Raise the roof, it's Passover!
Sometimes youth marketing just doesn't work for the more solemn and holy of religious observances. But what to do if you are a young, hip Jew getting ready to observe Passover? Kosher for Passover laws are like Kosher law on steroids. What does God have against 95% of American snack foods? [Insert the opposite of "mazel tov"]!
Kosher Law dictates the foods and food preparations that are suitable for observant Jews to consume. During the week of Passover, however, these laws get extremely specific.
Passover serves as a reminder of the ancient Jew's flight from Egypt and slavery. Essentially, because the ancient Jews fled in such a hurry - so fast, in fact, that they didn't even have time to let their bread rise - observant Jews of today shun all forms of leavening and fermentation to relive those troubled times. Leavened and fermented products are also fairly luxurious things to indulge in while reflecting on the defining strife of one's ancestors. How easy would it be to identify with the starvation of thousands while chowing-down on a meal of chocolate cake and single malt scotch?
What does this have to do with potato chips? Corn is on the list of “Kitniyos”. These grains are similar to wheat and have the potential to naturally rise during the cooking process and should be avoided during Passover. Guess what most potato chips are fried in? That's right; corn oil or corn oil blends!
Enter Frito Lay's Kosher for Passover Salted Potato Chips(tm)! Or as I introduced them to my cubicle neighbors "Jew chips". (How's that for burying the lead ten feet deep?)
Today, I stumbled across the Kosher for Passover aisle at my local grocery. I was amused to find these Israeli-imported Lay's chips nestled among the matzoh and Passover wine. Hunger struck and curiosity won the day. $2.99 later, I walked out of the grocery with a rabbinically-blessed, six ounce bag of plain potato chips.
Except for the higher unit price, there's not a whole lot of flavor difference between Kosher for Passover Lay's chips and regular Lay's chips. They taste a little lighter and are slightly less greasy. They also seem slightly less salty. I should also note three distinctions. First, these chips are fried in palm oil instead of corn oil. Secondly, they manage to pack in twenty more calories per serving (170 vs. 150). Lastly, these were manufactured in Israel. That's not such a win for the local food movement as they have been shipped half way around the globe. But, I would imagine that this Israeli factory makes these chips all year long and we import them domestically out of convenience.
So there you have it. Jew chips! What better way to ease into the appreciation of a new culture than to start with the twin of a product that you already enjoy? Besides, in a week, all these products will be slash-priced to move and ready to hop into trendy Gentile's carts from coast to coast.
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