Remember Mr. Tayto, he of the crispy cheese & onion empire? Well, let’s just say that he’s been getting quite chatty of late.
One week, he’s letting me know about his twitter page and his schedule for book signings, the next, he’s offering to send me copies of his autobiography.
Personally, I think he fancies me.
Mr. Tayto and La Spud - a match made in potato heaven?
Not that I would ever dream of taking advantage of a situation like that, but I did politely enquire of Mr. Tayto my new beau whether he would consider spreading his cheese & onion love by providing some of those iconic Tayto crisps for readers of the Spud.
I am naturally delighted to report that he said yes (I really am quite irresistible, after all). As a result, one lucky Spud reader will soon be receiving a box of Tayto Cheese & Onion (or Salt & Vinegar if you prefer), along with a copy of Mr. Tayto’s autobiography, The Man Inside The Jacket. So that’s 60 packets of Tayto and just in time for Christmas too, with any luck.
So the deal is, for those of you with an address in Ireland, leave me a comment if you want in (I tried to convince Mr. Tayto to extend the offer worldwide, but apparently he doesn’t love me that much).
Plus, if you are (or become) a fan of the Daily Spud on Facebook, that’ll be good for a second entry in the draw – just let me know in the comments, so that I can be sure to include you on the double. I’ll leave this open for a week, until midnight (GMT) next Sunday the 13th, and notify the winner on Monday the 14th, which will hopefully leave enough time to get your crisps delivered for Christmas.
As for me, I can’t help wondering what it is that I’ll be getting from Mr. Tayto for Christmas. More than a few packets of crisps I hope!
Update 16/12/09: …and the winner of Mr. Tayto’s crisps and book is Orla Doyle – congrats Orla! As for the winner of his affections, well now, that remains to be seen…
Have to say i’m loving the snack that has the knack for having the craic and his campaign for his book. His billboard & bus campaign has been bringing a smile to my face around town :)
and now a great crimble compo! I’m delighted
Ah sure, why not?
I was just reading an article from yesterday’s Irish Times about the book and how it’s number one on the non-fiction bestseller list in Ireland. Great giveaway!
Sounds good to me. I have a friend at UCC that I’m sure would appreciate a little Tayto…
Mmmm… Cheese ‘n onion :-)
Yeah, so much for sharing the love! We across the pond would like to feel some of that warm lovin. Spud keep working on him! In the meantime, I just have to say you have a cute beau.
Oh, My Tayto definitely has a thing for you. It’s a match!!!
Ooh Ooh, nom, a whole box of tayto? you can keep your turkey and ham I say!
Enormous: …and delighted that you’ve thrown your name into the hat!
pretty far west: sure why not indeed
Kristin: yep, I’d heard that it’s a bestseller, pretty impressive for a crisp merchant :)
Allison: I’m sure your friend at UCC would appreciate it!
Orla: mmmm indeed, 60 packets worth of mmmm :)
OysterCulture: well, they do say that the path of true love never runs smooth, so I will indeed have to keep working on him!
jenn: glad you think so :D
Margaret: yep, you never know your luck, a whole box could be yours!
Wish it was summer already and I was in Ireland! (almost for sure we’re going to spend august in Dublin next summer)
Perhaps Mr. Tayto might reconsider shipping to the US if the recipient in question once had a fling with him? (July ’09, while in town for the U2 concert) :)
Please count me in (twice, since I am of course a FB fan). Is it too soon in the relationship to introduce Mr. Tayto to your friends i.e. will I be meeting him at the weekend? If I win I will split the box with you – I would be somewhat overwhelmed by 60 packets of crisps…
Have pot of Barry’s tea brewing and some well buttered bread. Just need something for the sandwich filling … now what could I use … ack, if I just had a packet of taytos …
Natasha: well, if you do end up here next summer, we will have to meet up for some 5-Star Tayto :D
Phyllis: oh no! don’t tell me that I have a rival for Mr. Tayto’s affections…
mgh: never fear, you’ve been counted on the double (and, before anybody asks, I have to declare that I will not be factoring the offer of a 50/50 share into my selection of the winner, honest!); meanwhile, I’m not sure if Mr. Tayto is ready to move to the next stage – early days yet :D
Rufus: ah, yes, a packet or 60 of tayto would be just the thing!
Hmmm, I have never heard of thes! They sound delicious!! And he has a book?!
Well this is the slap on the wrist that I needed!! Imagine not reading the Daily Spud…well…DAILY!! I miss out on the biggest event in the Spud Calendar….Free Taytos AND a Book…ABOUT Taytos!!
From this moment forth, I resolve to read my Daily Spud….DAILY!!!!
Snow just started to fall here and it’s now -22 in Edmonton, where we’re headed on Saturday!!! It’s gettin chilly out there!
Hope your spudness is well! ;)
I’m just trying to picture the progeny of this match made in heaven – I see adorable little new potatoes all over! 8-)
Sixty bags of Tayto crisps and a great read: sounds like a perfect weekend to me! Wish I could join in but best of the luck to all entrants!
Will watch with interest as to how ‘The Daily Tayto’ develops. Am at present dreaming of well-buttered batch bread smothered in cheese and onion crunchy crisps. MGH, we can reach an arrangement, I expect..!Also looking for FB count-in..
Bitte Käse und Zwiebel
I need a box of taytos in my life mr. spud.
I love Tayto crisps, I always stock up when I visit Ireland. I had no idea he had a book out though.
Oh you know me and the postman have this love hate relationship… I thought you were telling us you were getting engaged, or married…since we know nothing of a Mr. Spud, and my originally thinking you were ambiguous…well…you had me in quite a tale spin here!
