Deep Fried/Chips: (2007-08-09) New survey on the RFC site: Making 'French fried' potatoes (a.k.a. chips) at home

Subject: (2007-08-09) New survey on the RFC site: Making 'French fried' potatoes (a.k.a. chips) at home
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
From: ChattyCathy (cathy1234 at mailinator.com)
Date: Thu, 09 Aug 2007 13:35:49 +0200
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http://www.recfoodcooking.com/

Vote now! (or not)
From: Andy (q)
Date: Thu, 09 Aug 2007 06:56:45 -0500
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ChattyCathy said...
> Vote now! (or not)

Dagnabbit!!! I was voter #2. :(

Pisses me off, dammit!!! I'm gonna go shoot something! Dinner, maybe!
From: Sheldon (PENMART01 at aol.com)
Date: Thu, 09 Aug 2007 05:19:28 -0700
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ChattyCathy wrote:
> Vote now! (or not)

I always use my crinkle/ripple cut knife... I guess that doesn't truly qualify as a freedom fry cutter.

Sheldon
^^^^^^^^^^
From: ChattyCathy (cathy1234 at mailinator.com)
Date: Thu, 09 Aug 2007 14:48:21 +0200
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Sheldon wrote:
> I always use my crinkle/ripple cut knife... I guess that doesn't truly
> qualify as a freedom fry cutter.
>
> Sheldon
> ^^^^^^^^^^

<chuckle>

I wondered when somebody was gonna mention the 'freedom fries' thing.

If I cut up fries myself, I prefer to use a knife - those "cutter" things often make little "slivers" of spud from the "edges" of the spuds, which annoys me intensely. I either have to chuck the slivers, or if I do fry them, I have to watch them like a hawk - and fish them out fast, because they always 'burn' before the rest are done.
From: Andy (q)
Date: Thu, 09 Aug 2007 08:31:32 -0500
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ChattyCathy said...
> I wondered when somebody was gonna mention the 'freedom fries' thing.
>
> If I cut up fries myself, I prefer to use a knife - those "cutter"
> things often make little "slivers" of spud from the "edges" of the
> spuds, which annoys me intensely. I either have to chuck the slivers, or
> if I do fry them, I have to watch them like a hawk - and fish them out
> fast, because they always 'burn' before the rest are done.

Freedom Fries = Fat Food Patriotism! What a joke that was.

I bought that cheap-o "made for TV" mandolin. Made kewl waffle cut potatoes. Swipe once, rotate 90, swipe again, repeat.

Lemme tell ya, waffle cut potatoes sucked! Looked great on TV with a paid cheery audience "ooh and ahh-ing" etc. D'Oh. ;)
From: Nancy Young (rjynly at comcast.net)
Date: Thu, 9 Aug 2007 12:02:54 -0400
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Andy wrote
> I bought that cheap-o "made for TV" mandolin. Made kewl waffle cut
> potatoes.
> Swipe once, rotate 90, swipe again, repeat.
>
> Lemme tell ya, waffle cut potatoes sucked! Looked great on TV with a paid
> cheery audience "ooh and ahh-ing" etc. D'Oh. ;)

I love waffle fries. Wish I saw them around more often.
From: Becca (becca at hal-pc.org)
Date: Thu, 09 Aug 2007 11:16:58 -0500
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If I am in the mood for fries, I will nuke two potatoes in the microwave for 4-5 minutes, slice them at 1/2 inch thick, then fry them in hot oil for 2-3 minutes. They get nice and crispy on the outside, with a lot of potato on the inside.
From: Sheldon (PENMART01 at aol.com)
Date: Thu, 09 Aug 2007 08:09:37 -0700
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ChattyCathy wrote:
> I wondered when somebody was gonna mention the 'freedom fries' thing.
>
> If I cut up fries myself, I prefer to use a knife - those "cutter"
> things often make little "slivers" of spud from the "edges" of the
> spuds, which annoys me intensely. I either have to chuck the slivers, or
> if I do fry them, I have to watch them like a hawk - and fish them out
> fast, because they always 'burn' before the rest are done.

I cut frys with a knife similar to this: [eBay link long dead]

Mine is much older, with a blue painted wooden handle, stainless steel, and a bit larger... I use it for slicing carrots too.

I like my fries cut in chunks (I get like 8-10 fries from a large spud), the ripple cut increases the surface area, makes for a tastier crispier fry. I abohr fast food style fries, those skinny minis are actually potato sticks, all you taste is grease and salt, no potato flavor whatsoever.

