Seeking strongly-flavored prepared snacks and sweets
January 8, 2022 4:53 PM Subscribe
I'm looking for your favorite snacks and sweets with strong flavors. Things that almost hurt your tongue if you eat too much, like salt & vinegar chips, or open your sinuses like horseradish. Spicy is fine but I'm not really into the flavor of Tabasco hot sauce or buffalo wing sauce. Ready-made food as opposed to recipes, and snacks or sweets as opposed to full meals. Available online or in Northeast PA and NYC stores.
Some items that already fit the bill: wasabi peas, Blue Diamond wasabi & soy almonds, Bowl & Basket (Shoprite's house brand) New Orleans potato chips, Haribo Ginger Lemon gummies, De La Rosa Pulparindo.
Thanks!
Some items that already fit the bill: wasabi peas, Blue Diamond wasabi & soy almonds, Bowl & Basket (Shoprite's house brand) New Orleans potato chips, Haribo Ginger Lemon gummies, De La Rosa Pulparindo.
Thanks!
I have no idea whether they're available where you are, but if you ever see Ting Ting Jahe ginger candies.... be sure to get some.
posted by Too-Ticky at 5:00 PM on January 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Too-Ticky at 5:00 PM on January 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
I quite like Doritos Chili Lime Dinamita
posted by signsofrain at 5:02 PM on January 8, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by signsofrain at 5:02 PM on January 8, 2022 [2 favorites]
Trader Joe's Thai Lime & Chili Almonds
posted by JackBurden at 5:05 PM on January 8, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by JackBurden at 5:05 PM on January 8, 2022 [3 favorites]
Spicy mango gummies, maybe the Vidal brand, or the kind my friend brought back from Central America that I'll never find in the U.S.
posted by credulous at 5:06 PM on January 8, 2022
posted by credulous at 5:06 PM on January 8, 2022
Paqui’s Haunted Ghost Pepper tortilla chips are one of the few commercially available “spicy” products that will actually satisfy my wife’s dementedly masochistic palate.
posted by a box and a stick and a string and a bear at 5:10 PM on January 8, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by a box and a stick and a string and a bear at 5:10 PM on January 8, 2022 [3 favorites]
You already have wasabi almonds - try wasabi peas! They'll clear your sinuses.
posted by Gray Duck at 5:15 PM on January 8, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by Gray Duck at 5:15 PM on January 8, 2022 [2 favorites]
Takis are popular where I am now, but even the mild ones were too much for me (but I'm not into the hot spicy).
posted by Rash at 5:17 PM on January 8, 2022 [4 favorites]
posted by Rash at 5:17 PM on January 8, 2022 [4 favorites]
These are the hottest ginger candies I’ve ever had: GoOrganic Hard Candy - Extreme Ginger
I tried these Mega Sour Violets/Vicious Violets years ago at an old fashioned candy store in Jasper, Alberta. I literally had to spit it out after less than 30 seconds.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 5:22 PM on January 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
I tried these Mega Sour Violets/Vicious Violets years ago at an old fashioned candy store in Jasper, Alberta. I literally had to spit it out after less than 30 seconds.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 5:22 PM on January 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
Kettle Pepperoncini flavor chips are pretty great, very piquante. I love Tim's Jalapeno chips - they're a staple in the northwest but not so easy to get elsewhere.
posted by BlackLeotardFront at 5:33 PM on January 8, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by BlackLeotardFront at 5:33 PM on January 8, 2022 [2 favorites]
Hit up your Indian grocer for things like boondi, various pickles, and other fried goodies.
Try an Asian grocer for a wide array of spicy and non-spicy snacks: tofu and beef jerkies, roasted cuttlefish, various fish snacks (Fishnacks is a good brand to start with), and sweet rice cakes. Also fried/spiced peanuts, peas, potato puffs.
Also shout out to Paketon, the original Mexican Japanese Peanut snack: yum!
posted by SaltySalticid at 5:37 PM on January 8, 2022 [2 favorites]
Try an Asian grocer for a wide array of spicy and non-spicy snacks: tofu and beef jerkies, roasted cuttlefish, various fish snacks (Fishnacks is a good brand to start with), and sweet rice cakes. Also fried/spiced peanuts, peas, potato puffs.
