-Kettle-Cooked-Extra-Potato-Chips-Extreme-Cheddar.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]}],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9389","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9389"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9389\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9389"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9389"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9389"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}