Welcome to Taste Buds, the show featuring our very own Brad Leone.
In this episode, Brad is joined by Beck Bennett, cast member of Saturday Night Live.
So what is Taste Buds anyway?
Simply put, we pair Brad Leone up with different guests to explore any and every food or food-adjacent topic under the sun.
This week: potato chips.
And as a bonus, Brad and Beck make their own potato chips too.
What better way to make friends?
- Feels nice.- It might be my favoritechip so far, home run.- That's too hot for me.[Beck laughs]Hey guys, I'm Bradley Leoneand today on Taste Budswe're going to be tasting potato chips.My guest today, Beck Bennett.- Hello.It's so great to be here, Iwant to taste some potato chips.Yes, I love potato chips, you know?- Oh you do?- Yeah, of course, Imean who doesn't right?- [Brad] Fo sho.- And I have my favoritesbut I was so excitedto come here and havemy taste buds opened up.- Well you're my new taste budand we're going to dothis little ride together.- Oh yeah, I didn't evenrealize I was putting itin the name of the show therewith opening up my taste buds.- Oh come on, you knew, he's a pro.Don't let this guy fool you, he's a pro.So Beck, we got to stay our distance.Our COVID safety distances.- I want to get closerto you, but I can't.- I got a bag of chips for ya.We can pick those up, right.- Great.- And we can go on alittle journey together.- Okay, right here.- Right on that top.- We're starting at the basic,it's mixed cells, Mike Sells.- Mike sells, Mic sells,Mike sells a lot of chips.- Mikesell's.- [Beck] Mikesell's.- Fact check is in, it's Mikesell's.- [Beck] Okay, great.- Mikesell's fried, plain from Ohio.Founded in 1910, oldest,continuous potato, oh my god.Oldest, continuous potato chipoperation in the world, Beck.- For real, wow, I would'vethought it was Lays.All right, here we go.- Smells like a classic chip.- Smells like a classic chip, yep.[Brad laughs]Mm, that is a delicious chip.- It's what you expect.- Yeah, it's not a kettle,this is a classic chip.There's some, look at that,there's got some rustic colorto it, you know what I mean?You can see some of the skin.- [Brad] Little skin, I like that.- Show you where it came from.- Yeah, exactly, Iappreciate that, Mikesell's.- Mikesell's, I think I want to saythat I taste the potato alittle bit more in a Mikesell'sthen I would in Lays.- Than the classic.- And I think the Lays might be saltierand a little bit greasier.- Mike, you know what I think,he might be a supertaster here,'cause I think you're right, man.- I got a great tongue.- It's not bad on thefinger, still inviting.Not overly salty.- Right, right.- Let's move on to number two.- Let's get a little bit more exotic.Oh yeah, Old Dutch, you know the brand.- I don't.- [Beck] You don't know the Old Dutch?- I've ever seen Old Dutch in my life.- You've never seen an Old Dutch?- [Brad] In my life.- But have you seen one of these?- No.- No, no, I've never seen one of these.I don't know if I'llever see one of these.You find these in Ohio, nowhere else.- Yeah, people in Ohio are freaking out.- Yeah, they love Mikesell's,everybody in Ohio is like,you don't know Mikesell's?They're the oldest stuffin the world, come on.- [Brad] Old Dutch, industrialfried, all dressed, Canadian.- Wait, flavor is all-dressed?- It's a combination of ketchup,barbecue sauce, sour creamand onion and salt and vinegar.Flavors rolled into one chip.So it's like, aw, you like all of them,you can't make your mind up,all dressed, all the flavors.I don't know if I'm intothis all dressed thing.You put your hand in there,like I'm going to need a shower.- Really, see.- Look at that thing.- I know, I mean, it'sdusty as hell in there.- [Brad] Fully dressed.- That's exciting to me though'cause I like, I like a flavorful chip.Let's get all dressed.- Yeah, no.- This is, this doesn't do it for me'cause it does taste like ketchupbut I'm going to have another one.- It's got like a little bitof a pickle juice thing going.Barbecue chip.