This one is mine:
http://i18.tinypic.com/54afx8g.jpg [dead link]

Also my favorite carbon steel knife, and my safety grater is wonderful for knuckle-free potato pancakes:
http://i14.tinypic.com/6bsvoyv.jpg [dead link]
From: ChattyCathy (cathy1234 at mailinator.com)
Date: Thu, 09 Aug 2007 17:53:40 +0200
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Sheldon wrote:
> Mine is much older, with a blue painted wooden handle, stainless
> steel, and a bit larger... I use it for slicing carrots too.

I see. That's for making those "crinkle fries". I was thinking more in the line of those 'long' fries) We have one very similar to this.

https://www.amazon.com/Progressive-International-Vegetable-French-Cutter/dp/B00004RDFH
From: Karen AKA Kajikit (kajikit at jagcon.com)
Date: Thu, 09 Aug 2007 10:10:08 -0400
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ChattyCathy wrote:
> Vote now! (or not)

I never make anything deep-fried for myself... it's too dangerous for my tastes, and it tastes better if you buy it. Deep-fried stuff is a rare treat for eating out...

I do make oven-baked potato wedges though. Yum!
From: ChattyCathy (cathy1234 at mailinator.com)
Date: Thu, 09 Aug 2007 16:29:52 +0200
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Karen AKA Kajikit wrote:
> I never make anything deep-fried for myself... it's too dangerous for
> my tastes, and it tastes better if you buy it. Deep-fried stuff is a
> rare treat for eating out...

Looks like several other people (so far) don't make fries at home either

> I do make oven-baked potato wedges though. Yum!

Yes! Those are great too - leave the skins on, of course ;)
From: kilikini (kilikini1 at NOSPAMhotmail.com)
Date: Thu, 9 Aug 2007 11:04:34 -0400
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ChattyCathy wrote:
>> I do make oven-baked potato wedges though. Yum!
>
> Yes! Those are great too - leave the skins on, of course ;)

This just flung a craving on me. Maybe I'll do that for lunch! Yum......
From: PeterLucas (Peter at home.com)
Date: Thu, 9 Aug 2007 15:07:10 +0000 (UTC)
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kilikini wrote:
> This just flung a craving on me. Maybe I'll do that for lunch! Yum......

I had roast potatos.... with the obligatory roast chicken, for dinner :-)
From: James Silverton (not.jim.silverton at verizon.not)
Date: Thu, 09 Aug 2007 14:31:59 GMT
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Karen wrote:
> I do make oven-baked potato wedges though. Yum!
> I never make anything deep-fried for myself... it's too
> dangerous for my tastes, and it tastes better if you buy
> it. Deep-fried stuff is a rare treat for eating out...

A variant on oven-baked fries might interest you. It was discovered by accident tho' I am sure we were re-inventing the wheel. Peeled baking potatoes are used cut into 1/8 inch slices. Cook at 375F for 20 minutes and then raise the temperature to 425F. The slices puff up beautifully. The use of baking potatoes was one of the accidents: forgot to turn on the oven!
From: Jill McQuown
Date: Thu, 9 Aug 2007 16:27:40 -0500
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Karen AKA Kajikit wrote:
> I do make oven-baked potato wedges though. Yum!

Ah yes... buy baking potatoes and cut them into "quarter fries". Then rub them with olive oil and sprinkle them with your choice of herbs, spices, definitely salt. Roast them at 425F until crispy outside and nice and moist inside. YUM!
From: sf
Date: Thu, 09 Aug 2007 07:53:03 -0700
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ChattyCathy wrote:
> Vote now! (or not)

LOL! I couldn't rest until I bought a FF cutter and used it exactly once. Went back to hand cutting and the thing is still resting in a cupboard somewhere. So, I own one but cut them by hand.
From: Pete C. (aux3.DOH.4 at snet.net)
Date: Thu, 09 Aug 2007 10:21:35 -0500
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sf wrote:
> LOL! I couldn't rest until I bought a FF cutter and used it exactly
> once. Went back to hand cutting and the thing is still resting in a
> cupboard somewhere. So, I own one but cut them by hand.

I've never tried one of the consumer fry cutters. I have used a commercial one (also capable of doing diced) and it worked very well.
From: ChattyCathy (cathy1234 at mailinator.com)
Date: Thu, 09 Aug 2007 17:41:19 +0200
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sf wrote:
> LOL! I couldn't rest until I bought a FF cutter and used it exactly
> once. Went back to hand cutting and the thing is still resting in a
> cupboard somewhere. So, I own one but cut them by hand.

I hear ya! DH bought ours - he uses it sometimes when he is on "cutting duty" ;) but I hardly ever use it myself, I'll stick to a knife.
From: Kate Connally (connally at pitt.edu)
Date: Thu, 09 Aug 2007 11:46:40 -0400
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ChattyCathy wrote:
> Vote now! (or not)

None of the answers quite fit. I chose "I always buy 'pre-cut' . . ." That's 90% correct. But I do make my own on occasion. I have a cutter but only used it once about 20 years ago. It doesn't work that well, so I prefer to cut them with a knife.

