January 29 th is National Cornchip Day! A corn chip is a snack food made from cornmeal fried in oil or baked, usually in the shape of a small noodle or scoop. Corn chips are thick, rigid and very crunchy. Corn chips have the strong aroma and flavor of roasted corn, and are often heavily dusted with salt.
In the US, Fritos is one of the oldest and most widely recognized brands of corn chips. While American-style corn chips and tortilla chips are both made from corn, the corn in tortilla chips is subjected to the nixtamalization process (say that three times fast) , resulting in a milder flavor and aroma, and a less rigid texture. Tortilla chips also tend to be larger, thinner, and less salty than American-style corn chips.
Corn chips are usually eaten alone or with a chip dip. They are a common ingredient in homemade and commercial party mix. In the Southwestern US, a popular dish, Frito pie, is made with corn chips and chili. In some areas, it is popular to pour the chili into a bag of corn chips and eat the mixture directly from the bag.