Pork rinds, otherwise known as "pig skins" by my mother, and "chicharones" by my Mexican friends, is a misunderstood form of junk food Americana.

I've always found it to be more like a "real man's" version of rice cakes, but with a greasy aftertaste. My wife detests it, mainly because she detests anything she has yet to try. I've run into other people who think it's borderline psychotic to eat pig skin. I've never understood this.

My mom liked to sprinkle chili powder on her pig skins, and my Mexican friends always dabbed them with some drops of Tapatio.

Each bag came with a variety of pig skins; some were light and fluffy, perhaps like they were meant to be. Others were harder, more compact, and more greasier. I always preferred these because they had more flavor.

When I was a kid, they always came in plain flavor. These days, you can get them pre-sprinkled with chili-powder, or with nacho-cheese flavor, and sugar-cinnamon.

I knew people who ate them the same way other folks would eat crackers, by stacking other stuff on 'em. They'd take a light and fluffy piece of pork rind, and place pieces of lunch meat, cheese, chip dip, or pepperonis.

I liked to prepare a bowl of chili-and-cheese, by mixing a can of chili with a chunk of Velveeta, or that nacho cheese sauce, adding a few drops of Tabasco, and microwaving it. Then you dunk your pork rind into it, scoop out a big helping of chili-cheese, and eat it. Then you wash it down with a beer.

Now you're ready to watch football!