Fast Food Style French Fries

DRINKING: Homemade wine

INSPIRED BY: All things I need help from myself consuming

SERVE WITH: Homemade Big Macs

SPECIAL TOOLS: French fry cutter or knife skills

BACKGROUND NOISE: Foster the People – Torches (2011)

“Where there’s smokes, there’s fries.”

I miss the days when McDonald’s used to provide their patrons with mini cocaine spoons on their condiment stands. There they were, in plain view, for anyone to use for their snorting pleasure. Tiny white spoons with a long handle to make sure you could get deep down into the corners of your cocaine bag and scrape out every last remaining remnant of powder. The giant golden arches branded at the end to serve as a leveraged grip. It was so much easier than having to cut out a line or dealing with dipping the grooves of a house key into the flap. They could be worn indiscriminately around one’s neck, or the handle could be snapped off to fit into the change pocket on one’s jeans. It was everything one would hope for in a cocaine delivery system quick, easy, and convenient.

During this era McDonald’s also cooked their fries in 93% beef tallow. When I would stop in to pick up my spoons for that weekend’s events, the sweet smell of rendered cow suet always prepared my nostrils, exercising the blood vessels for the workout they would soon face. Mmmmm and those fries tasted soooo goooood. Thin yellow potato sticks made crispy from the sumptuous, rich taste of rendered cow fat, covered in salt and dipped in ketchup. Brings a tear to my eye.

Due to pressure from health groups McDonald’s has now done away with both of these cornerstones of my youth. I guess people are incapable of not eating french fries every day of their lives, so the least McDonald’s can do is make them healthier. I suppose those spoons made doing cocaine so much easier that McDonald’s had no choice but to save us from ourselves and have them removed from the condiment stands. Fuck ’em, now I do cocaine off the end of french fries. How you like me now Ronald?

TRICKS & TIPS: French fry cutters are inexpensive and widely available at hardware or home cooking stores.

If you don’t have a home fryer, use a heavy bottomed skillet to heat your oil. Save the container from the oil and after use, let it cool and funnel it back into the container. Used fryer oil gets better with age. It increased the flavour and colour imparted on the food it cooks. When the oil becomes dark, discard and start over.

Make sure your pre-cooked fries are well dried. Any water placed in hot oil will jump up and burn your eyes.

If you are serving guests, avoid using peanut oil or you may end up with a house full of dead people. Peanut allergies are nasty.

INGREDIENTS:

Serves 4

• 4 large russet potatoes, washed and peeled
• 8 cups vegetable oil
• table salt to taste

EXECUTION:

1. Cut fries using fry cutter or knife to 1/4 inch diameter and place in a bowl under cold running water for 2 mins or until water runs clear from the starch cloud. Cover fries in cold water and place in the freezer for at least 30 mins, up to 3 hours. If cutting well in advance, skip the freezer and place directly into the fridge.

2. Heat oil in deep fryer or heavy bottomed skillet to 375 degrees. Drain fries in colander, transfer to paper towels and pat dry. Place half of the cut and dried fries into the hot oil and cook until slightly golden and crisp, about 7 mins. Using a skimmer, remove fries from oil and drain on paper towels. Let rest while repeating the process with the second half.

3. Before serving, bring oil back up to 375 degrees. Place half the pre-cooked fries back into the hot oil and cook, stirring constantly, until browned and crispy, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and drain on paper towels, season immediately with salt. Repeat with second half pre-cooked fries and serve.