Snapea Crisps — moorish delights from Trader Joe’s
Thursday, January 25, 2007 18:56
I was offered these tastly little delights at my good friends John and Marianne’s place recently and I just couldn’t get enough of them! Light and crispy, with just the right amount of salt, these slender snacks have a distinctly nutty (legume-y) flavour and are irresistible. There’s a slight greasiness to them, too, but that’s fine. It just makes them even more appealing.
Over all, I am impressed by this snack’s magnificent pea-ness.
I hunted down a couple of bags of Snapea Crisps at my local Trader Joe’s store. They say there’s 3.3 servings per bag, but it’s really more like two at the most. I can certainly see myself devouring a whole 3.3 oz bag in one sitting if I’m not too careful. Actually, consuming a whole packet would give me the same fibre that a single slice of wholewheat bread offers (which is typically only 2 grams).
Snapea Crisps are affordably priced at $1.39.
Here’s the thing — everyone seems to think they’re just dried pea pods that have been magically rendered utterly delicious. I am convinced they are pureed peas mixed with rice, then shaped and baked.
How else would they all be uniform in size?
Has anyone else tried these crunchy morsels? What’s your take on how they’re made?
POST SCRIPTUM
Okay, so I went to their website for some answers (what a concept!)
Here’s what they say about how their product came about:
“…the SnackSalad brand was born in California, U.S.A. In the latter part of the 1990s, the company was started by two Americans and a Japanese who met by chance. When we look back at this encounter, we can see that this was also a meeting between the abundant agricultural products and fundamental techniques of the United States and the ingredient culture and application techniques of Japan.â€?
Also, in California you purportedly can find them at –
Albertson’s; Andronico’s; Bristol Farms; Cost Plus; Gelson’s; Ralph’s; Safeway; Scolaris; Trader Joe’s; Von’s / Pavilions; Whole Foods and Wild Oats stores.
I still reckon they’re fried, not baked, though they’re probably doused in plenty of oil and run through a hot conveyor belt until they puff up.
By MaxMillion (see more of her posts). Max Million is the nom de 'net of Pauline Adamek. Born in Sydney, Australia, Pauline has lived in Los Angeles for the past ten years and finds it agrees with her. She has been reviewing films and filing celebrity-based interview articles since 1991, and has filed stories from various international film festivals, including Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Toronto and Sundance. She is completing a family cookbook and also writes novels for 8-12 year olds.
Sasha says:
January 25th, 2007 at 8:47 pm
Just wanted to add that I have seen them at Asian markets (maybe Mitsuwa, not sure) from a different (Japanese) brand, but tasting pretty much the same. So, perhaps the whole idea is an Asian import?
Evan says:
January 26th, 2007 at 7:39 am
I don’t know how they’re made, but they’re addictive.
Binkley says:
January 26th, 2007 at 8:32 am
I agree that these are great. I too don’t know/care how they are made since they taste so good!
Berna says:
January 26th, 2007 at 10:27 am
I love these too. Given the ingredients and taste, they must be pureed and mixed with rice and then cooked (although I would have guessed fried not baked).
MaxMillion says:
January 26th, 2007 at 11:21 am
Yeah, I tried to work out from the packet where they were made but it only says “distributed by Calbee America Inc in Torrance.” They feel like an asian import.
Also, they say they’re baked on the front of the pack, but they feel fried to me!
kevin says:
January 26th, 2007 at 12:42 pm
Thanks for the tip. These are new to me but I love a reason to hit Trader Joe’s.
Evan says:
January 27th, 2007 at 6:58 pm
“Yeah, I tried to work out from the packet where they were made but it only says “distributed by Calbee America Inc in Torrance.â€? They feel like an asian import.”
I think Calbee distributes some Asian snacks. They make Shrimp Flavored Chips.
esther says:
January 28th, 2007 at 11:00 am
Yup. Calbee makes shrimp chips and various other little fried and baked snacks — I’m going to say they’re fried.
They’re Japanese.
kevin says:
January 29th, 2007 at 11:08 am
Returned from Trader Joe’s.
Opened bag.
Ate bag.
Thanks! :)
Yu Shan says:
January 30th, 2007 at 4:16 pm
It is indeed an asian import. The Calbee brand actualy makes a version that has been around for over 4? years available at your local asian grocer. I’ll take a photo next time and send it to you. the packaging is a bit more loud with a cartoon face on it and lots of drawn in crisps.
Homer says:
February 1st, 2007 at 5:46 pm
Mmmmm…. (drool)… pea-ness!
Ellen says:
February 1st, 2007 at 8:32 pm
The company has a manufacturing plant in Sebastopol, CA which is soon moving to Fairfield,CA
teenage glutster says:
February 1st, 2007 at 11:08 pm
They have a surprising similarity in texture, shape and greasiness with Chesters Hot Fries Cheetos. Can anyone else see this?
Oh, and of course they have to be reconstituted, how else can you have that airy, crispy light uniform interior?
Kevin says:
February 2nd, 2007 at 1:30 pm
I haven’t tried these yet and I must say my experience with pea-ness is pretty limited (do my own peas count?). But Im curious so I’ll see if this pea-ness is all it’s cracked up to be.
NiceMonster says:
February 5th, 2007 at 3:17 pm
I’ve been describing them as a “chlorophyll cheet-o” to my friends, who all then concur and murmur how tasty and impossible to stop eating they are.
mike says:
April 1st, 2007 at 1:45 pm
they are crack in a pod. although i disagree that they’re all uniform size; there are some runts in the package.
Emily Veinglory says:
April 5th, 2007 at 9:27 am
They are defintiely not pea pods. The packaging is, um, a little deceptive on that. But you can tell they are basically the same process as puffed corn snacks. Pea and rice paste extruded into a roughly pea-pod shape.
bob poteet says:
June 10th, 2007 at 5:06 pm
Hi Guys,
I tasted these at a friends a couple of days ago. I found them mediocre in flavor and texture; and too high in fats.
Bob Poteet
MaxMillion says:
June 10th, 2007 at 6:04 pm
^ Thanks, bob p (and everyone else), for your input. I read recently that the best snack food is the puffed type (air + a bit of fat and carbs = satisfaction).
I like to think Snapea Crisps are not as greasy or as fattening as, say, deep fried french fries, but I am probably kidding myself, somewhat.
As an old mate of mine Leo (one of my mentors who guided me towards a more healthy diet) used to say: “You’ve got to keep the junk food antibodies up.”
As I say: “Everything in moderation — including moderation.”
VIVA le snapea crisp!!!!!
David says:
August 17th, 2007 at 5:56 pm
Definetly Baked, Made in Fairfield Ca.
Frank Coluccio says:
October 25th, 2007 at 6:21 pm
My wife and I found them at Whole Foods in Middletown, New Jersey. They are really addicting. It is true that you cannot each one, which seems like a steal from Frito-Lay. However, they are healthier and more satisfying than potato chips. I want to order then by the case, if that were possible. The price is great and the product is super!
crazymom says:
February 2nd, 2008 at 3:07 pm
Amazon sells them by the case. They only have Caesar in stock right now, but do carry original at times. They’re only a couple of cents cheaper than TJs when you buy from Amazon.
MaxMillion says:
February 3rd, 2008 at 7:07 pm
^ Oooh, thanks very much for the tip! Every penny saved certainly helps, these days.
Sarah says:
August 19th, 2008 at 1:24 pm
I’m eating them right now! Earthfare sells them too. SOOOO TASTYYY!!
Allison says:
August 26th, 2008 at 9:06 am
I just found them yesterday at Publix supermarket (in the Green Wise Organic section) here in Florida.
Yum yum.