- Yeah, a little barbecue,it's like barbecue and color.I think it's more ketchup, vinegar.I don't even taste that much salt.- See this just.[car honks]This just really um.- It's a little too tangy.- It's a little too much,it's kicking me in the mouth.Like what are you going to eatthis with, a glass of water?- Glass of water, wait, you say wader?- I say wader, what do you say?- I say water.- Wader, that's what I said.- Yeah, yeah, yeah.Yes, this is my favorite chip.I love to tell people about these.- Look at that bag.- That is fun, look at those taste buds.They're popping off.- [Brad] Zapp's kettlecooked, voodoo, New Orleans.- When I tasted those, I was like,that's a lesser version of these.'Cause this is kind of everything.- It's a party in a bag, right?Voodoo flavor is a result of an accident.An employee was moving a pallet of spice.I don't believe this story.- Really, this is like Guinness.You know that's an accident, too.These are the, like theaccident recipe stories.I'm sure you could comeup with a long listof your favorite like great ones.- Well most good things in the worldwere probably founded outby accident, you know?Like cheese or wine or.- Oh, okay, yeah, wow.- Fake potato chips.- Damn.- Voodoo, yeah yeah,was an employee movinga pallet of spices off, he got fired.And he's not getting anyroyalties, I can picture that.- He didn't get any credit for this.- While cleaning it up,someone stuck their fingerinto the mixture and about five flavorsand pronounced the great.- Wow, they're not tellingus what the five flavors are.- No and Bill got fired forspilling the pallet of spices.- Oh absolutely.- Yeah right?Checks in the mail, Bill.- God, I love these.- These already looked better.- Yeah, and look, there'sno dust on the inside here.- This is no powder, it's all on the chip.Doesn't get on the bag.Oh, that's a 10.- I like the thickness.- It's also though some kettle chips,you can almost like cutthe roof of your mouth.Right, right.- 'Cause it's so crunchy I think.These, their perfect crunchy.- You're right, sometimesthey're too thickand it's like chewing on plate glass,not that I've ever done that.- Yeah, I haven't done it either.- Canada, I'm sorry butNew Orleans has got this.- This is tangy, it's salt.- [Brad] And it's balanced.- And it's addictive.- I wonder if, it'd be cool if they madelike a spicy voodoo.- [Beck] Oh yeah.- Little cold pilsner, crabs.- Oh my god.- Oh they do.- They make a spicy voodoo?- Billy go Ben checking in.- Wow.- Voodoo heat.- I feel like whenever I have a good idea,it's already happened.- Yeah.Oh, I wasn't expecting this.- Seaweed and salt potato chips.- 2.99, oo it better be good.Calbee fried, shee, oh.Shio nori, Japan.Nori equals edibleseaweed, shio equals salt.- Okay, I'm excited to try this.- I got to say they areattractive looking chips.You get that nori.- [Beck] You get that nori.- They're good.- It's very subtle, I think,it's, it's a strong subtle.It's a strong flavor,but it's not hitting you over the head.- You gotta like the nori,if you like your nori chips,like the dehydrated one.- I want it to be saltier.- [Beck] Honestly.- Especially coming from the sea.- That could be theAmerican tongue though.- We like things biggercrunchier, saltier.- Yeah, yeah, yeah, we wantto get hit over the headwith our flavor.This is a cool chip that Ithink you could put out like.- Good point Beck.- Maybe for a dip or something.Like it looks interesting,like it's really dusted.Maybe I'll bring this to a party.- I mean, look at that guy.Calbee, if you're listening,me and Beck, I'm an XLhe's probably a large,we'll, we'll take shirts.We got a little bit of a wild card here.Lays deep fried magic masala, Indian.I could see that working on a potato chip.- That sounds really good to me.- I like masala, let's see what.- [Beck] I love masala.- Let's see what Lays did with it here.- I'm having trouble openingthis, you having trouble?I might have to do one of these, yep.- [Brad] This is not for kids.- [Beck] Different techniques,I think you've gotta do a peel.