I want paprika potato chips!

May 17, 2007 11:03 AM

Paprika chips: are these available in the U.S.? I was in Europe last year and it seemed like every country had paprika potato chips from different brands (even Pringles). I can't seem to find any store/brand in the U.S. that has these. They're so good! Yeah there...I just used my ask mefi question on potato chips.
posted by edjusted to food & drink (22 answers total)

Paprika is what they call BBQ chips outside the USA.
posted by blue_beetle at 11:18 AM on May 17, 2007

Yeah, but BBQ flavour isn't paprika. The short answer is no. Americans don't like paprika the way europeans do. Regional tastes vary. Just like how you can't get vinegar for your fries in US fast food joints. Heathens.
posted by GuyZero at 11:29 AM on May 17, 2007

i was at the burger king in vienna and they provided some yellow curry sauce with their onion rings. talk about a fucking slice of heaven. and i never had it again.

Having said that, I wouldn't be surprised if Pringles only sold these chips in Europe. In fact, here's their European lineup. (Second can is Paprika.) You can contact them here.
posted by phaedon at 11:31 AM on May 17, 2007

Maybe try shaking some paprika onto regular chips (or,hey, barbecue). I find shaking hot pepper flakes and/or cayenne modifies existing chip flavour effectively, so maybe paprika would work, too.
posted by Listener at 11:50 AM on May 17, 2007

Paprika chips are widely available in Chicago at corner stores in predominantly Polish neighborhoods. I love them too!
posted by smich at 11:52 AM on May 17, 2007

Try checking the "organic"/healthy-snack section of your grocery store, that's where lots of places around here keep their exotic chips (damned if I know why). I know I've seen paprika occasionally, but it seems like I see "pepper" chips more frequently, which do include paprika in their flavorings and are incredibly... potent.
posted by Benjy at 12:08 PM on May 17, 2007

My only supply is to beg my parents-in-law to smuggle them in when they visit from Iceland. If someone manages to find a paprika chip supplier in Southern New England... yeah, call me.

European junk food is just BETTER.

Except the cheeseburgers. I don't know why they insist on putting cucumbers on them. *sigh*

(Oh hi, this comment is helpful in no way whatsoever.)
posted by grapefruitmoon at 12:39 PM on May 17, 2007

I feel your pain - when I was in Russia, they also had Paprika and a bunch of other different Pringles flavors that, although I have searched, I have been unable to find in the USA.

The USA also has a horrible lack of Laughing Cow cheese flavors.

You might try European food stores if you have not already gone down that path. (or, if all else fails, you might try smuggling in potato chips)
posted by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 12:48 PM on May 17, 2007

You can always buy them online.
posted by eunoia at 12:49 PM on May 17, 2007

Well, it's not hard to find European food shops online that ship in the U.S., mainly for expatriates I guess. Here's some paprika chips, for instance.

Watch out for the salmonella!
posted by rolypolyman at 12:55 PM on May 17, 2007

Martin's BBQ Potato Chips are pretty close to paprika chips (though they are named differently), but they are available in only limited areas.
posted by trox at 1:27 PM on May 17, 2007

Even American companies like Lays have different "line-ups" for different markets. In China they had a Beijing Duck flavor......so good... Check international markets aimed at Europeans?
posted by BobbyDigital at 1:28 PM on May 17, 2007

I guess I'll have to plan a trip to Chicago or something (I'm in CA)! I'll have to see if there're any European stores around here. eunoia, thanks for that link, but wow...$4 plus shipping for a can of Pringles...well...maybe it's worth it!
posted by edjusted at 1:29 PM on May 17, 2007

rolypolyman, thanks! the "Jumpys" sound interesting!
posted by edjusted at 1:31 PM on May 17, 2007

Paprika is what they call BBQ chips outside the USA.

No, it isn't. We have BBQ crisps too. Though I admit that paprika crisps are barely distinguishable from their BBQ counterparts, they are two separate flavours.
posted by macdara at 1:43 PM on May 17, 2007

I remember these from Germany, and they were delicious! (I don't even like potato chips...) I've also found them around Chicago, and it is too bad you're not from here.

Here is a list of some brands that make paprika chips. If you go to a specialty/gourmet/world-foods type of grocery store, maybe you would see them.
posted by rhoticity at 3:35 PM on May 17, 2007

It's learning these trivial things that I like best about MeFi! Who would have thought you didn't have paprika potato chips and used paper checks as payment (mentioned in another thread recently)?

If worst comes to worst and you can't easily find them, I'm willing to mail you a delicious assortment of paprika chips and/or other paprika snacks (and/or Belgian chocolate of course).
posted by lioness at 5:13 PM on May 17, 2007

Those poor Europeans (and pretty much everyone outside of the Chesapeake Bay region, as far as I can tell) have to do without the ridiculous goodness of Utz potato chips with Old Bay Spice blend on them.
posted by eve harrington at 5:24 PM on May 17, 2007

I've never had European paprika chips, but I get these at the corner store and they're pretty much potato chips covered swimming in paprika.
posted by exit at 6:22 PM on May 17, 2007

Those poor Europeans (and pretty much everyone outside of the Chesapeake Bay region, as far as I can tell) have to do without the ridiculous goodness of Utz potato chips with Old Bay Spice blend on them.

I don't know about that particular flavor, but we have many delicious varities of Utz chips here in Rhode Island.

Sadly, none of them even come close to paprika.
posted by grapefruitmoon at 7:24 PM on May 17, 2007

yes! i miss the paprika pringles from my europe trip so much! i emailed pringles when i got back, but there was a blurb on their contact page that specifically said they had no plans to bring paprika pringles to the states.

happend to me AGAIN this year when i went to australia and loved the onion and white cheddar! it was on shelves here for maybe a month; even then it had a slightly different flavor!
posted by phritosan at 3:20 AM on May 18, 2007

lioness, thank you for that kind and generous offer. I'm going to try to find a European market in the area first and also try that amazon link.

phritosan: one of the things i love/hate about travelling is that my wife and i love to try local snacks. we always seem to find something delicious that isn't available in the u.s. :(
posted by edjusted at 7:28 PM on May 20, 2007