Alexia Olive Oil, Parmesan & Roasted Garlic Oven Reds

November 27, 2007 | Reviewer: Abi

Alexia Olive Oil, Parmesan & Roasted Garlic Oven Reds Price: $3.50 on sale
Serving: 1/5 bag, 3oz.
Calories: 120 per serving
Fat: 5%, 3.5g
Cholesterol: 0%, 0mg
Sodium: 12%, 270mg
Protein: 3g
Carbohydrates: 7%, 19g
Fiber: 8%, 2g
Sugar: 0g
Weight Watchers Points: 2

Alexia says: Alexia Oven Reds combine delicate and creamy Columbia Basin Red Potatoes, Olive Oil, robust Parmesan Cheese and Roasted Garlic to make this beautifully delicious yet trans fat free culinary creation.

Abi says: Store bought frozen potatoes: Friend or foe? Discuss.

On one hand, it is so freaking easy to chop up some potatoes, toss them with a bit of olive oil herbs and salt and call it a side dish. On the other hand chopping = ugh and who wants to wait 45 minutes for roasted potatoes when we could have potato wedges in 20?

These are the questions I ask myself whenever I consider braving the frozen potatoes section at my local supermarket. Fresh and frozen potatoes are both cheap, but frozen potatoes take half of the time and don’t involve potential over or under-seasoning. Or blood loss.

While I was at Whole Foods the other day, picking up a replacement Amy’s Cheese Pizza Pocket, I decided to go beyond Alexia’s Pesto Pizza Pockets and try out their potato wedges. After reading the backs of all 6 packages of potato wedges, I settled on the Olive Oil, Parmesan & Roasted Garlic Oven Reds. Like me, they were raised in the Columbia River Basin. Unlike me, they are encased in a plastic bag.

The package states that it contains five servings of potatoes. This is an acurate portrayal as I actually got four hearty servings out of the bag. It wasn’t so much that I planned on eating the last two servings all at once, but more that I realized there was nothing edible in my house, the more it seemed that potatoes would do just fine for a lunch.

From my willingness to eat simply these potatoes for lunch you might deduce that I enjoy them a great deal. No deerstalker for you, I’m afraid. These potatoes, which might be marginally better for the environment than the ones from Ore-Ida (or not, because ‘natural’ definitely doesn’t equal ‘organic’) have some sort of weird flavor action going on - straight from the bag. I literally found myself making funny faces when I breathed in the odor of the frozen potatoes.

“Are they rotten?” I wondered, my head whipping back from the bag in a visceral reaction borne of instinctual terror. Then I figured that I just wasn’t used to ‘All Natural’ frozen potatoes or frozen olive oil or something of that hippie ilk. While the potatoes were baking I read the ingredients label and found the item that was causing me such confusion: cheese powder. These potatoes don’t taste like parmesan cheese and rosemary. No, they taste like the child of a bag of Smartfood and a poorly maintained spice cupboard.

Fortunately, this is a problem easily solved with homemade aioli liberally seasoned with smoked paprika. Ketchup works too.

comments

11 Responses to “Alexia Olive Oil, Parmesan & Roasted Garlic Oven Reds”

Emily on November 30th, 2007

Their sweet potato fires are really good!
Crow on November 30th, 2007

“Store bought frozen potatoes: Friend or foe? Discuss.”

Inanimate object.
Rose on November 30th, 2007

I’ve also had their sweet potato fries, and they were alright, though I’m not much of a fan of sweet potato fries in the first place.

these wedges look good, but I would dip them in sour cream, and everything is better dipped in sour cream.
Jill on November 30th, 2007

Maybe it was just the flavor you chose that was iffy? Who knows, I’ve had a good experience with frozen potatoes, but have not done this specific brand.
Jennifer on December 2nd, 2007

I agree with the person that said their sweet potatoe fries are awesome! I also like their sea salt ones.

As for the frozen potatoes thing…..I don’t partake in eating frozen potatoes anymore.
Its a bit more of a pain in the ass to make homemade fries or any kind of baked potatoe….but damn it tastes SO MUCH BETTER!!
I love to take little baby potatoes cut them up, toss with some olive oil cooking spray, toss in some cajun/natures seasoning (which ever you might prefer)…give them a nice toss. Roast in an oven at 400 degrees until they are nice and crispy but soft in the middle.

Once you get them out of the oven, let them cool so they are not piping hot. Then toss them in 2 tablespoons of reduced fat sour cream! Once you serve them they are creamy and delicious!
Rocketgirl on December 3rd, 2007

Not quite sure of the Olive Oil, Parmesan & Roasted Garlic potatoes . . but the Olive Oil, Rosemary & Garlic variety are mighty fine.
Rocketgirl on December 3rd, 2007

Oh, and drifting on to the Alexia site . . I find that they have just introduced a chicken nuggets line, stuffed with either broccoli and cheese or/ spinach and feta. That could be an interesting try. Oh. And Alexia make waffle fries. Waffle fries?!? Heart.
Lauren on December 3rd, 2007

I’ve had these a couple of times… ketchup has never helped the strange taste, although I haven’t tried homemade aioli. Mmmmmm.
Ed on December 4th, 2007

It’s just so easy to make your own potato wedges…I would never buy frozen.
slynnro on December 11th, 2007

The crinkle fries are much better- the sea salt and garlic and onion flavors are great. The sweet potato flavor is decent, but they don’t quite get crunchy enough for my taste.
Alexia Waffle Fries : HeatEatReview.com on February 27th, 2008

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