The magic of Chicago popcorn

America has mostly got the whole flavour combination thing right, with a couple of notable exemptions. First of all, what's the beef with vinegar? Asking for vinegar to go on my chips* is like asking to take a shit on the bar. I am met with confusion and then horror. And I presume this is why Salad Cream** isn't a thing here too. Ketchup/Catsup or whatever the hell you call tomato jam is available in abundance (I, unlike the lad, am not a fan of ketchup), but I am denied the vinegar-y tastiness of the yellow ambrosia. 

That said, I don't like vinegar with everything - American pickles are CLEARLY superior. vinegar, salt water and, I think, sugar - thats a shit ton better than just vinegar. The same goes for beetroot - urgh - why does my delicious, sweet beet taste like off wine? Hmm? 

With that in mind, let me fuck with your tastebuds a little more. Salt & sweet - salted pretzels covered in chocolate, salted caramel ice cream, chic chip cookies with sea salt on top. Some Brits are down for this, and if you're prepared to give it a go, you won't be disappointed. Just note that if you're going to do S'mores with salted crackers ditch the Hershey's and go for Cadbury's. Shit, go for Nestle if you want, or dog turd - its all better than Hershey's.

www.tumblr.com

Hold on to your hats, people, and follow me down the rabbit hole as we explore the realms of sweet and...cheese-y.

We're not in Kansas anymore, Toto, we're in Chicago. I first tried the cheesy caramel popcorn megamix in Singapore and lived off it for 2 days (while I sat in my hotel room with the curtains closed dealing with jet lag), but I have since been informed that its actually a Chicago thing, which gives me a good reason to visit Chicago - these people have clearly got their shit together. 

www.gifbay.com

These are CHIPS. Oh hell yeah.
Cover that shit in vinegar then salt so
that it sticks to the soggy potato.

* Not fries - theres a fucking difference. Chips are fat and soggy and designed for soaking up vinegar or curry sauce. Fries are thin and crunchy and can have seasoning on.

**To my American chums - Remember, Salad Cream is not our version of Ranch dressing - its not just for putting on Salads. Its a delicious alternative to ketchup, can be used to make egg mayonnaise or tuna mayonnaise taste uh-mazing, and is fundamental in making thousand island sauce. All of these things make it waaaaay superior to ketchup. I appreciate I'm in the minority, even in the UK, but I hope that the more I harp on about it the more people will join the revolution!

These are fries. They are also good,
but different.  And if there's one thing
Sesame Street taught us its that things
can be equally as good even if they are
different. These are from somewhere
called Chilantro BBQ.

And I can't even deal with how yummy
these fries look, from Hideaway Lounge
in Cali.

These Arby's curly fries are also good.