Are salt & vinegar involved? I mean possibly that signs of acidic behavior also could be but one thing…little chippers floating onto the scene…when is the baby shower :) Okay I took that silliness a bit further than just one…
sarah: yes, a man of many talents is our Mr. Tayto!
coxy: next thing you know, you’ll be flyin’ home from chilly Canada for a Spud/Tayto weddin’ :D
Tangled Noodle: it would be a whole new breed of potato, that’s for sure!
Yvette: you are duly being counted on the double (and especially seeing as how you are eating for two these days anyway!)
Oisin: jawohl mein herr
dol: everyone needs a box of taytos in their life :) – and I’ll hasten to point out that it’s ms. spud, before Mr. Tayto has a heart-attack!
George: oh indeed, he has many strings to his bow!
Chef E: the speculation is understandable – believe me, if I have any news of little chippers, you’ll be the first to know :D
Loved the book! Now I’m intrigued are you a lowly spud worried about the budget? #budget10
Mr. Tayto proving to be quite a celebrity by the above comments! Still so much better than the rest!
Hey Spud – I’d love a box of taytos – we’re having a huge party on New Years so they’d go down a treat there – I could make a mini mountain of crisp sandwiches – classy and delicious!!
Black hat, red coat, blue tie and all,
but its the man inside the jacket that can make you have a ball,
Chipsticks, snax and mighty munch,
Even with all those I have a hunch,
That sometimes people just prefer,
The basic cheese and onion pack,
That people buy off their shop rack,
It’s a match made in heaven as some might say,
Cause when I eat them up they make my day.
Micha: sure don’t we all worry about the budget in our own way – though I reckon that the reduction of excise duty on beer will probably be good for sales of tayto to be eaten with said beer!
shirley: indeed so, I think the man himself would have to agree
lucy: a mini-mountain of crisp sandwiches would be a fine fate for the tayto-box :)
Lisa: I am wowed by your poetry, as, I imagine, the man in the jacket himself would be – deserves an honourable mention!
Thanks for sticking up for us non-Irish folk, DS. Alas, Mr. Tayto is too insular for his own good. Sigh.
I vote you take his swag and then break up with him. Keep his jacket, too! :)
oh i would love the chance to win a box of the best taytos! i became a fan on your facebook too…such a good giveaway :)
You can’t beat a tayto sambo can you? Its a Christmas tradition in our house. Mum buys the box of tayto, we gorge like we’ve never seen them before. It’s an ideal movie snack … white bread, lashings of butter and a scrunched up bag of cheese n’onion. Roll on Christmas !!
Would love to win a box, I wouldn’t have to feel guilty about having them as i didn’t buy them, I can smell cheese and onion my favourite, I could have them in a sambo, take them for lunch, nibble them with a relaxing glass of wine.
Jenni: you’re right – if he doesn’t want to meet me halfway and be nice to my non-Irish readers, then I really will have to consider my position vis a vis Mr. Tayto – but only if I can keep his swag and jacket, of course :D
dee: you’re in x 2 :)
Gillian: tayto sambos are the best, couldn’t agree more!
venus: say no more, you’re in with a shot at the taytos, no guilt involved :)
It wouldn’t be christmas without a few taytos! Spud, will you post a recipe for making our own crisps?!?!? yum yum
Boxes of cheese & onion Tayto remind me of childhood Christmases. In fact we still use a Tayto cardboard box to store decorations in during the year!
Three midland crisp munchers of the s&v variety leaping into the hat. Talking of hats, do I need to think about purchasing same in anticipation of a tayto spud day out?
became a fan on the facebok site aswell
Jane: the only trouble with making my own crisps is that I’d hate for Mr. Tayto to think that I was going into competition against him – it’s a bit early in the relationship for that :D
Joanna: that’s brilliant and, sure who knows, with any luck you might have a new box for decorations soon :)
Michelle: delighted to welcome you all into the draw and, don’t worry, I will give you plenty of notice if hat-buying is required!
Lisa: duly noted, sure you deserve a second entry for that poem alone :)
I know I can’t enter as I’m from Australia but I must say they are the best chips I’ve ever tasted! My husband (who is from Northern Ireland) would do just about anything to nab a box of those but at a cost of 72 pounds (Au $128)to send a box here, I think we shall have to pass!
Hi Tracey and thanks for dropping in. I know how your husband feels – my sister sent a box of tayto to my brother in Oz lately and he was reportedly seen hugging the box and was not for letting go!
is the comp over? do u no who won?
Daily Spud: If your brother is in Melbourne, tell him to watch out for any suspicious looking characters with Irish accents as they may just have sniffed out those chips!! :) I’m sure he will be guarding them very well.. Lol.
I asked about them today at one of our sweet stores that have a lot of the English/Irish sweets sent out here. They said that they get Walkers brand in but by the time they get them (via sea in containers) they only have a week or two left on their use-by date.
I did manage to get my husband some rhubarb & custards, lemon sherbets, rosy apples and some toffee bonbons for his stocking so I’m sure he will be happy with that!!
Lisa: yes, the competition is over (I’ve updated the post above with the winner) – I’m afraid you missed out this time, though maybe we should petition Mr. Tayto for another box of his crispy goods, on account of the quality of the poetry submitted!
Tracey: my brother used to live in Melbourne but has moved to north eastern Victoria now (just as well, by the sounds of it :D ) – good job on the other stocking fillers, though :)
i’d be first on the list for that petition neway lol