- Oh my god, you ain't kidding, huh?- [Beck] Yeah, there yougo, you need to peel these.These look smaller.- [Brad] And then you gota little ruffle to them.- [Beck] Yeah, they gota ruffle, a tight ruffle.- A little wave, you like the rough back.- Yeah, I do 'cause it's kind of kettle-y.Let's see what happens.- Nothing about this reminds me of a Lays.- Absolutely not and I don't like them.Sorry, these are, these are not for me.They're a little, they're spicy.They're the spiciest for sure.- I kind of like them.- It kind of remind me of a Chex.- Oh yeah, yeah, a little bit.- The flavor, like theseasoning in their regular,in their classic.- On the pretzel.- Yeah, yeah, absolutely like the pretzel.- Oh my god it does taste like the pretzelor like the little weirdpiece of pumpernickel toast.- Ah ha, yeah, I love those.- Me too, these are, theseare the kind of growing on me.Interesting, I don't hateit, I kind of like it.- I don't, the texture doesit, I don't love the flavor.I don't love, I don't love the heat.- Once you planted theChex mix thing in my head,it's all I taste.- And I'd rather have Chex mix.- Plowing forward.- Mama zap, Mama Zuma's.- Route 11 Chips, kettle,Mama Zuma's Revengehot habanero, Virginia.I have a thing back, it's kind of weird,I'll tell you about it.- You like animated women.- I do, well, not like Idon't have like a weird thingfor it, it's mostly, it's moreniche, it's more specific.It's like, it startedfrom canned tomatoes.Like the old, likeItalian canned tomatoes.They had these like, Ihad a crush on this womanfrom this tomato can, stilldo and I reached out to him,trying to get a T-shirt,they never responded.But just like that.- This is now the secondtime you've talkedabout getting a free T-shirt.- Yeah well.- You wanted a T-shirt fromthe Calbee people, right?- I'm a sucker for likethe character's of brands.Getting in there, Mama.- Um great, let's go.- Easy open.- Ooh, they look, they look powdered.- That's a dark chip, that'sa dark chip, that's kettle.On your way, it's gonna come, I get it.[both laugh]Damn, that's hot.- [Brad] Yeah, she got ya.- I mean, not crazy, but yeah,I can't have another one.- I like heat and I'ma big fan of habanero.This ain't too bad, but you gotta be,you gotta be wanting the heat.If you like spicy Mama Zuma's your gal.- I'm this guy, I'm this guy right here.- [Brad] He's running.- Burned, falling down in the desertreaching towards the horizon.This is, I've never seen this.- Oh, it's a to Guinness chip.Burt's hand cook Guinness, Ireland.Well, I know what a Guinness tastes likeand I'll be the judge of that.- Yeah, yeah, we'll find out.Let's see if it tastes like a Guinness.I don't think I've everhad a beer flavored chip.- [Brad] Oh, it's got some color to it.- Yeah, what does that smell like?- There's a sweetness, butalmost smells like banana bread.I don't know.- It does smell likebanana bread a little bit.- Or some kind of baked good.- Immediately tastes likebanana bread, it's sweet.- This tastes like banana bread.- Yeah, looks like banana bread.- It does look like banana bread.Look at that, like an oxidized,highly ripened banana.Maybe we're having a strokeor something because thisdoesn't taste anything like a Guinness,Burt you're full of it, good chip though.But there's a weirdness.- It's like a, yeah, it'slike a slightly sweet,a little salty, potato-y flavored.- It's that barley, creampowder, that's what it is.It's the cream powder Beck.- It's the cream powder,I should have known it.It almost smells like ponzu.- Yeah, it does likea citrusy kinda shoyu.Oh my god, you're good, man, you're good.- Ah, I don't know about that.- It does smell like.I'll tell you what it doesn'tsmell like, is Guinness.- No, nowhere near a Guinness.- Oh this is going to be fun.- You got some interesting things here.- Yeah, we're stretchingacross the pond here.- Oh boy, Tayto, I knew it.- [Brad] Get yourself a Tayto.- Tayto.- Tayto, fried, roast chicken, UK.I'm a little nervous.This is the, this is the wild card so far.