I understand the allure of an efficient kitchen only clogged with tools one absolutely needs. I get it. Most things can be done with a few basic tools. Yeah, I know. But unless I go psycho and decide to slice by hand, no knife is going to give me crinkle cut fries.
Just look at them. There's something immensely comforting and mouth-salivating about the crinkle cut, especially if its on a pile of fries fresh out of the oil and dusted with salt and pepper. The crinkle cut offers an air of professional talent and can make even the quickest frites look all the more carefully cut. A smooth fry is no match for the dark peaks and lighter ridges of the crinkle, like the grill marks we all love to make.
Even on the side of practicality, it makes sense. Those crinkle suckers are powerful, sliding through taters like there's no resistance at all. Once I picked up one of my own, I wished I'd had it all those years when I had crappy knives and tried to cut through tough, unwielding potatoes. Now, it's my go-to tool for taters, giving a little visual flair that makes this stomach all the happier. Don't you agree?
12-02-2008 @9:19AM doodoolemonque said... Its not so much the crinkles i find compelling in this picture, but their crispy good darkness. I always ask for my fries (when I do risk my heart and actually order them) "well done." The kitchen successfully gets them dark and nice and "cripsy" about half the time and ignores the request the other half. Frankly, there is little attraction to, or little use for them undercooked and soft.
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12-02-2008 @9:39AM Sally said... Crinkle cut fries are my least favorite -- in fact, unless well-done, I don't like them at all. And I love potatoes just about any way they can be prepared.
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12-02-2008 @9:50AM Jesse Bragg said... My local pizza/sub shop has crinkle cut fries and they are very generous in the portion. They are awesome...especially the little crispy bits on the bottom of the container....now I need some!
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12-02-2008 @9:51AM Astin said... I too have a crinkle cutter, and it's great. I tend to bake "fries" covered in spices and oil, and the ridges provide pockets of intense flavour that you don't get with straight-cut fries.
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12-02-2008 @3:03PM Rt said... Oh man, I do love a frenchfry. I have tried to make them at home and can't quite get it rite. It used to be one of the few pleasures of eating out until they started using the processed fries instead of whole potatos.
Long ago a roommate had a small rectangular gizmo just big enuf to hold one potato. It cam with a lever-action slicer (a grate thru which the potato was forced, no crinkles tho) and held hardly any oil. I don't know if it is because I was young and hungry or what, but that little fryer was killer.
I like the shot of the fries but what does that crinkle cutter look like. I have not heard of such a marvelous tool. I can do some things with my cheapo mandolin but I don't think crinkles are there.
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12-02-2008 @5:35PM Samme said... I have always been more a fan of the curly spiral-cut fry. It is such fun putting them through the spinner.
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12-03-2008 @1:32PM Rt said... Ooooh, curly fries, mmmmmm.
Stop it, potato lust is overwhelming me :)
So much food, so little time.
The next discussion should be on the spices used to differentiate the fries. I worked a 12 hour nite shift and had occasion to try Denny's curly/spicy fries, quite tasty. Flour was added for some crunch but the paprika, Cayenne pepper, whatever, made the dish. I have no idea if they did the 'double fry' technique or not.
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12-03-2008 @3:55PM Monika said... Rt - the Crinkle cutter: http://www.kitchenstuffplus.com/shop/product.php?d=&sd=&pid=W001288
That's the one I use. There are fancier and pricier models out there, but that one has worked well for a few years now.
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12-03-2008 @9:12PM Rt said... What I see is the "Joie Uptown Wavy Knife".
I'm too stupid to discern how to use it. It would be interesting to see it used but I'm afraid I wouldn't be impressed.
Oh well, if the worst thing that happens to me is I can't make my own 'crinkle fries' then I will be ok :)
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