What potatoes for frying chips - but using a special oil?

[cntrlwagdnr]

Someone just pointed out to me chips, in England, are what Americans call 'French fries'. Why? To me 'French fries' are a poor, thin imitation, the quintessential British chip is thicker and more succulent, they even come as 'Chunky chips', a shorter, even thicker version. Delectable.

Oh, you mean steak fries! Why didn't you say so? Lots of them over here. Just a different type of French fry - which is exactly what they are - pomme frites - originated in France. But when I grew up in the UK, you guys only called thin crispier ones French fries. I guess your "QBc" is just a "QB version" of the French pomme frite. I seriously question if there is "THE" QBc anyway. They all vary and some are not so good as others. We happen to like slightly thinner crispier fries a lot of the time over here. But we also have "chunky" ones - the ultimate manifestation being jo-jos, which are actual wedges of potato. So good with some Southern deep fried chicken! Heck now I think we will have to go to Uncle Sam's Saloon for their Sunday special two deep fried chicken dinners for $24 (with French fries, jo-jos or tater tots). Basically a whole chicken, so the next day's dinner is taken care of too. Tip - jo-jo reheat better.

As to potato chips, they were commercially invented here in the USA. You called them crisps to differential from your "chips". Makes perfect sense, no mystery there!

If you want to talk about "quintessential", how about hamburgers? They should be 100% ground beef patties, not those nasty hockey pucks things made of some mystery meatloaf like substances you get over there - except for Micky D's or Burger King. I NEVER eat hamburgers in the UK. But that's OK, you have plenty of other good stuff to eat instead. Well, maybe not steak. Do you guys understand what tender steak is? It's the other thing I never eat over there. You can find it, but it's an expensive and time consuming project, fraught with many failures and I don't have the time, money or patience for that, plus I try not to stay that long. Nice thinnly sliced roast beef with Yorkshire pudding absolutely, but I'm not into chewing on slabs of shoe leather. Prime rib roast over here is sliced at least 1/2 inch thick. Come to think of it, that must be why you guys slice you roast beef so thin - smart idea.

On the other hand, there's Shepherd's Pie. I know even you guys use beef sometimes and call it that, but over here I am constantly reminding people that shepherds herd sheep, not cattle. Made with beef (or anything else other than lamb or mutton) it's cottage pie! Interestingly, Shepherd's pie is a type of cottage pie, just to confuse some of you. Like an orange is a fruit, but not all fruit is an orange - you can't call an apple an orange but you can call it fruit! I have even shamed a few restaurants into changing the name on their menu. (Call yourself an "Irish Pub"? Gimme a break!) Costco's homemade fresh pies are my next target...

 

[cntrlwagdnr]

By the way, I grew up in the UK and moved here to the US when I was 30. So I get to legitimately comment on both sides. Have been a US citizen for along time now, so that might give you a clue to my comment on trying not to stay over there too long. Not that I dislike it that much, but I like it here much better - and it's so freaking expensive over there! Plus not much family left over there that I care to associate with since my Mom passed. On the other hand, if we do go now it can finally be purely for tourist reasons, not just sides shoots from visiting family and you do have some cool stuff my wife has never seen.

 

[Sean Regan]

"This isn't my department."
My access to our kitchen, extends only as far as the coffee machine just inside the entrance.
We buy King Edward potatoes, they are cut up small by "the catering department," and baked )not fried) in the oven in a wide shallow pan in a very small amount of rapeseed oil.

 

[gary350]

Potato wedges deep fried like French fries. Each country has their own name for each way potatoes are sliced and cooked.

 

[cntrlwagdnr]

Potato wedges deep fried like French fries. Each country has their own name for each way potatoes are sliced and cooked.


Interesting. Where in the US are you? We are SE WA State - Columbia Basin (Tri Cities), but all over the West Coast and as far over a Montana, I've only heard them called a Jo-Jo's. Look yummy with that seasoned coating, they look like Yukons or some other yellow tater.

Going back to the OP's question, re chips (AKA crisps to the Brits). After a little research, I found out a lot of chip manufacturers us Peanut Oil because of its high smoke point and mild flavor and is longer lasting. The Kennebec potato mentioned by someone is not actually a single variety. It was, when developed by the USDA during WWII. However, since the late 70's/ early 80's, it has been used to describe a number of similar varieties. Even though they are quite good and compare well with other popular varieties, their popularity with chip AND fries manufacturers is not due taste but their physical characteristics. It's all about the money....