Pickle Lemonade Tortilla Chips Shocked Us In The Best Way Possible

Welcome back to Nosh or Nah, a column where The Takeout staff reviews the best, worst, and weirdest new snacks and drinks hitting store shelves near you.

We're hurtling towards a peak grilling weekend in the United States, and this one is an even bigger deal because it's America's semiquincentennial (a.k.a 250th birthday). Many of you will be throwing blowout barbecues, and what's a cookout without chips and dip? Moreover, what's more American than throwing questionable, off-the-wall flavorings into that chips and dip, along with an extra helping of sugar?

With this in mind, Sam Zwick reviewed new flavors of tortilla chips and salsa. First, he investigated whether pickle and lemonade flavoring could elevate Late July from the bottom of the tortilla chip pack (the brand's plain chips placed ninth in our store-bought tortilla chip ranking). Next, he sampled a new Pace Salsa variety with a surprising fruit twist. Finally, he risked it all by seeing if crossing the beams and tasting both together would destroy the universe or create the ultimate cookout snack.

From lemonade stands to crunchy pickles at the barbecue, summer is full of fun flavors. But what happens if you combine a few classics? Late July set out to answer that question with a limited-time "Summer Batch" of Pickle Lemonade tortilla chips. Available nationwide with a suggested retail price of $5.79 per bag, will these chips be the talk of the cookout or a total waste? We loved Popeyes' version of pickle lemonade, so there's precedent for this flavor combo working. I sampled a few and am happy to report that they're a winner.

From the outset, there's a lot going on here. The unmistakable aroma of pickles springs forth as soon as you open the bag and the taste is there to match. I get why these aren't branded as pickle lemon or pickle lime chips; they're on the sweeter side. However, rather than making the chips taste like lemonade, the sweetness does more to shift the flavor towards a sweet pickle — à la bread and butter pickles. In any case, I like where this tortilla chip ends up. On their own, Late July's Pickle Lemonade tortilla chips are already a Nosh, but paired with the right salsa, these chips might be in contention for snack of the summer.

Not to be outdone with unique summer food mashups, Pace has added a new flavor to its Trailblazer line: Balsamic Strawberry Jalapeño Salsa. This medium-heat blend brings the sweet/savory combo of fresh berries and balsamic to Pace's famous salsa. Jars retail for $3.69 and are on shelves nationwide right now.

I did the responsible thing and tried the salsa solo before busting out the tortilla chips and was immediately surprised by the spice. The strong strawberry smell might lull you into thinking it's going to be mild, but this salsa has a nice kick. The strawberry notes are most evident on the front end before the tangy tomato and heat from the spices take over. This is a Nosh — I can see this working really well with a fish taco or as part of a snack spread. Fans of spicy fruit take note, this is the salsa for you (we're looking at you, people who put Tajin on everything).

Of course, most people don't eat salsa from a spoon, so I pulled out my Pickle Lemonade chips and tested the pairing of two unique new foods. The best way to describe the combination is extremely flavorful. The sweetness of the salsa works great with the chips and the pickle notes actually pair exceptionally with the salsa's spice. Given how much unique flavor each item brings on its own, it's not a must-have pairing — it's a lot to take in all at once — but it certainly won't let you or your tastebuds down. If you already have both of these items, combining them is a Nosh.