Online Reporter
So Sweet
CRISPY chips are a big part of the world’s snacks. They have a longer story than you might think. They didn’t just pop up recently. They started way back in the early 1800s in Britain, with people trying out new ways to cook and later, factories making them.
The very notion of thinly fried potato slices, the precursor to our beloved chip, can be traced to William Kitchiner’s “The Cook’s Oracle,” published in 1817. This British cookbook, within its pages, detailed “Potatoes fried in Slices or Shavings,” laying the groundwork for what would become a national obsession.
While the American legend of George Crum’s “Saratoga Chips” at Moon’s Lake House in 1853 adds a colourful chapter to the story, it is crucial to acknowledge Kitchiner’s earlier contribution. The tale, though entertaining, serves to illustrate the simultaneous development of this culinary concept on both sides of the Atlantic.
The late 19th and early 20th centuries witnessed the commercialisation of the chip, with companies like Mikesell’s in the United States and Smith’s Potato Crisps in the UK bringing this once home-made treat to a wider audience. Smith’s, in particular, revolutionised consumption by packaging crisps in greaseproof paper bags accompanied by a sachet of salt, a practice that cemented its place in British snack culture.
However, it was the introduction of flavouring in the 1950s that truly transformed the chip. Joe “Spud” Murphy of Tayto, in Ireland, pioneered the technology to add seasoning during manufacturing, introducing cheese and onion flavoured crisps and fundamentally changing the snack industry.
This innovation sparked a flavour war, particularly in the UK, with companies vying to create ever more outlandish and enticing varieties.
Modern advancements in food processing and packaging have significantly enhanced chip quality and shelf life.
To experience this superior quality first-hand, we invite you to try So Sweet’s exceptional crispy chips.