Also shout out to Paketon, the original Mexican Japanese Peanut snack: yum!
posted by SaltySalticid at 5:37 PM on January 8, 2022 [2 favorites]
I’m a salt and vinegar fiend and I think Trader Joe’s salt and vinegar chips pack the biggest vinegar punch. They are my favorite. Haven’t been able to get them recently, some kind of production delay, but the TJ’s folks keep telling me they’re coming back…
posted by somedaycatlady at 5:39 PM on January 8, 2022
posted by somedaycatlady at 5:39 PM on January 8, 2022
I don't know if you can buy them where you are, but Dutch Crunch Jalapeno & Cheddar Kettle Chips are great. They have just the right amount of burn.
posted by belladonna at 5:46 PM on January 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by belladonna at 5:46 PM on January 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
Wasabi peas! Available at most decent Asian market. Trader Joe’s used to sell their own variety but I think it’s been discontinued.
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 5:46 PM on January 8, 2022
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 5:46 PM on January 8, 2022
Try Lay’s Limón flavored chips. They’ve replaced salt and vinegar for me. I also really adore dipping rice crackers into sweet chili sauce—it’s a bit more rounded as a flavor profile than just hot sauce and with the soy sauce rice crackers makes a really satisfying snack.
posted by kitten kaboodle at 5:50 PM on January 8, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by kitten kaboodle at 5:50 PM on January 8, 2022 [2 favorites]
Oh man, glomming onto an earlier answer... jarred mango pickle. After the first time you have them your mouth will literally water in fear/anticipation when you open the jar.
posted by ftm at 6:13 PM on January 8, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by ftm at 6:13 PM on January 8, 2022 [3 favorites]
Salt Licorice! You will hate it and then you will still hate it and then you will loooooooove it.
posted by Admiral Viceroy at 6:15 PM on January 8, 2022 [7 favorites]
posted by Admiral Viceroy at 6:15 PM on January 8, 2022 [7 favorites]
Takis are great, and the Trader Joe's version of Takis are just as good without the Red 40 Lake food dye.
posted by ourobouros at 6:30 PM on January 8, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by ourobouros at 6:30 PM on January 8, 2022 [2 favorites]
Along the same line as wasabi peas, sriracha peas.
posted by neilbert at 6:34 PM on January 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by neilbert at 6:34 PM on January 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
Pursuant to the licorice remarks above, more specifically go for salmiakki (ammonia salt) licorice.
...it's an acquired taste, and dearly loved by those that acquire it. Most salt licorice is ammonia, but not all. I've had a Bad Time now and then by assuming salty = ammonia salt.
posted by aramaic at 6:52 PM on January 8, 2022 [7 favorites]
...it's an acquired taste, and dearly loved by those that acquire it. Most salt licorice is ammonia, but not all. I've had a Bad Time now and then by assuming salty = ammonia salt.
posted by aramaic at 6:52 PM on January 8, 2022 [7 favorites]
Oh also, this is kind of a maybe, but I only recently started eating spicy radish kimchi. It's not sloppy like regular kimchi and the spicy, fermented kind is very tangy and actually carbonated. Head to your local asian market and grab a small jar if you can. Warning!! Extremely pungent!
Seconding salmiakki, you can get this variety pack and see which if any make sense to your palette. It's sort of like normal, salty, extra-medicinal, and extra-medicinal salty. I found them all too much but a couple friends can't get enough.
posted by BlackLeotardFront at 7:21 PM on January 8, 2022
Seconding salmiakki, you can get this variety pack and see which if any make sense to your palette. It's sort of like normal, salty, extra-medicinal, and extra-medicinal salty. I found them all too much but a couple friends can't get enough.
posted by BlackLeotardFront at 7:21 PM on January 8, 2022
Dill pickle potato chips. Even Lays does this for me, but boutique brands have even stronger flavors.
posted by Bunglegirl at 7:29 PM on January 8, 2022
posted by Bunglegirl at 7:29 PM on January 8, 2022
Prawn cocktail crisps will need a British shop or an international supermarket, but they do rather kick you in the teeth. Ditto pickled onion flavour monster munch, which, to my surprise, still exist and can be found in Amazon.
posted by How much is that froggie in the window at 8:02 PM on January 8, 2022
posted by How much is that froggie in the window at 8:02 PM on January 8, 2022
oh my god, you're me! Hal's or Kettle Salt & Vinegar or Jalapeno chips. Masala Munch, Magic Masala Lays, or bombay mix. Trader Joe's popcorn in a pickle. Mangorind candy. Calbee grill-a-corn ma la (not sure if it's up your alley but it's a very particular flavor). Or just sprinkle chaat masala on stuff. Great on popcorn!
