The Unexpected Flavor & The Story of the Rainbow Potato Chips
When George Crum invented the Saratoga chip in 1853, he used table stock potatoes, the only potato that was available at the time. These potatoes were often high in sugar and were cooked in batches of 25 to 100 pounds in kettles with a direct fire under them. The result was often dark chips with a sweet “burnt” taste due to the caramelizing of the sugars that occurs during frying.
Today, the Rainbow Chip is the exception. Through the years, farmers, university agricultural departments, and private breeders worked to reduce potato sugar content and develop new varieties for potato chips. Manufacturers also developed larger continuous fryers with the oil heated in special furnaces and piped into the new fryers instead of direct fire. The new potato varieties along with larger continuous fryers resulted in a light-colored chip that many enjoy today. The dark chip became the exception and was usually removed or “picked out” from the process.
Many consumers, however, missed the dark chips and would often ask for the “burnt” chips. Better Made would collect these dark chips and package them separately as “Rainbow”. Supply was always very limited and the company was unable to meet the demand for these dark chips.
Rainbows are a result of potatoes that did not ‘condition’ during the winter storage period from November through April and were unavailable during the ‘fresh’ harvest, May to October. For years Better Made worked with potato breeders and farmers to produce a chip variety potato that would have the ability to yield a “rainbow” flavored chip in commercial quantities.
After years of trial, we are proud to bring you our Old Fashioned “Rainbow” potato chip for those customers who enjoy the traditional flavor of the old-fashioned crispy potato chip.
The Trifecta: Football, Chips and Dip
Even though our Rainbow chips can be enjoyed as a standalone snack, a homemade dip is a great way to beef up your Sundays. What better way to enjoy a Sunday than with our Old Fashioned Better Made Rainbow Potato Chips while watching your favorite Football team “Bite Some Knee Caps” For the occasion, we suggest the Better MadeSour Cream & Onion Dip paired with our Rainbow Potato Chips.
Better Made’s Li “Onion” Dip
Ingredients:
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise (Hellmans Mayounnaise)
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped (you can also use dried chives)
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika (optional, for extra flavor)
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil (for sautéing the onions)
Instructions:
- Sauté the Onions: Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add the chopped onions and sauté them until they become soft and translucent about 5-7 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent burning. Once the onions are done, remove them from the heat and let them cool.
- Prepare the Dip Base: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the sour cream and mayonnaise. Mix them together until smooth and well combined.
- Add the Flavor: To the sour cream and mayonnaise mixture, add the minced garlic, chopped chives, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and paprika (if using). Stir well to evenly distribute the flavors.
- Add the Sautéed Onions: Once the sautéed onions have cooled down, add them to the dip mixture. Stir the onions into the dip until they are evenly distributed.
- Chill and Serve: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate the dip for at least 1 hour before serving. This chilling time allows the flavors to meld together and develop.
- Serve: When you’re ready to serve, transfer the dip to a serving bowl. Garnish with some additional chopped chives if desired.
Sit back, watch some football, and enjoy the Sunday roars with this delicious Sour Cream and Onion Dip next time you put on Sunday Night Football.