I remember my first real experience with plantains. Though I had definitely eaten them before, it was really just in passing, never having paid attention to them as a meal centerpiece. But then everything changed. My love of all things plantain began with a Haitian chef name Jean-Pierre. JP, as we all called him, was the staff cafeteria chef at the Mandarin Oriental in New York. JP was in charge of feeding the many staff members that made the hotel function… and that meant a ton of cooking! JP’s menu would change daily with the ingredients he was provided, but one thing remained the same; there was always the option of plantains and rice. It took some odd looking fish to drive me to them, but once I did I was hooked. Juicy, friend plantains, sweet and spicy against that starchy rice backdrop.. a truly perfect side.
So, with JP’s plantains and a childhood love of banana chips under my belt, I was truly excited when I was first introduced to Grab ‘Em Snacks plantain chip selection. If you’re still new to the plantain experience, there is nothing like freshly prepared ones, but hey, this is also a good place to wet your beak. Just the sound of the flavors tickled my tongue; Sea Salt Goodness, Fire-Me-Up Red Chili, Perfectly Peppered Black Pepper, Chili Garlicious, Ragin’ Cajun, Jalapeño Heat, and Cinful Cinnamon… where to begin?
For me, Cinful Cinnamon was my starting point, and after a few laps around the track, ther are also my ending point. Though I enjoyed the interesting savory variations, sweet is the way I realize I like my plantains and cinnamon does the trick.
There a better food (for you) than potato chips or other deep fried, cheese-covered snacks. They actually have vitamins and minerals.. and they’re great smashed up over vanilla ice cream (try that with your cheetos!).
Grab Em Snack’s story goes back to their founder’s childhood spent growing up in India and Malaysia where plantains are as common as potato chips are in the United States. With the introduction of plantain chips, Grab Em Snacks makes a targeted dash into the ever-crowded gourmet snack food market, and I wish them the best of luck. Unfortunately, the average American consumer does not yet know much about this snack , so here is a bit for you.. it happens to be healthy. Check em out, heck… Grab ‘Em.
-bryan
Leave A Comment