posted by rachaelfaith at 8:08 PM on January 8, 2022
posted by rachaelfaith at 8:08 PM on January 8, 2022
Pataks pickles with rice
Paqui ghost pepper potato chips
posted by St. Peepsburg at 8:36 PM on January 8, 2022
Paqui ghost pepper potato chips
posted by St. Peepsburg at 8:36 PM on January 8, 2022
A lot of people have recommended chips, but if you like some store brand New Orleans chips, try the New Orleans chips FROM NOLA: Zapps! I highly recommend the Voodoo chips, and if you like spicy stuff, Voodoo Heat.
posted by sleeping bear at 10:31 PM on January 8, 2022 [4 favorites]
posted by sleeping bear at 10:31 PM on January 8, 2022 [4 favorites]
Umeboshi, Japanese pickled ume fruit, salty and sour
Himemaru rice crackers from Japan
ParmCrisps, over-baked cheese "chips" (very salty), or similar cheese fries and cheese crisps
posted by kschang at 11:38 PM on January 8, 2022 [4 favorites]
Himemaru rice crackers from Japan
ParmCrisps, over-baked cheese "chips" (very salty), or similar cheese fries and cheese crisps
posted by kschang at 11:38 PM on January 8, 2022 [4 favorites]
So many intense flavors like dried mango with chile; spicy dried cuttlefish; umeboshi; fermented tofus of all sorts; if you are into it, then fermented fish stuff like Cambodian prahok or Vietnamese mam. There is a whole set of Viet pickles that are made by layering the vegetables and fermented fish to ripen.
Oh, there is also a Viet snack called nem chua which is pickled fermented beef that includes pork skin sliced garlic and chili wrapped with it. It has that rubbery texture, sour, hot, and herbaceous undertone due to the Viet coriander.
posted by jadepearl at 1:03 AM on January 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
Oh, there is also a Viet snack called nem chua which is pickled fermented beef that includes pork skin sliced garlic and chili wrapped with it. It has that rubbery texture, sour, hot, and herbaceous undertone due to the Viet coriander.
posted by jadepearl at 1:03 AM on January 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
These spicy peanuts are so addictive. They’re salty and spicy, and loaded with dried hot chili flakes and Sichuan peppercorns. Those peppercorns will shock the hell out of your tastebuds!
posted by keep it under cover at 2:11 AM on January 9, 2022
posted by keep it under cover at 2:11 AM on January 9, 2022
[extremely Australian]
Vegemite on toast
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 4:17 AM on January 9, 2022 [2 favorites]
Vegemite on toast
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 4:17 AM on January 9, 2022 [2 favorites]
Some beef jerky snacks are pretty spicy. Slim Jims, of maybe, competitors to Slim Jims.
posted by SemiSalt at 5:05 AM on January 9, 2022
posted by SemiSalt at 5:05 AM on January 9, 2022
Sweet licorice hard candy + spiciness: Tyrkisk Peber!
posted by snusmumrik at 6:36 AM on January 9, 2022
posted by snusmumrik at 6:36 AM on January 9, 2022
Homemade Chex Mix is super easy and you can tweak the recipe. It’s barely a recipe.
Basically melt butter in the microwave, stir in Worcestershire sauce, Lawry’s seasoned salt, garlic and onion powder, and anything else you like (cayenne, hot sauce, MSG, cumin, etc).
Pour the spiced butter over the cereal in a big bowl, stir to coat, dump on a cookie sheet and briefly bake on low heat to crisp the butter so the cereal isn’t soggy.
You can make it extremely strong and mouthwatering by increasing the butter and doubling or tripling the spices.
And you can change the texture by adding nuts, pretzels, bagel chips, etc to the Chex- but I just like it with plain Chex.
I made some recently with 3 cups of rice Chex, half a cup of butter, 1.5 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon each of seasoned salt and garlic powder. It had that mouthwatering feeling you get when you eat a chip with extra flavour powder, and it was excellent with a beer.
posted by nouvelle-personne at 6:52 AM on January 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
Basically melt butter in the microwave, stir in Worcestershire sauce, Lawry’s seasoned salt, garlic and onion powder, and anything else you like (cayenne, hot sauce, MSG, cumin, etc).
Pour the spiced butter over the cereal in a big bowl, stir to coat, dump on a cookie sheet and briefly bake on low heat to crisp the butter so the cereal isn’t soggy.
You can make it extremely strong and mouthwatering by increasing the butter and doubling or tripling the spices.
