French Fries | Can’t Sleep? Learn About Potato Perfection

French fries are one of the world’s most recognizable foods, enjoyed everywhere from neighborhood diners to restaurants and street vendors around the globe. This episode explores the debated origins of French fries, how potatoes became the ideal ingredient for frying, the many styles and preparations found around the world, and why this simple dish has remained a favorite for generations. Along the way, you’ll hear about regional variations, cooking techniques, popular condiments, and the enduring appeal of crispy potatoes.

It’s steady and consistent, with no whispering and no sudden changes, just enough to give your mind something to follow as you wind down. Happy sleeping!

Transcript

Welcome to the I Can't Sleep Podcast, Where I help you drift off one fact at a time. I'm your host Benjamin Boster and today's episode is about french fries. French fries, Or simply fries, Are also known as French fried potatoes, Chips, And finger chips, Or batonnet or julienne cut deep fried potatoes of disputed origin. They are prepared by cutting potatoes into even strips, Drying them, And frying them, Usually in a deep fryer. Pre-cut blanched and frozen russet potatoes are widely used, And sometimes baked in a regular or convection oven, Such as an air fryer. French fries are served hot, Either soft or crispy, And are generally eaten as part of lunch or dinner, Or by themselves as a snack, And they commonly appear on the menus of diners, Fast food restaurants, Pubs, And bars. They are typically salted and may be served with ketchup, Vinegar, Mayonnaise, Tomato sauce, Or other sauces. Fries can be topped more heavily, As in the dishes of poutine, Loaded fries, Or chili cheese fries, And are occasionally made from sweet potatoes instead of potatoes. The standard method for cooking french fries is deep frying, Which submerges them in a hot fat, Typically oil. The potatoes are prepared by first cutting them, Peeled or unpeeled, Into even strips, Which are then wiped off or soaked in cold water to remove the surface starch, And thoroughly dried. They may then be fried in one or two stages. Chefs generally agree that the two-bath technique produces better results. Potatoes fresh out of the ground can have too high a water content, Resulting in soggy fries. So preference is for those that have been stored for a while. In the two-stage or two-bath method, The first bath, Sometimes called blanching, Is in hot fat to cook the fries through. This step can be done in advance. Then they are more briefly fried in very hot fat to crisp the exterior. They are then placed in a colander or on a cloth to drain, Then served. The exact times of the baths depend on the size of the fries. For example, For 2-3 mm strips, The first bath takes about 3 minutes, And the second bath takes only seconds. Since the 1960s, Most french fries in the U. S. Have been produced from frozen russet potatoes, Which have been blanched or at least air-dried industrially. The usual fat for making french fries is vegetable oil. In the past, Beef suet was recommended as superior, With vegetable shortening as an alternative. McDonald's used a mixture of 93% beef tallow and 7% cottonseed oil until 1990, When they changed to vegetable oil with beef flavoring. French fries are fried in a two-step process. The first time is to cook the starch throughout the entire cut at low heat. And the second time is to create the golden crispy exterior of the fry at a high temperature. This is necessary because if the potato cuts are only fried once, The temperature would either be too hot, Causing only the exterior to be cooked and not the inside, Or not hot enough where the entire fry is cooked, But its crispy exterior will not develop. Although the potato cuts may be baked or steamed as a preparation method, This section will only focus on french fries made using frying oil. During the initial frying process, Approximately 150 degrees Celsius, Water on the surface of the cuts evaporates off the surface, And the water inside the cuts gets absorbed by the starch granules, Causing them to swell and produce the fluffy interior of the fry. The starch granules are able to retain the water and expand due to gelatinization. The water and heat break the glycosidic linkages between amylopectin and amylose strands, Allowing a new gel matrix to form via hydrogen bonds, Which aid in water retention. The moisture that gets trapped within the gel matrix is responsible for the fluffy interior of the fry. The gelatinized starch molecules move towards the surface of the fries, Forming a thick layer of gelatinized starch. And this layer of pre-gelatinized starch becomes a crisp exterior after the potato cuts are fried for a second time. During the second frying process, Approximately 180 degrees Celsius, The remaining water on the surface of the cuts evaporates and the gelatinized starch