Junk Food Nation, today’s snack comes from my friend Josh, who returned from a trip that included Hungary as one of the stops.  These Chio Paprikas Chips are, apparently, Hungarian.

I don’t know much about Hungary, but Josh filled me in on two fun facts:

1) In movies that has terrorist organizations these days, the language they are most often speaking is Hungarian.  Movie makers use this because it’s foreign sounding enough, yet not offensive to anyone (I guess unless you’re Hungarian). It’s not a Romantic language, it’s not a Germanic language, it’s not Middle Eastern, it’s not Far Eastern, and so its far enough from any otherwise identifiable ethnic group (again, unless you’re Hungarian).  Due to its roots, I bet Hungarian is a bitch to learn.

2) Yoda speaks Hungarian!  Sort of.  The sentence structure that Yoda uses in the Star Wars movies is in fact the grammatical structure that Hungarian sentences use.  The urban legend is that when they were writing Yoda’s lines, they asked a Hungarian crew member to say the English lines in Hungarian, and then translate the syntax back in English.  And BAM! “Suspicious, this urban legend is.”

Today’s junk food: Chio Paprikas Chips!

The Money Shot

Chio Paprikas Chips are made by Chio. When you go to the Chio website, it is one of the weirdest experiences I’ve had viewing junk food company’s page. The music, the noises – was I dropping acid and didn’t know it?

Not sure what Minoseg means

Some of the stuff on the Chio website is in English, some of it isn’t, the voiceover mixes English and some other language back and forth – the whole thing is very trippy.  Based on this packaging, however, Chio Paprikas Chips are 100% Chio. Which is reassuring (????)

Red bell pepper?

Chio Paprikas Chips display pictures of red bell peppers on the front, and so now I REALLY have no clue how these chips are going to taste.  Like hot paprika?  Like red bell pepper – which is sweet?  So confused.

Sunflower oil, I'm assuming

Chio Paprikas Chips have this on the front, which I can only assume means that they use sunflower oil to cook these chips – but again, I’m not certain.  NEM TARTALMAZ!  According to Google Translate, this means Not Included.  I’m even more lost.

English! (for once) - carefully selected raw materials? What is this, gasoline?

Chio Paprikas Chips, the evolutionary map.  Potatoes, sliced, cooked in sunflower oil, added flavors of paprika and red bell pepper.

The bag was too shiny

Chio Paprikas Chips came in this foil bag that reflected every single light beam available.  I was lucky to get this shot off.

Light and crispy

Chio Paprikas Chips felt light and airy – much like Walkers Crisps, or maybe the Originals Lays chips – these were not like a kettle chip or the thicker cut US potato chips.  Smelled savory, but indistinct in what flavor that was.  Time to chomp!

Red tinged

Light like Walkers Crisps, these Chio Paprikas Chips did NOT taste like I thought they would.  Essentially, they tasted like a flavorful barbecue chip!

The potato chip itself was light and flaky and FULL of potato flavor, like a Walkers Crisp.  There was very little salt on the chip, which meant that it was less like a typical US potato chip.  Instead you really tasted the flavor of the sunflower oil, which was savory and not greasy.

The seasoning, as it were, was very light – it was really just a light dusting of garlic, onion and paprika powder.  And that’s it.  Not spicy, these chips just had a nice savory taste.  There were definitely notes of all three spices, and to be honest, the flavor went away quickly allowing the potato flavor to come through.

I know I usually harp on needing MORE flavor, but this potato chip cooked in sunflower oil was so tasty and had such a nice savory taste – I really didn’t mind the light seasoning.  Let the potato be the star of the show, you know?  Really good, Chio.  If you’re ever in Hungary – EAT THESE.

Thoughts? Hit me in the comments below or hit me on Twitter @junkfoodguy or on my Facebook Page.

Sincerely, Junk Food Guy