For the Love of the Fry

I love French fries.  I really love French fries.  But in the interest of my health and wellbeing, I have committed to only eating good fries.  Flabby steak fries, lukewarm potato wedges and other sins against the noble potato are not permitted. 

In my opinion a good fry is skinny, crisp and hot.  They should not be greasy, they should be salty and they should be served in a manner that avoids sogginess.  That's right, I'm serious about my fries. 

So, I was very excited to visit what many people claim is a superb French fry restaurant, Pommes Frites.  It is a wonderfully grimy little shop filled with sacks of potatoes and tasty smells.  My expectations were high as I saw two cooks frying and re-frying potatoes, tossing them in the famous Belgian pans and serving them up in paper cones.  But I was disappointed to find the fries, though hot and flavorful, were not particularly crisp. 

Luckily, there's a silver lining to this story.  The array of dipping sauces was amazing.  The ladies behind the counter were friendly and were happy to chat about the different styles of fries.  Not only did they acknowledge the skinny/thick fry debate, but they provided sample after sample of dipping sauce for my enjoyment.

To make a long story short: the fries were unremarkable, but those ladies bought my love with friendly conversation and tasty tasty sauce. 

All this has planted a seed in my mind.  I'm thinking a fry and sauce tasting party could be in order.  Guests would bring their favorite local fries (Vasili's or Saturn Cafe for example) or a sauce they've whipped up.  To counteract the fried goodness, one could serve plenty of green salad and or a fresh tomato soup.  Mmmmmm . . . I might need to make that happen soon.