FINALLY, Lay’s is doing chips the Maryland way!!
Lay’s Chesapeake Bay Crab Spice
This is something of a coming out party for Old Bay®, who is not gay, but is not known or at least remains underutilized by a significant portion of U.S. states.
I am a proud Baltimore resident, and I can confirm we put that shit on everything.
Now granted, the name “Old Bay” appears nowhere on Lay’s Chesapeake Bay Crab Spice. But anyone whose anyone who lives in Maryland and the surrounding area knows that it is the only brand of Chesapeake Bay crab spice that matters. If you like these chips, take this knowledge I bestow upon you, buy yourself some Old Bay, and start adding it to everything.
I’m not bullshitting you when I say we put it on everything. Steamed crabs (obviously), but also popcorn and Cheese Balls and chocolate truffles and Old Bay Caramel ice cream.
I once got drunk exclusively off this beer, which I drank from a glass rimmed with Old Bay:
For us Marylanders and some other states, Lay’s Chesapeake Bay Crab Spice is certainly not the first Old Bay style potato chip we’ve had before. Pennsylvania-based companies Herr’s and Utz have both been making one for decades, but neither have complete national distribution like Lay’s does – not even close. I’m so excited for its flavor to reach as many new people as possible, in hopes they become just as much of an Old Bay freak as I am.
…I guess now would be a good time to tell you what the hell it is.
But before that, here’s what it’s not: crab guts and saltwater. I’ve heard some people assume this is a crab-flavored seasoning or something with a fishy component, but it’s definitely not.
What it is, is, a delicious seasoning salt that is both sweet and savory and oh-so-salty in the best way. The label only identifies celery salt, crushed red pepper, black pepper, and paprika – the rest of the ingredients are kept proprietary to safeguard the formula. All I know is it makes you thirsty for shitty light beer, which makes you want to eat more crabs, which enters you into a deadly cycle that makes for an incredible day.
And thankfully, Lay’s did Old Bay® justice with their chips.
One of the better Lay’s chips I’ve had in years, Lay’s Chesapeake Bay Crab Spice chips have everything I love about the seasoning represented. It starts salty above anything, with notable depth from what I suspect is the celery salt and dry mustard. Then comes some bold peppery notes (cayenne in particular) before finishing with a little sweetness too. They share some qualities with BBQ-seasoned chips for those reasons, but make no mistake there’s a lot more complexity present here.
If you’ve had the good fortune to try Herr’s or Utz’ versions, Lay’s stacks up well. I’d take the Herr’s by a small margin because they’re seasoned to Hell – they literally have 2.5x times as much sodium – though that’s a matter of personal preference. Lay’s strikes a better balance between salt & spice, while Utz is the most “potato-y.” All are similarly vague about the recipe.
These words on your computer screen might not do the best job shaping expectations because Old Bay’s exact flavor is so difficult to describe. A copycats’ consensus suggests celery salt, mustard, paprika, various peppers, bay leaves, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, cardamom, and cinnamon are all part of it. You could convince me that every single thing on that list is on these chips, or you could convince me that half of it isn’t.
Old Bay is sorcery, but these chips are wicked good.
Odds I’m Putting Old Bay ® On Something Right Now Rating: 9 out of 10
Flying Dog’s “Dead Rise” Old Bay® Beer Rating: I Puked out of 10
Overall Rating: 8.5 out of 10
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