French fries, pomme frites, potato sticks. Let's argue!

I WANT to pull this out of the hot link thread because we're good at arguing here. Pit beef, pulled pork, buns, ketchup,PIZZA, we've had great arguments there, so I think we should turn our attention to the side dish for a change. 

I'm not a big fry fan, in general. "Fresh cut" fries piss me off because people usually skip a step and you wind up with a greasy, soggy, gross mess. McDonald's "fries" are only fries in the rest of the world, sorry America, fries don't need 20 ingredients, just potato, oil, salt, no need for an anti-foam agent or artificial color or whatever other garbage they're cramming into them. 

Battered fries though, or properly double cooked fresh cut fries, are where it's at. Crispy, crunchy, golden brown deliciousness.

I still prefer my fries on my sandwich though, no matter where I am, but I've found ways to make sub par fries taste better.

Take your ketchup, cover in pepper with a dash of salt, then stir with a fry. You're welcome, your fast food fries are now better tasting, even if you're not a ketchup fan. 

The best way to eat them though is obvious, at least to me and Canadians, covered in brown gravy and cheese curds or crumbles.

So, let's hear it, what do you like? How do you eat those soggy gross boardwalk/amusement park fries? Or where have you found for good crispy crunchy fries?

Waffle fries done up as nachos are my celebration food. My favorite local pub, Melton's App & Tap serves them up as an appetizer, but I eat it as a meal.

Do what makes you happy!

Tater tots or GTFO. Let me rephrase that, Tater tot nachos or GTFO

The best fries are the ones that I make at home.  Wash the tuber, leave the skin on, slice it into sticks, put it in the deep fryer.  When it comes out, apply copious amounts of kosher salt.  Eat while still approximately the temperature of lava.  The skin should be crispy, the innards should be soft.

Barring that, I used to be a huge fan of McDonald's fries, but they must have changed something a few years ago.  Maybe when they took the animal fat out or something.  The ones at Chick-Fil-A are tasty when piping hot and covered in salt, but I don't typically like the waffle cut in other circumstances.

I can take or leave catsup.  I don't like tomato at all and if I'm going to eat catsup it will require fries, however, fries do not require catsup.  The sauce that Rasing Caine's has is delicious on fries - let's be honest, it would make a dog turd taste good if you used enough - although I think their fries are somewhat unremarkable without the sauce.

To me, fries should be potato.  Sweet potato is good, too, but they don't really need special seasoning or sauce or anything like that.  Just potatos and a ton of salt.

slefain said:

Waffle fries done up as nachos are my celebration food. My favorite local pub, Melton's App & Tap serves them up as an appetizer, but I eat it as a meal.

This is called "Irish nachos" at the watering hole we frequent post autocross.  After a day of sweating in the sun, two beers and a plate of these is about as good as it gets.

I can eat most fries, as long as they're not soggy and dripping in grease. Those aren't fries, they're uncooked potatoes. I also don't care for In-N-Out style fries.

I've never had fries covered in gravy, but it sounds delicious and I need to try it.

I've done mayo, mustard, ketchup, etc. The typical staple toppings. I'm always willing to expand my fry-tastes.

People who refer to ketchup as catsup weird me out.  

FuzzWuzzy said:

I can eat most fries, as long as they're not soggy and dripping in grease. Those aren't fries, they're uncooked potatoes. I also don't care for In-N-Out style fries.

I've never had fries covered in gravy, but it sounds delicious and I need to try it.

I've done mayo, mustard, ketchup, etc. The typical staple toppings. I'm always willing to expand my fry-tastes.

Poutine is amazing. 

In reply to KyAllroad (Jeremy) :

When I say it out loud I make it sound like "cat soup"

In reply to FuzzWuzzy :

Glad you mentioned In n Out. As amazing as their burgers are, they really dropped the ball with the fries. I've had them every way they serve them but they're just off, much like Steak n Shake. Look good, sounds good on paper, but poorly executed. Ordering them well done helps, but I've found another burger makes a better side dish at those places.

Are waffle fries really fries or just crudely chopped potatoes?

So long as they have mayonnaise and salt  on them call them whatever you want..  

I love french fries. Any way you wanna make 'em, I'll eat 'em. I think my favorites are waffle fries or tot-chos. I fry my tater tots in peanut oil which I find to make a better fry. I put salt on them, and nothing else, and they're amazing.

Great, now I want a burger and fries for lunch. You guys have ruined my leftover home made fish curry I was going to have.

Waffle fries are fries, sir. Tasty, tasty fries. I agree with you on the Steak n Shake fries. I haven't had In n Out, but I do love Five Guys fries. Those I dip in ketchup with a bit of malt vinegar mixed in.

jharry3 said:

So long as they have mayonnaise and salt  on them call them whatever you want..  

Philistine! Or Dutch.. pretty much the same thing though isn't it?

Even though I brought my lunch, I just might do burger and fries today, too....Dammit.

I thought you guys called 'em "Freedom Fries"

This is all that counts.  /End thread

bobzilla said:

Tater tots or GTFO. Let me rephrase that, Tater tot nachos or GTFO

I came here to say this. verbatim. Get out of my head.

best mass market fries are Five Guys. The sorry excuse for potato abuse known as the shoestring - places like Freddys, In n Out, and Steak n Shake - are an affront to all that is holy.

As a kid I'd get steak fries at Ryan's Steakhouse and dip them in the honey butter they put out for the rolls. There's a reason I'm a porker.

ShawnG said:

I thought you guys called 'em "Freedom Fries"

Only Ignorant ungrateful SOB's who don't realize their freedom from King George came at the cost of Frenchy nobility's heads. 

The Euro version, fried in very hot olive oil, is the correct one. These require nothing but salt and pepper. Anything else is just taking away from the experience to some degree.

And anyone who puts malt vinegar on them is just wrong. Dead wrong.

What, no cheese fries?

In reply to slowbird :

I love cheese, but it just makes fries gross. 

There's a place in town here, Cafe Bruge, that makes the best fries I've ever had. Fried twice in beef tallow, they have the perfect level of crisp and a great flavor. Served with their excellent home made ketchup or any of about half a dozen of their own dipping sauces, they're simple, just really well executed. Burgers there are also among the best I've had and they have a number of Belgian ales on tap to wash it all down. If you're ever around for a car show, check them out!

02Pilot said:

And anyone who puts malt vinegar on them is just wrong. Dead wrong.

Whelp, here's an argument right here: you're wrong.

Slightly large cut fries, a little skin left on, fried in peanut oil and covered in salt until crispy outside and creamy inside:  not perfect until there's a little malt vinegar on them.

In reply to RealMiniNoMore :

Impossible. Fries good, cheese good, put them together and it's culinary magic.