As for how I cook them - I chose "I have to use a pot . . ." Actually I don't *have* to use a pot, I prefer to use a pot. I've never had any interest in owning a deep fryer. I have a special, cheap pot dedicated to deep-frying. It's nice and deep and not too wide.

I don't make french fries often - frozen or homemade - because I hate cleaning up afterwards. There's always grease everywhere, not matter how neat you are. And another factor is the cost of the oil. Good oil is expensive. Cheap oil leaves a nasty taste in things. Usually what I do is about once a year go on a fried food binge. I love fried shrimp so if/when I can find good frozen shrimp at a good price I get as much as I can. Get the fries also. Then I have an orgy of fried shrimp and french fries for a week or so.
From: ChattyCathy (cathy1234 at mailinator.com)
Date: Thu, 09 Aug 2007 18:21:50 +0200
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Kate Connally wrote:

> None of the answers quite fit. I chose "I always buy 'pre-cut' . . ."
> That's 90% correct. But I do make my own on occasion. I have a
> cutter but only used it once about 20 years ago. It doesn't work
> that well, so I prefer to cut them with a knife.

I never buy pre-cut - they don't appeal to me, but I know people that do.

> As for how I cook them - I chose "I have to use a pot . . ."
> Actually I don't *have* to use a pot, I prefer to use a pot.
> I've never had any interest in owning a deep fryer. I have a
> special, cheap pot dedicated to deep-frying. It's nice and
> deep and not too wide.

I don't own a deep fryer either - we don't do enough deep frying to warrant it. And I also hate the "mess" it makes in the kitchen, using a pot. We keep an old pot that we use outside on the veranda - and heat it up with the gas burner. Any grease that ends up on the floor (or whatever) that can't be cleaned easily gets carried away by the ants... They seem to love "grease" ;)

> I don't make french fries often - frozen or homemade - because
> I hate cleaning up afterwards. There's always grease everywhere,
> not matter how neat you are. And another factor is the cost of
> the oil. Good oil is expensive. Cheap oil leaves a nasty taste
> in things. Usually what I do is about once a year go on a fried
> food binge. I love fried shrimp so if/when I can find good frozen
> shrimp at a good price I get as much as I can. Get the fries also.
> Then I have an orgy of fried shrimp and french fries for a week or
> so.

We get very reasonably priced sunflower oil here (many brands). If it needs to be "chucked" after use, so be it. I may be frugal with many things, but food stuffs is not one of them - I would rather do without something else.
From: Andy (q)
Date: Thu, 09 Aug 2007 12:53:59 -0500
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ChattyCathy said...
> Vote now! (or not)

I noticed a change in the results page. The chart background is a grey shade with new bar graph colors. And a little layout rearrangement.

I like it! Not the 3D charts I've been hoping for but the new charts do stand out better!
From: Dee Dee (deedovey at shentel.net)
Date: Thu, 9 Aug 2007 14:02:50 -0400
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ChattyCathy said...
> Vote now! (or not)

This question "I prefer to cut them up with a knife, never bothered to buy a cutter." doesn't quite fit for me, but it is the closest.

I did bother to buy a cutter, but discarded it; I prefer to cut them up with a knife.
From: ChattyCathy (cathy1234 at mailinator.com)
Date: Thu, 09 Aug 2007 20:54:05 +0200
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Andy wrote:
> I noticed a change in the results page. The chart background is a grey
> shade with new bar graph colors. And a little layout rearrangement.
>
> I like it! Not the 3D charts I've been hoping for but the new charts do
> stand out better!

LOL! The grey background has been there since day-one and I changed the colors weeks ago.
But I am glad you like it ;)
From: Andy (q)
Date: Thu, 09 Aug 2007 14:02:54 -0500
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ChattyCathy said...
> LOL! The grey background has been there since day-one and I changed the
> colors weeks ago.
> But I am glad you like it ;)

Hmmm... something in my browser must've just switched on OR off. Great. :(
Subject: Re: (2007-08-09) New survey on the RFC site: Making 'French fried'potatoes (a.k.a. chips) at home
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
From: Pete C. (aux3.DOH.4 at snet.net)
Date: Thu, 09 Aug 2007 09:48:58 -0500
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ChattyCathy wrote:
> Yes! Those are great too - leave the skins on, of course ;)

I don't make fries/chips at home often, it's usually limited to when I'm making fish and chips and want perfection. I try to avoid fries/chips when eating out too.