- Really, this is whatyou're nervous about?- Tayto founder, Joe Spud Murphy.- His name is spud?- Yeah, Joe Spud Murphy,that's his nickname.You have a nickname, bud?- I guess some people call me moon sailor.- Oh, go on.- I don't know why.- Like sailor moon but they switched it?- [Beck] Kinda just 'causelike I'm kind of like.- Cute?- Like I think I'm cute,yeah, yeah, my buddiescalled me that because I was cute.- Tayto founder, Joe SpudMurphy oh my god, invented.I don't believe this,invented the chip flavoringproduction process in 1954.A quote from Serious Eats, ifyou're drunk enough, it feelslike you're eating a bagof crispy chicken skins.Wow, wow, it's intense.- [Beck] I like it.- I don't know what to think about that?I'm sorry, I'm likeshort-circuiting a little.You eat a few of these,you're going to need to like,I don't know, I gotbrush teeth or something.This can't leave a good two hours laterlike taste in your mouth.- I understand what you mean,yeah, it's like a weird taste.It could taste like bad breath.- It could definitelytaste like and it has like.- It's garlicky.- It's garlicky and it'snot like, oh, I justate a roast chicken,it's like I ate somethingthat was supposed to tastelike a roast chicken.- Yeah, yeah, yeah, I kinda like it.- It's not bad, you know, a few drinks in.- Just imagine everything witha few drinks and it's better.- Oh okay, it's good.- Look in your bag forsomething called Vitners.You all right?- I know the name.- Well, I don't.- You don't know Vitner's?- Oo classic, almost looks like it,like they make paint orlike a hardware store type.- Yes, this looks like Benjamin Moore.Oh this is a Chicago snack,that's why I know Vitner.- That's why, that's why I don't.Vitner's fried, salt and sour, Chicago.- This is a kielbasa and sauerkraut.- [Brad] Stop it.- Classic taste that'sunmistakably chicken an.Smells tangy, I can smell that vinegar.- Oh yeah, you know what it smells like,like a good French fry with malt vinegar.Citric acids in here, malic acid.I can't get over that label.- Wow, that is a strong flavor.Instead of a salt and vinegar,this is a vinegar and salt.- Vitner's.- I like it.- Salt and sour, I like the name, too.We don't, this ain't nosalt and vinegar chips.- Right, it's not vinegar.- [Brad] Come on.- But this is a sour.- It's good.- I like this.This is a hit, my hometownbaby, so proud of you.- It's almost got a little bitof like a, oh, this is where,this is where it's at.Close your eyes, youordered a hamburger or a.Club or something right?Came with a side of pickles, right?And the pickle juice seepedinto the french fries a little.- Yes, yes, absolutely.- Vitner's home run.It might be my favorite chip so far.- Let's see, oo, I hope I didn'tdo anything to those chips.- It comes in a box.Oh, this has got to be expensive.Royce fried chocolate covered in Japan.I'm not sure about that.- What, you're not sure aboutif it's going to be chocolate covered?- Oh, it's going to be, I'mnot sure how I feel about it.- Okay, yeah, I'm reallyexcited about this.I think I'm more excited about thisthan any other chip besides like.Whoa.- 17 bucks.- How many are in there?I'm going to start open this.- Yeah, open that bad boy up.I wish it was dark chocolate,it's probably milk chocolate.Oh, it's in a bag.- Yeah, I thought it was going to be,I thought it was going tobe in a plastic container.- Like shingled.- [Beck] Yeah, yeah, yeah.- Are they just thrown in there?- They're just thrown in there.I mean, this feels, it feels nice.- Wow, this is special.- It's special, yeah, thisfeels like a special chip.- This is a great show.I'm surprised that they do thisbecause my worry is that likewhat if they started to melt?- Yes and you get a lot of,their probably in the fridge.I agree 100%, risky movethrowing it in a bag.I don't even want to bite this.Do you like salt covered pretzels?- Salt covered pretzels?- Oh, oh, chocolatecovered, chocolate covered.- Do you like salt covered pretzels.Yeah man, why, do you not?- Chocolate covered pretzels.