Sentimental over Sterzing’s

July 3, 2009

By Marie Mitchell The Richmond Register Fri Jul 03, 2009, 04:55 PM EDT

I’m not a big fan of junk food. I limit the high-fat, low-nutritional selections I consume. But, we all have our weakness — the comfort food we can’t say “No!” to, but should. The ones we fantasize about in between enticing encounters.

For me, it’s tempting, tantalizing and tremendously tasty Sterzing’s potato chips. The company Web site says Sterzing’s are quite possibly the world’s best potato chip. That claim is too modest. They are absolutely, positively THE best. Nothing else comes close.

What? You’ve never heard of them? Never savored the greasy, salty, indescribably delicious, crunchy chip from my childhood? Small wonder. You see, Sterzing’s are made exclusively in Burlington, Iowa, and the distinctive yellow bag with bright red lettering is sold only in a limited geographic area — southeast Iowa.

That’s part of the attraction. I can’t make a quick stop at my local grocery and grab a bag for a late night gorge-fest. I have to beg my Iowa relatives to mail care packages when the urge to devour an entire 11.5 ounce Economy Pak strikes.

The addictive chips, manufactured by three generations of one family since the 1930s, contain the same three basic ingredients since their start: potatoes, oil and salt. The Web site says the chips are made fresh daily, the old-fashioned way, one batch at a time. No one knows for sure what goes on in the kitchen since the company doesn’t allow tours. I’ve called and cajoled for years, with no success. The place is off limits to the public, press and probably even the President of the United States.

But I’m still curious about what happens during the process, since no two bags are alike inside. Some are loaded with light — almost undercooked — chips, like the cook was in a hurry to leave work early that day. Other bags are stuffed with dark brown chips making me suspect that the cook forgot to take the potatoes out of the hot grease when the alarm dinged, yet sent them down the conveyor belt to be packaged anyway. I’m thankful to receive either variety. This is no time to be picky.

I do draw the line with the trans fat free chips — the only new addition to the product line since 1933. It substitutes a different oil for a different flavor and fat content. No thanks. Not interested. I demand the real deal — Sterzing’s Classic — at any cost. My dad, however, had pricing issues. He once drove 500 miles to visit us, without a single bag of Sterzing’s stowed away. This was an omission of epic proportions. I would’ve settled for a half-eaten bag, even if some of the chips were stale.

“How could you forget the Sterzing’s?” I asked in disbelief, assuming this was just an unfortunate oversight. “They weren’t on sale,” he explained, like that was supposed to make sense. Instead of the two-for-$5 bargain he always waited for, the price remained at $2.99 apiece. My thrifty Dad stubbornly refused to pay that much, even when I promised to reimburse him for the difference.

Fortunately my sister Cindy fully comprehends my cravings. When she flies to Kentucky for a visit next week, I’m confident she’ll stuff two Economy Paks in one carry-on tote for me, and two for our other sister, Rebecca, in northern Kentucky. She’ll haul them on and off planes, through terminals and past security without complaint.

The best part of the hand-delivered method, besides fewer crushed chips, is consuming them with others who appreciate their true value. Not everyone is worthy of this special privilege. If, during a sacred Sterzing’s eat-a-thon, one of my children utters the inconceivable comment that, “Lays are better,” they are banned from the table and their carefully apportioned chips are divided among the others who are still in good standing. There’s not much chance of redeeming themselves for that munch session since Sterzing’s have a short shelf life at our house. Only a few minutes elapse between the time we ceremoniously rip the top off until we practically lick the bottom of the bag to catch any clinging crumbs.

I usually show great restraint with the second bag. I allow time to recover from our first Sterzing’s stupor before carefully doling out the next round of chips to the most deserving among us. It could be months before we encounter another bag. Maybe we’ll take our own road trip to Iowa to visit relatives. I wonder what U-hauls rent for — just in case there’s a sale on Sterzing’s while we’re in the neighborhood.

Text Only

Lifestyles & Community

We are heirs and joint-heirs to His kingdom
“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
“For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
“The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
“And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
“For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. — Rom 8:14-19

May 18, 2012 1 Photo
How little exercise is necessary for good health?
How little exercise is necessary for good health?
That question was the subject of a recent investigation by a team of exercise scientists at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, and the answer seems to be a lot less than we might think, as long as we’re willing to put in the effort.

May 12, 2012 1 Photo
A mother’s love never stops
A mothers love will always be there. Even when everyone else stops to rest, her love for her family continues. She is always working, carring and sharing what she has with her children, even if she has to do without for herself.

May 11, 2012 1 Photo
Start planting your hot weather vegetables now

Hopefully, the unusual spate of unseasonably warm weather we had earlier this spring did not fool you, and you’ve been patiently waiting to get your hot weather veggies, such as tomatoes and peppers, into your summer vegetable garden.

Now is a good time to start planting these delectable goodies.

May 7, 2012
Rethinking the benefits of crunches
I’ve been doing crunches all my adult life and it may be one of the reasons I have back problems. Research from the University of Waterloo in Ontario has found that repeated bending of the spine, such as occurs when doing crunches, can contribute over time to damage of spinal discs. The results are presented — along with a lot of other useful information — in the book, “Ultimate Back Fitness and Performance” by Stuart McGill.

May 5, 2012 1 Photo
Is 401(k) good for America?
Internal Revenue Code section 401(k) is the only section of the US tax code that average people can cite.
They know it has something to do with whether or not they can retire with dignity. Or retire at all.

May 5, 2012 1 Photo
He is there when you need Him
Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.
If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. — Psalm 139:7-10

May 4, 2012 1 Photo
It’s tough to be old
I was just thinking the other day about how tough it is to be old. We seniors have so many things to contend with. One of the first things is our memory, or perhaps I should say our lack of memory. I’ve often thought it is easier for us to remember things that happened to us when we were kids than to remember what we had for lunch yesterday. Names are hard to recall. It is embarrassing to meet someone who is familiar and we are certain we should know them, but simply cannot remember their name. In a conversation with a friend, to talk about a former friend but neither of you are able to recall their name.

May 1, 2012 1 Photo
McCreary’s second term
Between the end of Madison countian James B. McCreary’s first term in 1879 and the beginning of his second term in 1911, a lot happened in Kentucky.
Democrats continued to dominates state politics, as they did Madison County politics. But, the Republicans did break through to take control of the state government once or twice. Of course, that depends on how you interpret the whole, now-infamous Taylor-Goebel affair.

May 1, 2012 1 Photo
Officers elected for Post 12, auxiliary
The Richmond American Legion Post 12 and its auxiliary elected officers on April 12.

April 30, 2012 2 Photos
More Lifestyles & Community Headlines

Lifestyles & Community

Search Results

Sentimental over Sterzing’s

A recent health ranking listed Madison County as the 20th healthiest county in the state. It measured factors such as exercise, access to health care and smoking. Do you smoke cigarettes?

Site Map