O'Donnell's Crisps - Tasty and oh so tempting.
I’m a crispoholic. I’ve been looking for bags of O’Donnell’s Authentic Hand Cooked Tipperary Crisps for a while. Easy Food magazine had them pinpointed to Super Valu but no joy in Kilkenny, similarly in Super Quinn. Thankfully though, a chance visit to Spar at the Newpark Centre in Kilkenny produced the crisps at the counter for €0.90 a bag. I may have been tipped that direction by Keith previously but it was enough to put a smile on my face at 8:45 this morning in finding the crisps before I’d even had breakfast. I’m enjoying indulging in them this evening safe in the knowledge that they’re not gluten free because if they were, I wouldn’t stand a chance at home. They’re slightly oily to the texture but they’re a firmer crisp than your average Tayto (as are most hand cooked crisps) and they’re tasty as hell.
What’s more, there’s none of your fancy flavouring. No paprika this or prawn cocktail that, no thai sweet chili or sour cream, just the best of Irish in cheese and onion and salt and vinegar or in this case, Mature Irish Cheese & Red Onion and Irish Cider Vinegar & Sea Salt (dress it up whatever way you like but you’ve got the best Irish crisp flavours right there).
The packaging works well too, presenting itself as a more sophisticated but traditional crisp. Strong red packaging for the cheese and red onion with a deep blue / navy packaging for the cider vinegar & sea salt.
O'Donnell's Crisps (pic via odonnellscrisps.com)
Ed O’Donnell’s signature graces the bag as it is the O’Donnell family, resident at Seskin Farm for over seven generations who are behind the crisps. The farm produces pototoes commercially with the addition of the crisps coming in May of this year.
The crisps, produced locally in Tipperary also use a host of local ingredients and flavours. The cheese is sourced from Mount Callan Farmhouse in Co. Clare with the cheese is made using traditional cheddar methods, maturing for up to twelve months to add what (and it has to be agreed with) is a real full flavour to the bag. The cider vinegar used comes from Con Traas at The Apple Farm in Tipperary.
The bags themselves are 50g bags, 254kcal per serving. They’re fried in 100% sunflower oil, suitable for vegetarians, use no artificial colours or flavours and contain neither MSG or GM ingredients. For more, check out ODonnellsCrisps.com or keep an eye out at your local Super Valu or Spar for a tasty, and Irish, crisp snack.
Unfortunately for me, both bags are gone though they disappeared safely in the knowledge they didn’t have to be shared! Reckon I’ll have to include a third stop on the shopping route at the weekend.
About Ken McGuire
You just reminded me there is a bag of each flavour in the press, bought this evening in the same shop, hopefully herself hasn’t found them yet. Will give you my opinion later.
I had the salt and vinegar this afternoon before the slump hit in, nice afternoon snack. Saved the cheese and onion for an episode of The Walking Dead at half eight, think I prefer the latter. The hand cooked feel is there, putting it somewhere between a Tayto texture and that of the likes of the Kettle crisps or one of those other hand cooked crisps (which would be tough or slightly thicker).
There’s definitely enough in either bag to have me going back to spar for more. If they came in six packs I’d be happy out – or do they?
I see what you mean about the hand cooked taste, I find Kettle crisps too hard or too much of a home made feel. Salt and Vinegar were lovely, the Cheese and Onion mysteriously disappeared so will have to try tomorrow.
God post, got distracted from all the other carry on.
great idea, but jeez there are too many calories in a bag, & it is really hard to eat a 1/2 bag of crisps! Waiting for the lower-fat version
spotted these crisps in post office windmill hill east sussex.
theres no contest…. finest ive had by a long way. thanks.
Hey Mal,
Thanks for the comment. Didn’t know they were with stockists in the UK already.
K
the crisps were lovely !! by far though my favourite is the sea salt & cider vinegar flavour . can you buy boxes of them because there addictive and sometimes hard to find
Hey Keith, they’re a top crisp alright. Not sure about the boxes of them but I’m sure the likes of Mace and Spar have to get in bulk somehow. I’d say give them a buzz on 052 6139016 and see if anything can be arranged.