- You do?Not really.- Do you not?- I love them, this isawesome, I love this.You know, what's interesting?There's only chocolatecovered on one side.So it's a nice balance.It's not too chocolatey on that one side.- I would eat this with a cup of coffee.- Yeah, this is good.- [Brad] This is really good.- I'm gonna take this one home with me.- [Brad] You better.- What I like is that thechocolate kind of likesemi softens the chip, like on the inside.It's like a, it's a more tender with.- It is, it's a slight crunch.- Yeah, it's almost like a wafer.I tell you what, we'vegot one more little task,a little wild card, a little fun,a little hands on activity for us.Yeah, we tasted everybodyelse's chips, you know.Let's make our own.All right Beck, so nowI got a little hot oiland we're going to somesliced up potatoes.We're going to make our ownour own little potato chip.- Bon appetit.So we've got some, like I said,some russet potatoes that we sliced thinon the old mandolin andwhat'd you want to do,we soak them in the water, thatgets some of the starch offand then pat them dry sothey don't blow up on you.I'm just going to drop one in as a tester.- Yeah, great.- You want to work in smallbatches, you drop too low.It's going to screw up your cook.So look, they're kind of,they're a little light in color for me.I think that would comefrom leaving them inthere a little longer.- Are they going to brown up?- I think so with just a little more timeor maybe even a littlebit of a hotter fry?'Cause like that for meright there, that's not it.It's just holding thefat, that's disgusting.- Because we fried it too low.- I think or maybebecause of how thin it is.It's reacted so different.When you think about it, you knowthe folks over at Laysand stuff like that.I mean, how much money did they invest into figuring out how tomake all those chipsthe exact same, you know what I mean?Millions of dollars.- Millions of dollars.- So, you know, I don't feel so badthat we didn't nail it on the first shot.- No, no, no, no, no, thisis organic, this is natural.You know, they're usingmachines, we're people.- We're people, that's right.- We make mistakes andmistakes are beautiful.You know, what makes usgreat is not just our successbut our failures as well.- Yeah, yeah, keep blowing.- Life is not about just likeyou know, hitting the mark perfectly.It's about everything that comes before itand after it and around it.But we like the stories of achampion because they were downand out at some point,you know what I mean?- Yes Beck.- They weren't just winning from day one.So it's the same thingwith these chips, you know?- Everyone loves an underdog and a story.- [Beck] Yeah, baby.- The human struggle is real.This is a beautiful conversation.You can learn, you know, you get togetherwith some friends, frythings, taste things.- Want me to salt these.- [Brad] Yeah, through some salt on there.- See that, that's not good.- [Brad] That's not gonna work.- Fresh off.- Tell you what, taste of oil.- Tastes of oil a little bit.- This looks like a.- They're bad.- Like a condensed piece of oil.- It's disgusting.- This looks like rubber.- And it's filled with littlesacks of hot vegetable oil.- I made them.- Isn't it better?You know what, it's a fun experience.- It's a fun experienceand you know, I think,for the future, now I have some knowledge,if I'm going to do this,I'll bring up the temp,try some different potatoes.- Yeah, thicknesses like our friends did.Whatever you do just don'tmake it taste like a Guinness.All right, Beck,it was a blast meetingyou, man and hanging out.- It was so great meetingyou, this was so awesome,thank you.- I'm looking forward toseeing you on the old SNLand Moodic, Moodoc.- Yeah, Moodoc, call it whatever you want.Thank for having me,man, this was awesome.- Yeah, look at that, it'sgotta be a different potato.- [Beck] Oh yeah, becausethose aren't our potatoes.- [Brad] No, come on.- These are Mikesells.Those are good.- Oh those are good, boythose don't taste like oil.- Uh uh.