OT: Pennsylvania's Potato Chip Culture....

[step.eng69]

Love it Step! I betcha that Yoohoo probably came out of a machine that looked something like.....

Ya know Dave, I honestly don't remember. Early 60's, 56 years ago when I had an evening paper route. I don't remember the corner stores having soda machines. I believe they had soda fridges (similar to the bottom photo) that opened from the top, reached in an selected a drink. In the summer, the paper boys would gather at the tiny store and treat themselves while waiting for the truck to deliver the paper bundles.

 

[Nitwit]

There is a pretzel company in England called Penn State Pretzels. Had a friend text me a picture last year while over there. Looked it up and found the following:

Puzzled Penn Staters have seen pretzels adorned with their favorite university’s name in stores across the United Kingdom and even as snacks on transatlantic flights. We might be known for football and ice cream in Happy Valley, but I’ve never heard of our school being known for salted, knotted snacks. So why the Penn State name for these tasty little treats?

According to the Penn State Pretzels brand’s website, the company is widely known in the UK and was the first to bring an authentic “American-style” pretzel to the region back in 1996. When Union Snacks decided to start making pretzels for its UK customers, Pennsylvania was the only place to go. The state was a popular settling spot for many Pilgrims who brought the pretzel recipe with them from Europe, and the first pretzel bakery was opened in the state soon after settlement. As we all know, pretzels are a favorite all across the country, but the Penn State Snacks website says that Pennsylvania eats 12 times more pretzels than any other state.

According to customer service, the Penn State name was created when the owners of Union Snacks — then the pretzel brand’s parent company — went to buy their first pretzel extruder from Reading Bakeries and came up with the idea…from the name of the state, not the school. So, sadly, these pretzels have no relation to Dear Old State. The company says it has never had any contact with the university.

While we haven’t managed to get our hands on the pretzels just yet, they come in a promising range of flavors, including Original Sea Salted, Smoky BBQ, Sour Cream & Chive (so British), and Honey & Mustard. Penn State Snacks also sells limited edition pretzel flavors like Maple Bacon and a variety of other snack products like corn chips.

Judging from its website, Penn State Snacks is feeling pretty good about itself these days, boasting their product as “the best pretzels on the market.” Want to nibble on the famed snacks yourself? The official Penn State Snacks website is currently undergoing a redesign, but previous versions had an online store to purchase them. In the meantime, an online food store is still selling the Penn State brand.

I bought these in a sandwich shop in London, UK one time. After seeing the name, I just had to get them.

 

[Air Force 1]

Don't forget

Man I loved those BBQ chips when I was younger. Haven't had them in over 30 years.

 

[step.eng69]

I don't disagree with you at all. I've never been a fan of any Wise chip--cheese doodles, yes. Chips? No.

Whoever owns the company now is doing a really good job with things and they've been hiring like crazy over the past several years. Distribution is getting wider too--during my Maine trip this year I stopped off at a mom & pop gas station in the middle of nowhere. To my amazement, Wise chips were front & center in the snack aisle.

I still long for the Wise original BBQ seasoning flavor, but of course it is another past memory that won't be duplicated.

 

[BBrown]

Used to live in smelling distance of Herr's in Nottingham, enjoyed the cheese puffs often.
I'm a long time Snyder's of Berlin, same name as mine and grew up on them. Still would love to have several bags of them, maybe as we travel to see the grandchildren we can make a pit stop in Somerset on the Pa Tpk., dreaming.....

Turkey Hill, right off the exchange, has a pretty decent selection.
But I'd wait until April. This is not a good time of the year to be traveling that section of the PA Pike.

 

[step.eng69]

Branching out is something we do well on this board. You'll come to notice not everyone has the same sense of direction though.

Ficken Funny

 

[Air Force 1]

My son's wife is from an Ohio Potato chip family, her Grandfather owns Jones potato chips.

 

[4INSBU]

Middleswarth BBQ.... And it's not even close.

