Sunday, April 7, 2019

F is for French Fries

#AtoZChallenge 2019 Tenth Anniversary blogging from A to Z challenge letter
Ahh, those delicious, deep fried potato pieces. Food of the gods.

But I didn't always feel that way. For most of my life, I could take or leave French fries-that is until I was pregnant with Wally and had a taste change. They became wonderful. I remember the exact time I discovered their appeal. Ward and I were eating at a hamburger grill in New Orleans.  I'm not sure what I ordered, but Ward ordered his eternal favorite of a burger and fries. I tried a few fries from his plate and they were GOOD. And I then had a few more. After that, I was trying fries everywhere we went and they were no longer, blah.* They were delicious.


Image result for mcdonalds fries
Here I am decades later and I'm still loving the fries I'm eating off of Ward's plate. When you think about it, what's not to like? A delicious dose of starch, fat, and salt that is good for dipping in all matter of things. Of course, nothing can beat the classic dip of ketchup which adds a little tang and sweetness to the flavor mix. In my opinion, the best fries are extra crunchy on the outside, soft in the inside and well drained without too much oil. For commercial fries, McDonald's wins not only in my rankings but in many other public polls. However, don't make the mistake I did of reading their ingredients. McDonald's used to fry them in beef tallow, but to make them truly vegetarian, they now use a combination of spices and chemicals to give them that taste. News that took away my innocence which believed that fries really were just made from potatoes, oil, and salt. While I find that discouraging, I still manage to eat a few McDonald's fries then and again. :)

But here's the burning question in all of this. Do you capitalize the word French in the phrase, french fries? According to Grammar Girl, french stays lower case because it relates to a kind of cut, not necessarily where they came from. However, she sites several sources and there is not total agreement among them. So, I will continue to do what I do now. Be unsure and capitalize randomly. What do you do?

*This was after my 5 month run of only popcicles, saltines, and boiled chicken breasts.

Posted by Live and Learn at 8:52 AM
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10 comments:

  1. StrayerApril 7, 2019 at 10:34 AM

    My favorite dip for fries is malt vinegar. I was a child when we went to Canada, Vancouver Island to be exact, and fries there were served with malt vinegar. I never wanted them with ketchup after that. I make my own here. What's not to like?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Live and LearnApril 7, 2019 at 12:20 PM

      I have never tried malt vinegar. I've always wondered if it would make the fries soggy.

      Delete
    2. StrayerApril 7, 2019 at 3:40 PM

      I just dip them in it. I don't sprinkle it over them.

      Delete
    3. Live and LearnApril 7, 2019 at 5:43 PM

      I guess a quick dip wouldn't get them to soggy. I'll have to give it a try because you're not the only one who likes fries that way.

      Delete
  2. JaniceApril 7, 2019 at 8:02 PM

    Mmmmm, fries. These days I like to pressure cook potatoes then cut them in wedges and put in the air fryer. Crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside. Yum.

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    Replies
    1. Live and LearnApril 8, 2019 at 6:49 AM

      I am definitely intrigued by an air fryer, but I don't have room for another small appliance. Do you use it a lot?

      Delete
    2. JaniceApril 10, 2019 at 9:36 PM

      Haven't had it long. I use it a couple times a week so far

      Delete
  3. KrisApril 7, 2019 at 8:59 PM

    I generally make oven fries but I did enjoy a rare opportunity to have french fries at Wendy's last week. MMmm.

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    Replies
    1. Live and LearnApril 8, 2019 at 6:50 AM

      Wendy's fries with the skin on can be pretty good. We don't have a Wendy's close to us, so I rarely get them.

      It's not the same as french fries, but I like oven fries, too. If we have potatoes, we often do that with them.

      Delete
  4. BlessApril 9, 2019 at 4:41 PM

    Now you have me craving fries and wondering about whether or not to capitalize! Maybe I'll just call them fries or chips, which is what we called them when I was growing up. As in fish and chips. Didn't have burgers and fries until I came to this country!

    ReplyDelete

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