My Dad Invented Those Chips

I was over at the folks the other night and we were having sandwiches (or sangwiches, as one might say). My dad had picked up some chips to accompany said sandwiches and I balked at the Salt and Vinegar chips selected. My mom kind of looked at me funny, essentially meaning, don't badmouth the chips. She said, "Your Dad made those." But the ones my dad in hand were Lay's chips, the once-upon-a-time arch rival of my dad's former company, Nalley's. He certainly could not have made these ones. My dad didn't make Lay's chips. Then Mom clarified, "Your dad made salt & vinegar chips. The first ones were made in my kitchen."

How did I not know this detail? My dad was part of the invention of Tang, THE orange astronaut drink. This I knew. Maxim Coffee--the first freeze-dried kind-- Yikes! but I know about it. Tang Mayonnaise, a precursor to Best Foods, as I understand-- I am familiar. But somehow I never knew my dad came up with the idea and recipe for the first salt and vinegar chips, known as Piccadilly Chips. My parents had just moved back to the states from Canada. When my family would go out to dinner in Canada there was malt vinegar on tables next to ketchup. Apparently that wasn't a thing yet on American restaurant tables yet. My dad loved this clever Brit import and translated into potato chips. He created the recipe in my family's kitchen with my pregnant mom standing by. She had to have either loved or hated that smell. I am sure it brings back memories to this day.

As it turns out, my dad says you can't patent a flavor. So, once it was out there, it was up for grabs and many other companies followed suit. But all thanks to my dad. Cool, right?! My dad is very smart.

The weird part of the story has to be that my dad said that there is one place in the United States where you send recipes so they can "create" the flavor for mass production in a lab. That kind of creeps me out. He talked about this mysterious place like it was common knowledge.

With my new found respect for Salt & Vinegar chips, I shall never turn my nose up at them again. I might even start to enjoy them on occasion. It's a new taste to acquire. Thanks, Dad.