Crisps Burn, Pringles Melt, Discuss....

The results of the Final were discussed on KLFM's breakfast show on Tuesday morning. The dizzy girlie newsreader who is rubbish at spotting song intros told the world that Pringles were only popular due to their high fat content....

....a little later another KLFM DJ, known only as "Bob", claimed that he enjoyed burning crisps when he visited the pub - apparently "proper" crisps would burn in the expected way, but Pringles (again, due to the high fat content) simply melted.

Was this true? I decided to conduct an experiment. I assembled the kit as below, with a jug of water as an improvised fire extinguisher, just in case....

First up were some "normal" crisps, in this case Pipers S&V. They took a flame rather well (you can see some fat leeching from the crisp, close to the flame)....

But they soon fizzled out and just blackened, smouldering edges remained.

And so it was the turn of the Pringles. Like the crisp, the Pringle started burning quite well....

....and kept on burning (with no sign of melting)....

....and burning, and burning, and burning....

....resulting in a thoroughly charred, Pringle-shaped disk of carbon.

Impressed yet confused by the Pringles inferno I decided to re-test the crisps. Once again they lit up OK, but failed to really burn well for a second time.

For the second time the crisps petered out, with singed edges, glowing ash, but no real burning.

I can only conclude, viewing the evidence of this spectacularly unscientific experiment, that KLFM's Bob is either fibbing, or passing on an urban myth. Far from the higher fat content of the Pringles (34% as opposed to 27%, so not a great deal of difference) leading to snack-meltage (as we in the biz call it), it appears that the extra fat content actually facilitates increased combustion!

Myth busted!

The Final - Herr’s Kettle Cooked Boardwalk Salt & Vinegar v Pringles Salt & Vinegar

Testers for this match: Rachel, Toni, Darren

After three months and 31 matches, the title of World Champion Salt & Vinegar Snack 2009 would be decided in this crunch-off. The consistent (and recently deemed to be a cake, not a crisp) Pringles had gone one round further than in 2007, when they fell victim to that year’s eventual champions, Seabrooks. Their opponents were Herr’s, all the way from Pennsylvania, and taking part in their first ever SVWC.

A crack team of testers was assembled, given the regular pre-match instructions and pep-talk, and then the lids were off! And, in the same way that major football tournament finals are often disappointing, the SVWC09 Final was one-way traffic. Herr’s absolutely blitzed poor old Pringles, out-scoring them in every single category. An awesome victory for the American newcomers. Good job, chip dudes!

Herr’s Kettle Cooked Boardwalk Salt & Vinegar
Crispness 13
Flavour 13
Size & Appearance 12
Aroma 12
More-ish-ness 13

Pringles Salt & Vinegar
Crispness 11
Flavour 10
Size & Appearance 11
Aroma 10
More-ish-ness 10

Result

Herr’s Kettle Cooked Boardwalk Salt & Vinegar 63 : 52 Pringles Salt & Vinegar

Third And Fourth Place Play-Off - Walkers Squares Salt & Vinegar v The Real McCoy’s Ridge Cut Salt & Malt Vinegar

Testers for this match (left to right): Rachel, Toni, Darren (Scottish George behind)

The match to decide the minor placings of SVWC09. Two S&V snacks with different aspirations….The Squares will feel very happy to have reached this stage, whereas Real McCoys will be very disappointed not to reach the Final again, as they did in 2007. McCoys saw off Kettle Chips in the semi-finals of 2007, but with Kettle Chips having departed the contest ignominiously to Co-op’s own brand in Round Two would they have an easier passage to the Final?

In the end, no. They were pipped by Pringles. As for Walkers Squares, what an achievement. Of the three Walkers runners, Squares went the furthest. OK, they lost a semi-final against Herr’s, but in 2007 they fell at the first hurdle (ironically, to Pringles). So, who would take the consolation third spot? It was Real McCoys, adding a third place to their second in 2007.…always the bridesmaid? Congratulations to both snacks, see you again in 2011.

Walkers Squares Salt & Vinegar
Crispness 13
Flavour 9
Size & Appearance 10
Aroma 10
More-ish-ness 12

The Real McCoy’s Ridge Cut Salt & Malt Vinegar
Crispness 13
Flavour 11
Size & Appearance 11
Aroma 11
More-ish-ness 11

Result

Walkers Squares Salt & Vinegar 54 : 57 The Real McCoy’s Ridge Cut Salt & Malt Vinegar

Poll Result - Who Will Win The Final?

The unwashed have spoken:


Herr's - 66%


Pringles - 33%



Are they right?

Final Postponed!

The Final of SVWC09 has been postponed by one week.

It will now take place on Monday 8th June, starting at 6pm.


This is due to circumstances beyond our control….

….OK, it’s because the Organiser’s five-year-old son is receiving his first martial arts white belt at 6pm tonight, Monday the 1st. Some things are more important than S&V snacks….