The next time you reach for a bag of potato chips, think about this: It may reveal more about you than you ever knew.
Skout, a global social media app, recently conducted a national survey to see what peoples' favorite potato chip flavor says about them. For starters, 96 percent of those surveyed said they like potato chips. From there, they were asked several questions. Here are a few discoveries:
Anne Braly* Lime/citrus chip lovers have the most friends - 42 percent of those have five or more close friends.
* Hot and spicy in the bag equals a hot and spicy lifestyle - 47 percent of those who snack on jalapeno, Cajun and other spicy varieties say they are more adventurous.
* Fourteen percent of those who prefer low or no-salt chips hit the gym more frequently. No big surprise there.
* Least likely to exercise at all are people who prefer plain chips (28 percent) and cheddar chips (26 percent).
* When asked which late-night comedian they would most want to share a bag of chips with, Jimmy Fallon got the most votes at 39 percent, followed by Jimmy Kimmel (22 percent), Stephen Colbert (12 percent), Seth Meyers (11 percent), Trevor Noah (7 percent); the remaining 5 percent split between John Oliver and James Corden.
Hmmm. Interesting survey, but it says nothing about those who make their own chips. Perhaps more inclined toward tedious chores? That's the category into which I fall. Wish it were the hot and spicy one.
As most of us potato chips lovers are aware, chips go beyond snacking, adding the perfect crunch to so many good things, even turning a PBJ into a sweet-salty-crunchy lunch. And most all of us have added them to tuna casseroles and cookies. But have you ever made a chocolate tart with a potato-chip crust? It's so good, it may even add a little spice to your life - thanks to a touch of cayenne - without having to reach inside a bag of jalapeno chips.
Potato Chip Chocolate Tart
Crust:
1 (8.5-ounce) bag Kettle Chips, sea salt flavor
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup all purpose flour
Filling:
1/4 cups heavy cream
10 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Chocolate ganache:
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips
1 cup heavy cream
For the crust, heat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, pulse the potato chips until they are finely ground. Add the melted butter and flour and pulse for 30 seconds to combine. Press the potato chip crust into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch tart pan. Transfer to the heated oven and bake for 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
For the filling, combine the cream and chocolate chips in a medium pot over medium heat and warm the cream until the chocolate starts to melt; whisk together until completely smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, salt and cayenne; continue to whisk until smooth over medium heat. Once smooth, remove the pot from the heat and pour the filling mixture into the cooled tart shell. Return to oven and bake for 22-25 minutes. Remove it from the oven and let cool for 30 minutes.
For the chocolate ganache topping, heat the cream in a small saucepan and add the chocolate. Whisk together over medium heat until the mixture is smooth and all the chocolate has melted. Pour the ganache over the middle of the chocolate tart and use a spatula to spread it around evenly. Let the tart chill for 8 hours or overnight in the refrigerator. Dust with flaky sea salt before serving.
RESTAURANT NEWS
Main Street Meats, one of the Southside's favorite eateries, is now open on Sundays and serving both lunch and dinner. Chef Erik Niel and head butcher Parker Hudson say they're happy to have the restaurant and butcher shop open seven days a week. I've not yet eaten there, but I hear the ribeye on Main Street's menu is amazing. Hours for lunch on Sunday are 11 a.m.-4 p.m., and dinner happens from 5-10 p.m. The restaurant is located at 217 East Main St.
Contact Anne Braly at abraly@timesfreepress.com.