molecules that collected towards the potato surface are cooked again, Forming the crisp exterior. The golden brown color of the fry will develop when the amino acids and glucose on the exterior participate in a mylar browning reaction. In the United States and most of Canada, The term French fries, Or French fried potatoes, Sometimes capitalized as capital F French fries, Or shortened to fries, Refers to all dishes of fried elongated pieces of potatoes. Variants in shape and size may have names such as curly fries, Shoestring fries, Etc. In Great Britain, Australia, South Africa, Ireland and New Zealand, The term chips is generally used, Being a popular dish in most Commonwealth countries. However, The term french fries or skinny fries is used for thinly cut fried potatoes, Which are distinguished from the more traditional thick cut chips. In the US or Canada, These more thickly cut chips might be called steak fries, Depending on the shape. While the word chips is more commonly used in North America to refer to potato chips, Commonly known in the UK, Ireland and South Africa as crisps. In Australia and New Zealand, Chips are often referred to as hot chips to distinguish them from potato chips, Although the type of chip is often implied through context. Thomas Jefferson had potatoes served in the French manner at a White House dinner in 1802. THE EXPRESSION FRENCH FRIED POTATOES FIRST OCCURRED IN PRINT IN ENGLISH IN THE 1856 WORK COOKERY FOR MAIDS OF ALL WORK BY ELIZA WARREN FRENCH FRIED POTATOES Cut new potatoes in thin slices. Put them in boiling fat and a little salt. Fry both sides of a light golden brown color. Drain. This account referred to thin, Shallow fried slices of potato. It is not clear where or when the now familiar deep-fried battens or fingers of potato were first prepared. In the early 20th century, The term French fried was being used in the sense of deep fried for foods like onion rings or chicken. The term was in use in the United States as early as 1880. An 1899 item in Good Housekeeping specifically references kitchen economy in France. The perfection of french fries is due chiefly to the fact that plenty of fat is used. One legend about the name French fries claims that when the American expeditiary forces arrived in Belgium during World War I, They assumed that chips were a French dish because French was spoken in the Belgian army. But the name was used long before that in English, Even in the U. S. Army. And the popularity of the term did not increase for decades after 1917. The oldest documents where a fried potato is mentioned are from Chile in 1629 in the city of Nacimiento, Extracted from Happy Captivity, Written in 1673 by Chilean Francisco Núñez de Pineda, Where he narrates his experiences as a captive war soldier in 1629 at the hands of the Mapoche warriors. In the text he mentioned eating papas fritas, Fried potatoes, In 1629, And Mapuche women sent fried and stewed potatoes to the chiefs. The exact shape is unclear. Likely wide slices or cubes fried in lamb or iguana cotalo, Which was customary. However, The cane shape originates from Europe. French fries in their current form may have been invented in Spain, The first European country in which the potato appeared from the New World colonies. Professor Paul Illigams, Curator of the Fried Museum in Bruges, Belgium, Believes that Saint Teresa of Ávila of Spain cooked the first French fries. And refers also to the tradition of frying in Mediterranean cuisine as evidence. The Belgian food historian Pierre Leclerc has traced the history of the French fry and asserts that it is clear that fries are of French origin. It became an emblematic Parisian dish in the 19th century. Frederick Krieger, A Bavarian musician, Learned to cook fries at a roaster on Rue Montmantret in Paris in 1842, And took the recipe to Belgium in 1844, Where he created his business, Frites, And sold Paris-style fried potatoes. The modern style of fries born in Paris around 1855 is different from the domestic fried potato that existed in the 18th century. From the Belgian standpoint, The popularity of the term French fries is explained as French gastronomic hegemony into which the cuisine of Belgium was assimilated because of a lack of understanding coupled with a shared language and geographic proximity of the countries. The Belgian journalist Joe Girard claimed that a 1781 family manuscript recounts that potatoes were deep-fried prior to 1680 in the Meuse Valley as a substitute for frying fish when the rivers were frozen. Gérard never produced the manuscript that supports his claim, And the historical value of his story is open to question. In any case, It is unrelated to the later history of the French fry, As the potato did not arrive in the region until around 1735. Furthermore, Given 18th century economic conditions, It is absolutely unthinkable that a peasant could have dedicated large quantities of fat for