And you can change the texture by adding nuts, pretzels, bagel chips, etc to the Chex- but I just like it with plain Chex.
I made some recently with 3 cups of rice Chex, half a cup of butter, 1.5 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon each of seasoned salt and garlic powder. It had that mouthwatering feeling you get when you eat a chip with extra flavour powder, and it was excellent with a beer.
posted by nouvelle-personne at 6:52 AM on January 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
Another vote for pickled onion Monster Munch, which I think are the classic strongly flavoured British snack.
posted by Bloxworth Snout at 7:32 AM on January 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Bloxworth Snout at 7:32 AM on January 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: These are fantastic! So many new flavors to try. Thank you!
posted by Majorita at 8:18 AM on January 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Majorita at 8:18 AM on January 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
Please, you must try Humpty Dumpty All Dressed potato chips. It has to be Humpty Dumpty--the Ruffles are tasty, but Humpty Dumpty are thick, crunchy, and caked with flavoring. It's savory with a strong hit of vinegar.
Seconding homemade Chex Mix. The classic recipe gets you closer to the "bold" bagged type, and you can push the savory flavors yourself by playing with proportions and ingredients. I do cheese crackers instead of pretzels.
posted by lampoil at 9:48 AM on January 9, 2022 [2 favorites]
Seconding homemade Chex Mix. The classic recipe gets you closer to the "bold" bagged type, and you can push the savory flavors yourself by playing with proportions and ingredients. I do cheese crackers instead of pretzels.
posted by lampoil at 9:48 AM on January 9, 2022 [2 favorites]
Trader Joe's Triple Ginger Snaps
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 9:50 AM on January 9, 2022
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 9:50 AM on January 9, 2022
This thread made me go fix one of my favorite spicy snacks... a Maruchan "Instant Lunch" cup of ramen in the spicy chicken flavor. It's not quite spicy enough for me as-is, so I add about 1/2 t of Taijin and cayenne pepper to taste.
Spicy V-8 juice is another favorite.
Spicy dill pickles are another great snack. I don't have a brand suggestion as my grocery store stopped carrying the ones I liked and I haven't found a replacement. But I'm sure Googling would bring up some likely prospects.
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 10:00 AM on January 9, 2022
Spicy V-8 juice is another favorite.
Spicy dill pickles are another great snack. I don't have a brand suggestion as my grocery store stopped carrying the ones I liked and I haven't found a replacement. But I'm sure Googling would bring up some likely prospects.
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 10:00 AM on January 9, 2022
Do you like olives? Kalamata olives have a strong sour-salt flavor. Garlic-stuffed green olives are sour and garlicky. A good olive bar would have a selection of specialty kinds to try. My Whole Foods Market has one. I'll sit down with a bowl of olives and chow down.
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 10:08 AM on January 9, 2022
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 10:08 AM on January 9, 2022
An impulse buy at Walgreens drug store got me and my partner hopelessly hooked on Wonderful brand shelled Chili Pistachios. They are not actually particularly spicy, but they are intensely flavored and highly addictive. Savory and tart and holyshitdumpthebaginmymouth. Don't dump the bag in your mouth. They are way too intense for that to actually be pleasurable. But here in the SF Bay Area they usually have them in Walgreens, Target, and 7Eleven.
posted by JuliaIglesias at 10:29 AM on January 9, 2022
posted by JuliaIglesias at 10:29 AM on January 9, 2022
I used to eat wasabi peas whenever my sinuses were bad.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 11:42 AM on January 9, 2022
posted by The Underpants Monster at 11:42 AM on January 9, 2022
If you like the Blue Diamond wasabi almonds, see if you can find the ghost pepper and Carolina Reaper ones.
Zapp's Voodoo Heat chips, if you can find them, or regular Voodoo chips if you can't, are a lot of strong flavors all hitting at once.
There are a few extra-strong ginger ales, including Reed's Strongest, Bruce Cost, and, if you can find it, Blenheim #3.
posted by box at 11:45 AM on January 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
Zapp's Voodoo Heat chips, if you can find them, or regular Voodoo chips if you can't, are a lot of strong flavors all hitting at once.
