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If you're anything like me – someone who patronises the snacks aisle at the supermarket frequently enough – you may have noticed a new potato chip hit the shelves.
Well, to be more specific, select supermarkets in Singapore are now stocked with a never-before-seen potato chip flavour.
And a rather controversial one, as you either strongly hate or love it.
There's no in between.
Potato chips, but make it coriander
Introducing the Meadows coriander potato chips, which is retailing at S$1 for a 60g bag.
For as much flak as the garnish has drawn, I was surprised to learn that most of the coriander potato chips have been snapped up from the Cold Storage outlet I visited.
They were down to their last remaining carton of 12, which a cashier kindly opened up for me, and I gleefully purchased two packs to bring to the office for a taste test.
If I suffer, they suffer with me, am I right?
Thank you, nice cashier lady.
Not a coriander fan
Before we go further, I feel it necessary that I declare which side of the fence I am on: I am not a coriander fan.
While I don't care for the herb, I am also lucky enough to lack the gene that results in it to taste soapy.
This means that I don't like the herb just because (no offence, coriander fans) and perhaps explains my immediate confusion when I popped open a bag of the Meadows coriander potato chips.
Smelled more sweet than savoury
The chips were speckled with small green flakes that are presumably dehydrated pieces of coriander, as per the image on the packaging.
Based on first impressions alone, I would say the Meadows coriander potato chips are off to a great start.
However, the faint aroma wafting out of the bag smelled nothing like coriander.
In fact, the chips barely smelled like anything.
This is strange considering that the truffle flavoured potato chips from the same brand is rather pungent (in a good way).
Confused, I took several deep inhales, and was surprised that the chips smelled more sweet than savoury, bearing a scent that strangely reminded me of the multi-coloured fruit loops cereal.
To make sure that there wasn't something wrong with my nose, I passed the bag around a few of my colleagues.
Only a small minority said they can pick up the scent of coriander, albeit barely, to the extent that even the most vehement of coriander haters were not repulsed by the smell of the chips.
However, most of my colleagues were in agreement that the aroma of chips leaned towards the sweeter side.
Chips are lightly seasoned
When it came to taste, Meadows' coriander potato chips was as polarising as the actual herb.
Around half of my colleagues said they picked up slight hints of coriander, with one unfortunate, but gung ho colleague with the coriander soap gene remarking that the chips tasted like soap.
The remainder of my colleagues thought otherwise.
However, all of us agreed on one thing – that the potato chips lacked a strong, distinct taste.
Like before, the taste of the chips was as faint as their smell, and the colleagues who had a distaste for coriander appeared to be able to stomach the chips.
Perhaps Meadows pulled back on the seasoning this time around, thus making their coriander chips good for those who are slightly more health conscious.
To me, the chips faintly tasted like a combination of sweet buttermilk and green onion, and like before was more sweet rather than salty.
This perhaps explains why one of my colleagues said the chips reminded him of sour cream and onion chips.
Overall: 2.5/5
On the whole, I would rate Meadows' coriander potato chips a 2.5/5.
I think the rating is rather fitting, considering my colleagues' split reactions, the divisive nature of the herb and the neither here nor there seasoning on the chips.
Die hard coriander fans may want to give this flavour a miss, and consider other flavours from Meadows extensive potato chip range instead.
On the other hand, those who hate coriander can consider picking up a bag of Meadows' coriander potato from 7-Eleven convenience stores, or Cold Storage and Giant supermarkets.
However, I would suggest having a dip, like guacamole and salsa on hand, just in case Meadows decides to change the recipe and up the seasoning.
Other coriander things
All images by Fiona Tan