cooking potatoes. At most, They were sautéed in a pan. In France and other French-speaking countries, Fried potatoes are formally pommes de terre frites, But more commonly pommes frites, Fried apples, Patates frites, Or simply frites. The words aiguillettes, Needlettes, Or alamedes, Matchsticks, Are used when the french fries are very small and thin. One enduring origin story holds that French fries were invented by street vendors on the Pont Neuf bridge in Paris in 1789, Just before the outbreak of the French Revolution. However, A reference exists in France from 1775 to a few pieces of fried potato, And to fried potatoes. Eating potatoes for sustenance was promoted in France by Antoine-Augustin Pommentier, But he did not mention fried potatoes in particular. A note in a manuscript in U. S. President Thomas Jefferson's hand, Circa 1801-1809, Mentions potatoes deep-fried while raw in small slices. The recipe almost certainly comes from his French chef, Honoré Julien. The thick cut fries are called pommes pommes nues for simply pommes frites, About 10 mm. Thinner variants are Palms Alamed, Matchstick Potatoes, About 7mm, And Palms Pale Potato Straws, 4mm. Pommes gouffrées are waffle fries. A popular dish in France is steak frites, Which is steak accompanied by thin french fries. French fries migrated to the German-speaking countries during the 19th century. In Germany, They are usually known by the French words pommes frites, Or only pommes, Or friten. Derived from the French words, But pronounced as German words. Often served with ketchup or mayonnaise, They are popular as a side dish in restaurants or as a street food snack purchased at an imbestand, Snack stand. Since the 1950s, Currywurst has become a widely popular dish that is commonly offered with fries. Currywurst is a sausage, Often bratwurst or pockwurst, In a spiced ketchup-based sauce, Dusted with curry powder and served with fries. The standard deep fried cut potatoes in the United Kingdom are called chips and are cut into pieces typically between 10 and 15 millimeters thick. They are occasionally made from unpeeled potatoes, Skin showing. British chips are not the same thing as potato chips in American term. Those are called crisps in the UK and some other countries. In the UK, Chips are part of the popular and now international fast food dish, Fish and chips, As well as many other dishes. In the UK, Chips are not the same as french fries. Chips are more thickly cut than french fries, And they can be cooked once or multiple times at different temperatures. From 1813 on, Recipes for deep-fried cut potatoes occur in popular cookbooks. By the late 1850s, At least one cookbook refers to French fried potatoes. The first commercially available chips in the UK were sold by Mrs. Granny Deuce in one of the West Riding Towns in 1854. A blue plaque in Oldham marks the origin of the fish and chip shop, And thus the start of the fast food industry in Britain. In Scotland, Chips were first sold in Dundee. In the 1870s, That glory of British gastronomy, The chip, Was first sold by Belgian immigrant Edouard de Gernier in the city's green market. In Ireland, The first chip shop was opened by Giuseppe Cervi, An Italian immigrant, Who arrived there in the 1880s. It was estimated in 2011 that in the UK, 80% of households bought frozen chips each year. Although chips were a popular dish in most Commonwealth countries, The thin-style French fries have been popularized worldwide in large part by the large American fast food chains such as McDonald's and Burger King. Palmsfried, Or just fried, French, Frieten, A word used in Flanders and the southern provinces of the Netherlands, Or patad, Used in the north and central parts of the Netherlands, Became a national snack. Fries also come in the form of a common Dutch street food known as patatje oorlog, Translated to as war fries. It consists of fries dressed with mayonnaise, A peanut-based satay sauce, And garnished with diced raw onions, Along with a variety of other optional ingredients. The town of Florenceville, Bristol, New Brunswick in Canada, Headquarters of McCain Foods, Calls itself the French fry capital of the world, And also hosts a museum about potatoes called Potato World. McCain Foods is the world's largest manufacturer of frozen french fries and other potato specialties. Canada is also responsible for providing 22% of China's french fries. French fries are the main ingredient in the Quebecois dish known as poutine, A dish consisting of fried potatoes covered with cheese curds and brown gravy. Poutine has a growing number of variations, But it is generally considered to have been developed in rural Quebec sometime in the 1950s, Although precisely where in the province it first appeared is a matter of contention. In the United States, The J. R. Simplot Company is credited with successfully commercializing french fries in frozen form during the 1940s. Subsequently, In 