There are a few extra-strong ginger ales, including Reed's Strongest, Bruce Cost, and, if you can find it, Blenheim #3.
posted by box at 11:45 AM on January 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
Also, eating ginger raw is one of life’s great pleasures. It tastes and feels SO GOOD
For another sensation-based eat, also consider chewing on a Szechuan peppercorn every once in a while. Your mouth will water, you’ll taste something citrusy and puckery, and spots of your lips that touch the peppercorn paste you’re chewing will go tingly and vibe. It’s delightful.
posted by rrrrrrrrrt at 12:50 PM on January 9, 2022
For another sensation-based eat, also consider chewing on a Szechuan peppercorn every once in a while. Your mouth will water, you’ll taste something citrusy and puckery, and spots of your lips that touch the peppercorn paste you’re chewing will go tingly and vibe. It’s delightful.
posted by rrrrrrrrrt at 12:50 PM on January 9, 2022
If you eat fish, boquerones or pickled herring might fit the bill.
posted by burntflowers at 6:39 PM on January 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by burntflowers at 6:39 PM on January 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
See if your local Asian market has this Filipino candy: kiamoy
posted by PussKillian at 7:06 PM on January 9, 2022
posted by PussKillian at 7:06 PM on January 9, 2022
Go to Jackson heights via the subway. Bring a large duffel bag and about $500.
i) go to the patel bros supermarket on 74th between Roosevelt and 37th ave and the world of indian/pakistani/malaysian fried snacks is your oyster.
then walk 5 mins
ii) go to the pacific supermarket on 75th just south of roosevelt and you can try every flavor of squid chip and spicy corn nut from asia.
I'm serious. Between those two stores you could get 200+ packs of different snacks from 10 countries. They have every manner of dried flesh and fruit with spices there too.
posted by lalochezia at 8:48 PM on January 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
i) go to the patel bros supermarket on 74th between Roosevelt and 37th ave and the world of indian/pakistani/malaysian fried snacks is your oyster.
then walk 5 mins
ii) go to the pacific supermarket on 75th just south of roosevelt and you can try every flavor of squid chip and spicy corn nut from asia.
I'm serious. Between those two stores you could get 200+ packs of different snacks from 10 countries. They have every manner of dried flesh and fruit with spices there too.
posted by lalochezia at 8:48 PM on January 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
Comment removed - I’ll read the more inside next time!
posted by Juniper Toast at 10:10 PM on January 9, 2022
posted by Juniper Toast at 10:10 PM on January 9, 2022
If you can get French brand Bret's crisps, try Sauce Andalouse, Camembert or Pesto & Mozzarella flavours.
It's an Umami Tsunami!
posted by tardigrade at 12:01 AM on January 10, 2022
It's an Umami Tsunami!
posted by tardigrade at 12:01 AM on January 10, 2022
Kaki-no-tané (柿の種) Spicy Japanese rice crackers twice the size of sunflower seeds, often packaged with peanuts. Probably not the most pungent thing on this list, but a weakness of mine. Some mainstream grocery stores will have them in the "international" aisle, otherwise look at a specialty grocery.
posted by adamrice at 7:08 AM on January 10, 2022
posted by adamrice at 7:08 AM on January 10, 2022
In Hawaii, crack seed is the first thing you think of when it comes to salty/sweet/strong snacks. The most popular kind is li hing mui (preserved plum), but there's a whole galaxy of other crack seed varieties, including lemon peel, mango and ginger. Guaranteed to pucker your mouth!
posted by flod at 3:27 PM on January 10, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by flod at 3:27 PM on January 10, 2022 [1 favorite]
Hapi Sriracha Peas are amazing - spicy, but mostly just intensely and deliciously flavored.
posted by Freyja at 8:59 AM on January 11, 2022
posted by Freyja at 8:59 AM on January 11, 2022
I'm an American, of western European descent, and my family sometimes thinks ketchup is spicy.
That said, Halidram's Navrattan is an Indian bagged snack mix you can order online for find in Indian specialty shops. It's Cholula hot, but not Tabasco-hot; it has flavor more than it has heat, and you can eat a bunch of it and not hurt your mouth, but it hits the borderline so damn well.
I would honestly go to an Indian specialty shop and look at the snack food isle, they have this *down*.
posted by talldean at 4:18 AM on January 13, 2022 [1 favorite]
That said, Halidram's Navrattan is an Indian bagged snack mix you can order online for find in Indian specialty shops. It's Cholula hot, but not Tabasco-hot; it has flavor more than it has heat, and you can eat a bunch of it and not hurt your mouth, but it hits the borderline so damn well.
I would honestly go to an Indian specialty shop and look at the snack food isle, they have this *down*.
posted by talldean at 4:18 AM on January 13, 2022 [1 favorite]
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posted by rrrrrrrrrt at 4:55 PM on January 8, 2022