Junk Food Nation, here we go again.  A while back, I discussed how Hostess, the lovable maker of Twinkies, was going out of business and filing for bankruptcy.  They’ve been operating in bankruptcy format for a bit now, and just recently, as in the last 24 hours, news has broke that they are now closing shop because their workers are on strike.  The Hostess empire is now officially up for grabs.

I blame Hostess making crap like this – chocolate creme filled Twinkies are an abomination. But seriously, who knew Hostess had actual bakers that made these cakes, and that they just weren’t squeezed out of a tube or something.

So where do we go from here? Last time, I made jokes that McDonalds or another company would buy Hostess and make it their own, but honestly, I hope a legit pastry company buys up the Twinkie brand and makes them better.  What say you, Entenmann’s? I think you can take this whole Twinkie thing to a whole new level.

Of course, this presume that a company like Entenmann’s is doing well.  Honestly, is ANY pastry company out there just DOMINATING the industry, just CRUSHING it? Are people in the pastry business just rolling in it, tossing cash from windows? I mean, it’s pastries, it’s not XBox Games.  Halo 4 grossed $220 million dollars in ONE DAY – you think an exec over at Hostess isn’t seeing those numbers and thinking, “EFF…. we are in the WRONG business.”

Today’s junk food: Kettle Brand Limited Batch Jalapeno Jack Potato Chips!

Kettle Brand Limited Batch Jalapeno Jack Potato Chips: The Money Shot

Kettle Brand Limited Batch Jalapeno Jack Potato Chips are the fourth and final installment of the Kettle Limited Batch chips that have recently been released.  I’ve previously reviewed the Red Chili, the Cheddar Beer, and the Salsa Mesquite flavors…and here we are at Jalapeno Jack.  I’ve discussed the reason for the return of old flavors ad nauseam…let’s just zoom through and SEE HOW THESE TASTE!

Kettle Brand Limited Batch Jalapeno Jack Potato Chips: I do like pepper jack cheese…

Kettle Brand Limited Batch Jalapeno Jack Potato Chips: “No Jack, it’s NOT ALL ABOUT YOU. SAWYER!!!!”

According to the press release, “Originally debuted in 1989, this flavor not only has a visual resemblance to a slice of Pepper Jack cheese, but has the same creamy, salty Jack cheese base mixed with the spice of red and green peppers and a strong jalapeño flavor.”

Kettle Brand Limited Batch Jalapeno Jack Potato Chips: The fourth and final installment

Kettle Brand Limited Batch Jalapeno Jack Potato Chips: 150 cal per serving

Kettle Brand Limited Batch Jalapeno Jack Potato Chips: Cheddar cheese powder before Monterey jack cheese powder? Hmmmmm

Kettle Brand Limited Batch Jalapeno Jack Potato Chips: Thick and crunchy

Kettle Brand Limited Batch Jalapeno Jack Potato Chips: speckled with peppers and powder

Kettle Brand Limited Batch Jalapeno Jack Potato Chips might be my favorite of all four I’ve tried so far.  Well, no, I think I liked the Cheddar Beer the most. But these were a VERY close second!

Upon first chew, these tasted cheesy and creamy – I didn’t really think it tasted like jack cheese, personally, but more like a mild cheddar cheese with some savory green/red pepper added to it.  It sort of tasted like a cheesy sour cream, honestly. The burn then came – not intense, but definitely present after several chips. A nice peppery flavor, mixed with the creamy backdrop of the chip.

Then it hit me – this was sort of like a spicier version of some of my favorite chips, Ruffles Cheddar and Sour Cream Potato Chips! HOLY SMOKES, that’s EXACTLY what these tasted like.  Also, strangely, I found that in a lot of ways they tasted like the Herr’s Ragin’ Ranch I had recently: just a solid, creamy tasting chip with some nice peppery taste and a decent burn.

Really good. REALLY REALLY GOOD.  Thanks, Kettle, for four wonderful flavors!

See Chip Review’s review of all of the Limited Batch Kettle Brand Chips, including these, here!

PURCHASED AT: Safeway Grocery

COST: $3.99, on sale for $2.50

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Sincerely,

Junk Food Guy