The History of the Fry

The controversy doesn't end with what type of fry is best, or what type of texture is the most pleasant in the mouth. This feud dates back to when fries became a food to begin with. The Belgians and the French both insist that they created the original fry, but the story is not so simple. The Belgians say that fries were invented by the villagers who lived near the River Meuse, as they traditionally caught and sliced up fish thinly before frying them. As the winters grew cold and the waters froze over, they would turn to potatoes and slice them thinly to be fried in the same way they would fry fish in the warmer months. The French insist that the name of the food is evidence to their origin story, when in the 1780s, street vendors began to sell French fries on the oldest standing bridge across the River Seine, the Pont Neuf. These vendors were popular with both locals and tourists at the time.

Still, there is a third claim for the King of the Potato throne, Game of Thrones puns not intended. The Spanish say that they are the ones who invented the fry. It was the Spanish who first brought the potato back with them to Europe from South America. The first written records of cooked potatoes comes to us from a 1553 memoir which details Incas boiling potatoes. The Spanish conquistadors would likely have seen this and brought this food back with them to be cooked in their own way, which at the time was predominantly frying food in oil. Though these potatoes wouldn't have been exactly the flavor or the type of fries we know today, they would still be fries!

Thomas Jefferson is believed to have introduced the French Fry to our country. He first tasted them when he was the American Minister in France during the late 1780s. Jefferson's handwritten family cookbooks contained what would later become American favorites such as macaroni and cheese, vanilla ice cream and pommes de terre frites à cru en petites tranches (which translates to "potatoes deep-fried while raw, in small cuttings"). He also had potates "served in the French manner" for a White House dinner in 1802.

In more recent history, an artist by the name of Stefan Bohnenberger made waves in the art world with his French fry art. He made a cross of golden fries, titled "Pommes d'Or" and it went on display in a room all their own in a gallery named Mosel and Tschechow, located in Munich. He is quoted as having hoped the fry cross would demonstrate "the metamorphosis of a profane, everyday object into a sacred artwork." Trouble stirred in 2005 when it was discovered that the original fries that the golden fries were based off had vanished. The artist went to court with the gallery and was awarded 2,000 euros in damages, possibly the most that has ever been spent on two French fries.

The Story of Our Brewpub Garlic Fries Blend

Great French fries are not simply fried potatoes. There is an arduous and painstaking attention to detail that goes into creating the perfect fresh, hand cut fry. Hours of cutting, rinsing, soaking, rinsing again, frying, and cooling are required to make the perfect fry. Some places even pickle their fries for that perfect bite. The of course, comes the seasoning blend to take those amazing fries and make them even more mouth-watering.

We at Spices, Inc. have had the great opportunity to work with more than a few restaurants. Some of our best restaurant customers have turned out to be micro-brewers who also had a popular pub restaurant. We were first contacted by the chef at one of our favorite brewing companies several years ago, when he had finally made the decision to ditch the frozen fries and go with fresh hand cut fries instead. He was looking a garlic fry seasoning to give their fries just the right character.

After meeting with him and getting a better idea of the flavor profile he was going for, which included sampling one of their new wheat IPAs, we went to work coming up with a couple of sample blends for him to try out in the kitchen. Once it got the kitchen's approval, they were ready to move on to testing these new fries with some of their customers. Brewpub Garlic Fries was the winner! We have since made several custom fry seasonings for other brewpubs and grills across the country, but being the first one, this is still our favorite.

What's in it?

Our Brewpub Garlic Fries is hand blended from roasted garlic, sea salt, onion and white pepper.

Flavor Profile

This blend is salty with a smooth roasted garlic flavor. There is a hint of mild heat from the freshly ground white pepper as well.

Where to Use

Now, if you want to take on creating your own perfectly golden French fries at home you are going to have to do more than just cutting some spuds and dropping them into oil. The first step to getting soft on the inside and crispy on the outside fries is understanding starch. Potatoes have starch which prevents the outside of the fries from easily becoming nice and crisp. For the fries to be cooked on the inside you would need to leave them in the oil for too long, potentially burning the outside of the fries. Unless you're one of those people that loves burned food, this is not the ideal fry situation.

To create outstanding fries, start by peeling your potatoes and then cut them into sticks. Once you have cut all the potatoes you want, place them in a large colander and rinse them off. Next place them in a large pot, cover them with cold water and let them soak for at least two or three hours. In a restaurant setting, they would likely soak overnight. After they are done soaking, drain the fries, rinse them off one more time in the colander, and then lay them on a bunch of paper towels or kitchen towels to dry them off. Blot the top of the potatoes to remove any excess moisture.

Now you are ready to do the first fry. Preheat your pot of oil to 300° F, and fry the potatoes for approximately 4-5 minutes. This is a first cook and you are not looking to brown them on the outside, just to soften them up on the inside. Test one at the 4 minute mark. If it cuts through easily they're done. Drain them and place them on new, dry paper towels. You probably won't want to use kitchen towels for this step unfortunately, as the grease will be very difficult to get out of a kitchen towel. Once all your fries have been pre-cooked and are drying, turn your pot of oil up to 400°F. Once the oil has reached this temperature it is time to reintroduce the fries to the oil. Fry them until they are golden and crisp. Remove from fries from the oil and dry one last time. While they are still hot and a little oily, season the fries with some Brewpub Garlic Fries seasoning, using as little or as much as you want. The oil helps the seasoning really stick to the fries. Now you are ready to serve your perfectly cooked fries.

You can use sweet potatoes for fries as well. Simply follow the same steps listed above for regular potatoes.

We have also had great success using our Garlic Fries Seasoning on popcorn, on cheesy dishes, and in burger meat when forming our own patties. It's great on vegetables, particular cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower and broccoli.

Helpful Hints

Not sure what potatoes are best for making fries? Restaurants tend to go for russets, and they prefer those grown in Idaho when possible. What oil is best for deep frying your fries? We like to use peanut oil, as it has a high smoking point while the taste of the oil is mild enough not to overpower the fries. If you have a countertop deep fryer, that will work, but a heavy bottomed pan will work just as well.

Meeting Your Business Needs with Our Products

As mentioned previously, our Brewpub Garlic Fries Seasoning is a hit with pubs and small restaurants, especially those that have a brewery attached. To buy this product in bulk guarantees that you are unlikely to run out of one of the most craveable flavors on one of the most popular sides in your restaurant. Our customers have also used this blend in their specialty olive oil shops and in the production of quality refrigerated dips for vegetables and chips. It is an ingredient for many of our customers running American food restaurants, especially classic "burger and fry" spots, or highway diners. The intense flavor of this blend is suitable for everything from your own restaurant to the quality cheesemakers in rural parts of the country. Maybe you are thinking of a savory flavor for a gourmet snack blend. Brewpub Garlic Fries just might be the answer!

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