Human beings have been consuming potatoes for thousands of years, although if we are purists, we should call them potatoes. However, the history of French fries is much shorter, but no less tasty for that.
From the Andean towns until some Belgian —or French, because the story is not clear— came up with go through hot fat this tuber and convert the pomme de terre in frites It has been many years.
However, the fries can be done better. We are not referring only to the way of making them, obviously, but to choosing the best possible potatoes for this purpose. We might think that it would be enough to go to the supermarket and look for those potatoes that say ‘special for frying’, But the story does not end there. Rather start.
Nor when we make distinctions between new potatoes and old potatoes, since it is evident that new potatoes are preferable to fried ones. basically because being less mealyabsorb less oil and that makes them more whole and less fat.
In any case, almost all the potatoes that we will see in our markets —if we look at them— are just as practical for cooking or frying. That does not mean that it does not hurt to know a little more about varieties.
The potato variety with the unpleasant name but great flavor
If we distinguish between varieties of avocados, cherries or apples, why not discriminate in terms of potatoes based on their use? This is where the modern protagonist of our potato romance comes in, and her unfortunate name.
At least correct in our opinion, of course, since we are talking neither more nor less about the sour variety potato. As for the name, although we do not know the reason, it is evident that it is worth explaining because it is not a potato that has a sour taste.
Rather the opposite, since it is a medium-sized potato, quite tight, loaded with starch and with a flesh of golden yellow tones that does not usually lose intensity when it is cooked, either fried, boiled or roasted. In fact, it is one of the potatoes that is most frequently planted in our country, partly thanks to this versatility.
However, it is a fairly modern potato, since it was put on sale for first time in 1985since it is the product of a hybridization carried out by a German laboratory, a pioneer in the hybridization of potato seeds, called Böhm and which has been a leader in this segment since the beginning of the 20th century.
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They are usually oval, medium-large size and the skin is yellowish and with a good agricultural yield, it is also a gastronomically highly appreciated variety and it goes very well for French fries. Other varieties, in case you see them in the markets, that give good results in French fries are the Kennebec or the Monalisa, two of the most commercialized, and which are also ideal for potato chips.
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