French Fry Diary 457: Herr's Onion Rings

Every once in a while I need a break from French fries, potato chips, and even onion rings, so I try something different - onion ring flavored snacks. I've done a few of these, finding the 7-Eleven Select brand the best of the bunch. Recently I picked up a package of the Herr's variety at my local Wawa - Herr's Onion Rings.

Like most onion flavored snacks, these aren't really onion rings at all but corn meal covered in onion powder. Some have a bit more kick, but the Herr's rings are -just- that, some salt, and a whole lotta multisyllable chemicals.

The onion flavored corn meal rings aren't bad, but they aren't that great either. They are a little grainy, and could not only use more of a kick, they could use more flavor as well. As a rule, I am usually pretty pleased with Herr's products, but this is an exception.

Herr's Onion Rings are all right in a pinch, or an impulse buy, but if I want an onion flavored snack, I'm going to 7-Eleven.

French Fry Diary 222: Andy Capp's BBQ Fries

I have disliked these things for a long time. First of all, they're not even really fries, but a corn and potato snack similar to a cheese pug with neither the cheese nor the puff.

Originally created by Reg Smythe, Andy Capp was a bit of a misogynist, if still amusing, comic set in the north of London, and it ran for decades. In the early seventies the character became the spokestoon for Andy Capp's Fries. They came in many varieties, including the newly returned BBQ flavor.

The 'fries,' and I use the term loosely, are covered in a strong smokey barbecue dusting, but other than that they are very unflavorful. The cornmeal and processed potato score high on the bland meter. They truly lack even the you-can't-eat-just-one concept that even the worst potato chips have. These are really bad.

French Fry Diary 184: Burger King Onion Rings Flavored Snacks

I saw these at Five Below and couldn't resist. Burger King makes semi-decent onion rings so I figured I'd give them a try. At first glance, these are Burger King onion rings, but not quite. Let's be specific. These are onion rings flavored snacks, made from corn meal and formed to look sort of like Burger King onion rings.

The taste is, well, interesting. Everyone who tried them had the same sort of reaction. A few bites and then a look came over their face, and then they didn't have or want any more. It was similar to when someone eats one of the less appetizing flavors of Jelly Belly. Yum, um, ew.

Well, at least they are zero percent transfat, but then again, so are rocks. They have a blandish flavor with an extra mild kick to them, but they are nothing like real Burger King onion rings. Five Below also had snack varieties of BK's French Fries and Ketchup, and also their French Toast Sticks, but I don't think I'll be running to the store to get them any time soon.