So I just spent the past 2 months in Pittsburgh where basically every meal includes potatoes of some form or another.
It is, after all, the melting pot of European immigrants and potatoes are cheap, filling food.
This means I ate a LOT of freshly-made french fries while dining out up there. I mean...a lot.
So now I'm back in NC where french fries are...mediocre. Seriously, I've been back for a few weeks and only had one batch of good fries since then.
(My thighs sent a small prayer upward for that one).
I decided to just buy some frozen ones since I don't like to drop everything and fry. I don't like to fry. Period. However, I also didn't want to buy 2 pound bags of fries when I had no idea if they were tasty or not.
Then I saw this article in Magnolia magazine (summer, 2022) which gives all the details on how to fry a fry the right way.
My mom knew the right way. She learned as a waitress and then perfected it while feeding 8 kids. You use Russet potatoes and you don't bother peeling them because it's for kids. You par-cook them all ahead of time at a low temperature and then quickly fry them crisp when a horde of children descend on the table. My mom makes the best fries! My brother now makes huge bowls of fries outside on his patio for his buddies when they come over to watch sports. It is a fry-fest of epic proportions.
So here are the steps to make good fries. But more important, they've included how to turn the par-cooked ones into frozen fries. Check out "To Make Ahead."
Which means I can buy one organic Russet from Whole foods and make just enough fries to sate a Pittsburgh craving.
It is, after all, the melting pot of European immigrants and potatoes are cheap, filling food.
This means I ate a LOT of freshly-made french fries while dining out up there. I mean...a lot.
So now I'm back in NC where french fries are...mediocre. Seriously, I've been back for a few weeks and only had one batch of good fries since then.
(My thighs sent a small prayer upward for that one).
I decided to just buy some frozen ones since I don't like to drop everything and fry. I don't like to fry. Period. However, I also didn't want to buy 2 pound bags of fries when I had no idea if they were tasty or not.
Then I saw this article in Magnolia magazine (summer, 2022) which gives all the details on how to fry a fry the right way.
My mom knew the right way. She learned as a waitress and then perfected it while feeding 8 kids. You use Russet potatoes and you don't bother peeling them because it's for kids. You par-cook them all ahead of time at a low temperature and then quickly fry them crisp when a horde of children descend on the table. My mom makes the best fries! My brother now makes huge bowls of fries outside on his patio for his buddies when they come over to watch sports. It is a fry-fest of epic proportions.
So here are the steps to make good fries. But more important, they've included how to turn the par-cooked ones into frozen fries. Check out "To Make Ahead."
Which means I can buy one organic Russet from Whole foods and make just enough fries to sate a Pittsburgh craving.