Agreed. Can't get in suburbs of Philly, and it's probably better for my waist line.

 

[psuro]

This thread is not helping me with my New Year's resolutions.

 

[step.eng69]

Middleswarth, but I prefer the plain. Just like it better.
Gibbles would be second. Not a close second, but second nonetheless.
When I was very young, we lived near Berwick and would go past the Wise potato chip factory to go to Stuccio's Pizza.
It all started then.

Unfortunately the snack food didn’t end for me. 5-11, 255..not good.
The 255 isn’t what I press like Gunsie, it’s my weight.

 

[psuro]

Unfortunately the snack food didn’t end for me. 5-11, 255..not good.
The 255 isn’t what I press like Gunsie, it’s my weight.

6'2" about 275#. I am a pretty big guy, so I think I can hold my weight pretty well. Or at least, that is what I try to convince myself.

 

[rudedude]

Soybean shortening in Middleswarth chips does agree with my stomach. Don’t really care
for them. I like Zapp’s or Kettle Brand Chips. The Kettle Maple Bacon are the bomb, but all chips are on severe limitation for me!

 

[Phil's Rug]

 

[mrtailgate]

I still long for the Wise original BBQ seasoning flavor, but of course it is another past memory that won't be duplicated.

Interesting point. A lot of the people at the one Wise plant have a high claim history for medical issues. Not sure if it's consumption or airborne, but kind of scary. I knew someone who did work for the company. For $5, they could fill a big bag with whatever they wanted.

 

[Mace54]

As a nostalgic move, I did order the Charles Chips online a few months ago. I ordered the tins which were about $25 which is a bit chippy if you ask me; but, what the hell. Still had that old Charley Chip flavor, but the tins were definitely smaller than I remember as a kid. You could order a refill for your tins which is a little less.

 

[Nitwit97]

If you can get them, try Dieffenbach’s. I think they are either Lancaster or Reading based, not sure which. Awesome chips. I love reading the ingredients to my wife: potatoes, lard, salt.

 

[PrtLng Lion]

I love Dieffenbach's chips (cooked in lard).

 

[ILLINOISLION]

Unfortunately the snack food didn’t end for me. 5-11, 255..not good.
The 255 isn’t what I press like Gunsie, it’s my weight.

Perspective!

I’ve always claimed I’m not overweight, I’m undertall.

I go about 6’3” / 250 lbs.....my -ex used to say I weigh an 1/8 th of a ton.

Perspective!

 

[step.eng69]

6'2" about 275#. I am a pretty big guy, so I think I can hold my weight pretty well. Or at least, that is what I try to convince myself.

My problem is that I'm growing horizontally.

 

[BOSCO2]

If you can get them, try Dieffenbach’s. I think they are either Lancaster or Reading based, not sure which. Awesome chips. I love reading the ingredients to my wife: potatoes, lard, salt.

Great chips. Not sure why they no longer make the rippled ones. I'll put a plug in for Martin's, too.

 

[83wuzme]

5’9”, 160.
I’m not sure I belong in this thread anymore ...

 

[lj4heisman1]

Dieffenbachers

 

[kgilbert78]

I still long for the Wise original BBQ seasoning flavor, but of course it is another past memory that won't be duplicated.

The flavor of my youth that I miss is Frank's Black Cherry Wishniak.

 

[PSU_Chicago]

I did a plant tour at Nibbles with Gibbles about 30 years ago. They went out of business I believe. Guy started his Co when he was a kid, making chips in his mom’s kitchen and selling them at fairs, church events, .... had a really nice small business but struggled when Fritos and other nationals entered the PA market

 

[ForesterGump]

Diffenbach's. Made in Womelsdorf.

 

[john4psu]

Middleswarth are my son's favorite chip. Anyone know if they sell them in western PA?

 

[AlienWedge]

Unfortunately the snack food didn’t end for me. 5-11, 255..not good.
The 255 isn’t what I press like Gunsie, it’s my weight.

Step - just tell em you're just big boned!

