Sometimes you learn something that turns your world upside down, makes you realize what a parochial, sheltered worldview you really have. That happened to me this morning, when I read that..(gasp) Frito-Lay is the only national distributor of potato chips and unbelievable as it sounds, Wise is only available on the east coast and in Texas. Frito-Lay was started in 1961, and is therefore a newcomer to the field as far as I'm concerned. Is this true??? Bumper? If so, in the fifties, when potato chips could be consumed with no regard to fat or calories, what were kids eating in the heartland and on the west coast???? When I was a kid, Wise=potato chips. Nothing else came close and when Lays entered the market place, they weren't considered "real" potato chips here. Now I find that's not a universal or even national thing. I feel a swoon coming on...

i had to go look into this, pat since we've been eating lay's potato chips around here for as long as i can remember. according to their website www.fritolay.com the company was founded in 1932. maybe they just made it to long island in 61?

I don't know. This is what it said in today's paper. Of course I read it early, but if they don't have their facts right, they should be boiled in oil and lightly salted!

OK, my bad. It's been Frito-Lay since a 1961 merger. Lay's have indeed been making potato chips since 1932. But that still doesn't change the apparent fact that Wise is a local, not national, brand. It's mind-boggling.

It's always those little things that really shake a body up too, ain't it? <img src="http://www.arlo.net/ubb/smilies/smile.gif" width=15 height=15> Find out that we're hurtling through space at 165,000 miles an hour (or whatever incredible speed it is) ... O.K., interesting, ho-hum, that's nice. Wise potato chips aren't what everyone eats? Frito-LaAy is the only national brand? Yikes! Caramba!

It's true, though. About the little things, I mean.

that's true..it is mind boggling. i always thought wise potato chips were everywhere. of course, as a kid, i thought everyone knew what spiedies were. i was probably 14 before i found out they were an extremely local thing.

i can see someone scratching their head now and wondering what a spiedie is. here you go.. http://www.spiedies.com/index.htm btw..they're great!

So long as Kenneth Lay and his poor poverty stricken wife don't have anyhing to do with Lays potato chips, I really don't give a shit....frankly. <img src="http://www.arlo.net/ubb/smilies/wink.gif" width=15 height=15>

And so long as nobody slams on the brakes really fast, I don't really give a shit about the earth flying through the void at 165,000 miles an hour either.<img src="http://www.arlo.net/ubb/smilies/smile.gif" width=15 height=15>

Ahhhh....the benefits of selective obliviosity!!!

But, carry on anyway, I enjoy the discourse even if I am oblivious to it....I think!?

I'm busy learning what spiedies are right now.

i dunno.... those spiedes sound an awful lot like the stuff i've been getting from the guy up on the corner of Park and 51st St. Except he puts lots of "white" sauce and "red" sauce on 'em.... talk about mystery meat... <img src="http://www.arlo.net/ubb/smilies/lookout.gif" width=15 height=15>

and I agree with you pat, I recall that Lays chips weren't around until the early 60's.. I think Bert Lahr doing the national campaign didn't hurt... can't recall if Fritos were around earlier... but Wise was always what we had in our house...
I still can't comprehend the rest of the country not knowing what a Devil Dog is!!! <img src="http://www.arlo.net/ubb/smilies/eek.gif" width=15 height=15>

nobody makes spiedies like lupo's spiedies, arnie! although at the annual spiedie fest/balloon rally people try!

enjoy the look around the site, pat. it was interesting for me to find it...in the guestbook i saw a post from an old high school boyfriend who apparently has moved to AZ. he was mighty pleased to be able to order spiedies online. people miss them when they leave the area. first thing tara did on saturday when she came to visit was to go to lupos and get us all spiedie subs for lunch.

arnie..how about drakes coffee cakes? i can't eat one anymore without thinking of billy blair. <img src="http://www.arlo.net/ubb/smilies/smile.gif" width=15 height=15>

When visiting new areas of the country, before I sample any of the local mystery meats, I always first check on the local stray cat population. If there is no stray cat population, I don't sample the local mystery meat.

Saw Wise potato chips when I lived in Texas. Had to check out the cute web-site to see what in the world a Spiedie was--sounds interesting.

Arnie--what the heck is a devil dog?

Tasty treat if you ever visit the UP--pasties (not the nipple-covers you guys). And what about White Castle hamburgers??

I have a funny feeling someone's gonna start joking about pasties LOL!

Oh well ... growing up in Mexico, I have a whole different set of "Whaddaya mean you don't know what ________ are"? foods. (Pinguinos and Pom-Poms come to mind, and then there are Japanese peanuts. (I have no idea if they can be found in Japan, but it's what they're called in Mexico) And bolillos. I miss these things. They sure do eat good in Mexico.

I am still a bit surprised when I run into Americans who've never heard of scrapple, though, or Shoo-Fly Pie, or some of the other delicacies found on and near my grandmother's farm.

However, if you like spiedies, I'm pretty sure you'd love what they serve as tacos in Mexico (nothing remotely like what you get from Old El Paso or Taco Bell), and you'd dig carnitas, also. Same idea as spiedies, as are the basis for Souvlakis, I suppose. And pasties are delish.

As for you, Larry ... I'm going to have to challenge you on that selective obliviosity comment. Selective obliviosity is one thing. Parochialism is another. Narrowness of vision (and mind) another. Ignorant-and-proud-of-it, another. Not to be confused with each other, at all.

Which is not to imply that Larry has not reached the nirvanic state of true Selective Obliviosity. He may well have.