Joseph Banks Cassava Root Chips are an exotic and relatively healthy snack. Most important – they’re delicious!
In the interest of full disclosure, I’ll tell you straight out, these chips are sold by my friend’s company. Also, I’m eating them right now and I’m going to have a hard time keeping myself from polishing them off before I’m done with this article – so it’s a race against the clock. Finally, I must reveal that my husband is going to be very annoyed with me for finishing our supply. He’s been begging me to let him have more, but I kept telling him to wait till I was done writing about them, since I needed samples for the post!
These chips are made from the cassava root (which is also known as yucca).
Cassava was first made known to Europeans by Sir Joseph Bank. He was a Victorian botanist who sailed the south seas in 1768 with Captain Cook. On the voyage he discovered a rich abundance of exotic plants, and the cassava root.
Tapioca also comes from cassava. You may have seen this root in the store. (Note to cooks: cassava cannot be eaten raw. Raw cassava is toxic.)
Cassava is eaten all over the world.
The variety of cassava used to make the Joseph Banks chips is grown on the fertile volcanic highlands of Java in Indonesia.
We sampled each of the 4 flavors the chips come in. The chip itself is basically like a lighter, less greasy potato chip. I’ll try to describe what each flavor tastes like.
Original Sea Salt Flavor – These taste somewhat like normal chips – though they’re seasoned with a very light spice flavor. These were my daughter’s favorite.
Roasted Tomato – A light tomato-like flavor.
Cracked Pepper – These have a light peppery flavor with a slight sweet hint. These are my favorite.
Chilli and Kaffir Lime – These chips have a light tomato taste and are a little spicy hot (too much so for my 7 year old daughter). These are my husband’s favorites – he loves spicy food!
Joseph Banks Cassava Root Chips are all lactose free, gluten free and contain no trans fats.
You can buy these chips at specialty stores like Food Emporium & D’Agostinos.
Now that the sampling is done, and almost all the chips are gone, I’d better go out to the store and buy more of these for my husband – or there will be a fight tonight! He loves them!
Enjoy!
-Mama Lisa
This article was posted on Friday, March 6th, 2009 at 4:16 pm and is filed under Appetizers, Countries & Cultures, Indonesia, Recipes of the World, USA. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
March 7th, 2009 at 10:34 am
Lisa,
I absolutely loved this blog. You hit all the sweet spots of the brand and product. If its OK, I want to share this.
Tell Jason I’ll drop off bags of the chips when I get back from Anaheim, CA.
Thanks again,
Chris
March 7th, 2009 at 11:30 am
Hi Chris,
You’re welcome to share this post. Jason will be thrilled about the chips… me too!
Have a great trip!
Lisa
March 7th, 2009 at 1:53 pm
Hi Lisa,
We’re not yet in Wholefoods Stores, but are in Food Imporium D’Agostinos. Would you mind taking out Wholefoods.
The reaction has been very positive from everyone.Thanks again. More chips are on the way. Best regards, Chris
April 23rd, 2009 at 3:11 pm
Hi,
I have just read that New Zealand have recommended the public not to consume more than 100 g a day of these type of chips as they make a natural cyanide in the digestive tract ….although nobody hase been ill with them …this was the outcome of Food testing that is compulsary in New Zealand….what say you ??
Lorna
December 12th, 2009 at 12:48 pm
Hi Lisa,
I am wondering if you know if there is any way I can order this product online? I live in Italy and am pretty sure I won’t find them here. :(
Kind regards,
Emma
December 14th, 2009 at 4:36 pm
Same here. Those sound really good. Is there a way to order them online? Thanks!
February 2nd, 2010 at 2:49 pm
Hi Rena and Emma,
Joseph Banks Cassava Chips are available on-line at http://WWW.MYBRANDS.com – search for Joseph Banks or Cassava Chips. Not sure if MY BRANDS would ship to Italy, but certainly anywhere in the US. As far as I’m aware they are not available in Europe yet.
Enjoy and thanks,
Chris
May 6th, 2011 at 8:59 pm
I purchased the casava chips at bulk barn in hamilton ontario canada- yummy!!
February 6th, 2012 at 8:05 pm
Can you slice csasava like potato chips…really thin and bake and get a nice crisp flavored chip or is the csasava tuber to meaty and stringy for that…and why do you have to boil and soften it? Would you have to if you wanted to make a nice flavored like potato chip?Just an interested foodie experimenting!Penny Gillander-DameP.O. Box 312Colchester, VT 05446