 

[Gnat91]

Middleswarth are my son's favorite chip. Anyone know if they sell them in western PA?

You can buy them off their website..... that's how I do it. But if you buy, buy a bunch..the shipping stays the same and it's pretty expensive for shipping potato chips.

 

[doublehaul]

Not a huge potato chip fan, but Wise Honey Barbeque Chips are great with a sub or sloppy joes.

 

[Phil's Rug]

Don't forget

Back in the day we use to take those barrels of middlesworth on a plane ride. Had a cousin who moved to Fl, her and her husband loved those damn chips. So anytime one of us would go down to visit we would grab some middlesworth and drag them along with some other Pa specitalies that couldn't be found in Fl.

 

[WTNuke]

All of this Middleswarth love is making me gag.

 

[psuro]

My problem is that I'm growing horizonyally.

That's a waist.

 

[psuro]

5’9”, 160.
I’m not sure I belong in this thread anymore ...

We need a kicker. You might fit the bill.

 

[core6371]

Sort of ties into the convenience store thread (which is mentioned in this article - Sheetz and Wawa in particular) but eating lunch at my desk after hitting up the very excellent Taylor Gourmet hoagie shop near my work in DC (founded by two guys from Philly) I noticed they serve Herr's potato chips. I then sort of thought, 'Hm - how does one state have so many damn potato chip companies? Utz, Herr's, Wise, Snyders' of Berlin, Snyder's of Hanover....? As a kid, one of the best things about coming home to visit was that my grandmother would always have a huge bag of Snyder's of Berlin potato chips in the 'snack' closet and I loved them because I typically couldn't get them where my dad was stationed (Hawaii, Japan, North Carolina, South Carolina...).

Turns out there are a few reasons/theories for this potato chip haven in the Keystone State - some related to the convenience store culture, Pennsylvania Dutch, and Pennsylvanians appetite for snack foods. Pretty good read.....

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/pennsylvania-potato-chip-snacks

Utz was featured in an episode of Mad Men too.

Don’t forget diffenbachs

 

[PSU Dave]

Ya know Dave, I honestly don't remember. Early 60's, 56 years ago when I had an evening paper route. I don't remember the corner stores having soda machines. I believe they had soda fridges (similar to the bottom photo) that opened from the top, reached in an selected a drink. In the summer, the paper boys would gather at the tiny store and treat themselves while waiting for the truck to deliver the paper bundles.

Oh yeah Step forgot about those reach in refrigerators. All cool stuff back in the simpler days.

 

[PSU Dave]

Unfortunately the snack food didn’t end for me. 5-11, 255..not good.
The 255 isn’t what I press like Gunsie, it’s my weight.

That’s alright Step. Wifey tells everyone she married a show horse that turned into a plow horse.

 

[TheBumble]

I did a plant tour at Nibbles with Gibbles about 30 years ago. They went out of business I believe. Guy started his Co when he was a kid, making chips in his mom’s kitchen and selling them at fairs, church events, .... had a really nice small business but struggled when Fritos and other nationals entered the PA market

The same folks that make Martins potato rolls also made Gibbles chips. They sold Gibbles and the new owners stopped production for a time.

 

[step.eng69]

Perspective!

I’ve always claimed I’m not overweight, I’m undertall.

I go about 6’3” / 250 lbs.....my -ex used to say I weigh an 1/8 th of a ton.

Perspective!

250 x 8 =
2,000 lbs, sounds about right ILLIN..

 

[step.eng69]

5’9”, 160.
I’m not sure I belong in this thread anymore ...

Show off...
Eat more chips..

 

[step.eng69]

The flavor of my youth that I miss is Frank's Black Cherry Wishniak.

Ya got me kgilbert, is this a flavor that originates in this houses of "Ill reput"?
OR... It could be the flavor of Franks soda's flavor legends. I have Franks sodas when Kar and I visit Pizza Perfect in the Back Mountain. One of these days, Howie' s (notable sibling) father and I will arrange a pizza & beer get together.