"deep-frying" news and stories

What's the difference between pan-frying and deep-frying?

Orange beets from Encino. Photo: dichohecho, Flickr

• With about 30 vendors, the Encino farmers' market is the place to be.
• Forget the pizza and fast food: Occidental College junior Saul Sutcher whips up gourmet fare at his own on-campus "Café Norris."
• West Hollywood's RH has a revamped menu and brings gourmet style to the Hyatt.
• Easy, fresh and elegant vino drinking is the way of 2008 Mirth Chardonnay.
• Linda Rivera's health battle after digging into some raw Nestle Toll House cookie dough back in May.
• On teaching tykes to love healthy eating with good food and fun.
• Chicken Charlie and his overwhelming addiction to deep-frying anything and everything -- s'mores, frog's legs, pickles, cupcakes, you name it.
• Burbank's Zaatar Factory serves solid Lebanese fare and savory baking.
• Recipes: Norris Hall Duck Ragu, Pan-Fried Fish Fillet with Rouille.

We always think of the delicious potatoes falling into the sizzling hot oil, but what about apples?

Above you can watch Chef Jason Hill make apple fries. Oh yes, he takes apples, slices 'em like fries, fries 'em up, and tops them with some cinnamon sugar. Unlike potatoes, which benefit from the double-frying technique, these guys are simple and quick -- just a coating of corn starch and into the oil they go. The simplicity and speed of this makes it perfect for that wow-treat for company. It won't take hours to make, and your guests will get a pleasantly sweet surprise.

Hill pairs the fries with a quick sauce of marshmallow and cream cheese, but I'm thinking a delicious yogurt-based dip would be perfect with this.

At least, at the Texas State Fair it is. It's Deep-fried Coke.

Abel Gonzales Jr. flavors his batter with Coca-Cola, deep fries it, drizzles Coke fountain syrup on it, then tops it all off with whipped cream, cinnamon sugar and a cherry. Gonzales's creation won for creativity at the second-annual Big Tex Choice Awards Contest, beating out such delicacies as deep-fried macaroni cheese and deep-fried Cosmos.

Deep-fried Coke may sound weird now, weird enough to get a little Farking, but back in 1942, a cornbread-battered hot dog on a stick might have sounded weird, too. Now we have corn dogs.