1967, Ray Kroc of McDonald's contracted the Simplot Company to supply them with frozen fries, Replacing fresh-cut potatoes. In 2004, 29% of the United States potato crops were used to make frozen fries, 90% consumed by the food services sector, And 10% by retail. The United States supplies China with most of their French fries, As 70% of China's French fries are imported. Pre-made French fries have been available for home cooking since the 1960s, Having been pre-fried, Or sometimes baked, Frozen, And placed in a sealed plastic bag. Some fast food chains dip the fries in a sugar solution or a starch batter to alter the appearance or texture. French fries are one of the most popular dishes in the United States, Commonly being served as a side dish to main dishes and in fast food restaurants. The average American eats around 30 pounds of french fries a year. In Spain, Fried potatoes are called patatas fritas or papas fritas. Another common form involving larger irregular cuts is patatas bravas. The potatoes are cut into big chunks, Partially boiled, And then fried. They are usually seasoned with a spicy tomato sauce. Fries are a common side dish in Latin American cuisine or part of larger preparations such as the salchipapas in Peru or chorillana in Chile. Whilst eating regular crispy french fries is common in South Africa, A regional favorite, Particularly in Cape Town, Is a soft, Soggy version doused in white vinegar called slapchips, Pronounced slupchips in English or slapchups in Afrikaans. These chips are typically thicker and fried at a lower temperature for a longer period of time than regular french fries. Slap chips are an important component of a Gatsby sandwich. Also a common Cape Town delicacy. Slap chips are also commonly served with deep fried fish, Which are also served with the same white vinegar. French fries come in multiple variations and toppings. Some examples include carne asada fries. Fries covered with carne asada, Guacamole, Sour cream, And cheese. Cheese fries. Fries covered with cheese. Chili cheese fries. Fries covered with chili and cheese. Choriana, Fries topped with sliced mead, Caramelized onion, And fried eggs. Curly fries, Characterized by their helical shape, Cut from whole potatoes using a specialized spiral slicer. Curry chips. Fries covered in curry sauce. Dirty Fries Fries covered in melted cheese with various toppings such as bacon, Pulled pork, Chili, Or gravy. French fry sandwich. Fried potato with bread, Including the chip putty, Horseshoe sandwich, French tacos, And the mitraillette. Greek fries. Fries topped with feta cheese and various toppings, Such as tomatoes, Red onions, And tzatziki. Kimchi Fries Fries topped with caramelized baechu kimchi and green onions. Loaded fries. Fries topped with cheese and bacon. Microwave fries. Fries that are cooked in the microwave. Some frozen fries have instructions for microwaving. OVEN FRIES Fries that are cooked in the oven is a final step in the preparation. Potato wedges. Thick cut elongated wedge shaped fries with the skin left on. Poutine, A dish consisting of fries topped with cheese curds and gravy, And principally associated with the Canadian province of Quebec. Salt and pepper chips, 3-in-1 chips, And the spice bag. Various British-Chinese fusion and Irish-Chinese fusion dishes. Shoestring fries, Thin-cut fries. Steak fries, Thick cut fries. Sweet potato fries. Fries made with sweet potatoes instead of traditional white potatoes. Tornado fries. Helical cut potatoes that are placed on a skewer and then deep fried. Triple cooked chips, Fries that are simmered, Cooled and drained using a low temp, Long time cooking technique. They are then deep fried at just 130 degrees Celsius, Cooled, And finally deep fried at 180 degrees Celsius. Waffle Fries Lattice shaped fries obtained by quarter turning the potato before each next slide over a grater and deep frying just once. A baked variant, Oven fries, Uses less or no oil. Garlic fries. A variant that includes garlic and parsley. Fries tend to be served with a variety of accompaniments, Such as salt, Vinegar, Malt balsamic or white, Pepper, Cajun seasoning, Grated cheese, Melted cheese, Mushy peas, Heated curry sauce, Curry ketchup, Hot sauce, Relish, Mustard, Mayonnaise, Bearnaise sauce, Tartar sauce, Chili, Tzatziki, Feta cheese, Garlic sauce, Fry sauce, Butter, Sour cream, Ranch dressing, Barbecue sauce, Gravy, Honey, Aioli, Brown sauce, Ketchup, Lemon juice, Piccalilli, Pickled cucumber, Pickled gherkins, Pickled onions, Or pickled eggs. In Australia, A popular flavoring added to chips is chicken salt. French fries primarily contain carbohydrates, Mostly in the form of starch, With some fat absorbed during the deep frying process and protein from the potato. Salt, Which contains sodium, Is almost always applied as a surface seasoning.

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A crispy topical talk.... Cheers