February 02, 2008

Pommes Frites

Hi Dad, I've been craving pommes frites like we have when in France and have not found any that really fit the bill here in silicon valley. Ironically, some of the best "french fries" are from a well known west coast chain of fast food joints called "In and Out Burger". They slice the potatos right in from of your eyes and then throw them directly in the deep fryer. The french and california french restaurants in silicon valley don't duplicate the hot and crispy outside with soft flavorful potato innards. I find myself sending the fries back very often at such places as the "Left Bank" because they always arrive cold and have no semblance to the fries in France. In Chicago, places like Kiki's make fantastic pommes allumettes which I've not found here. So what makes a good Pommes Frite and why is it so hard to find ones that are like we have in France? And on top of that, why are they called "French Fries" here in the US? Did French Fries even originate in France. Love Your Pommes Frites deprived son
Posted by at

3 comments:

  1. Betty Carlson1:53 AM

    I love the premise of your blog and can't believe I have never run into it. I just read your comment on Mimi's "French Kitchen in America" and it reminded me that I either need to take my "cocotte-minute" in for a "révision" or just buy a new one. It is a real help with winter dishes, although I have gotten through this winter without it.

    Bon dimanche!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Alain9:02 AM

    Thanks Betty,

    I am very jealous of your probably being watching at this time the first Crocus or Perce-neige budding in the beautiful département de l'Aveyron.(I am originally from the nearby Cévennes Mountains in the Gard).
    When I picked up my Chicago Tribune on the oustide door step of my building it was -22 degrees Celsius....Brrr.
    I will compensate at lunch with a ''salade de cervelas aux pommes de terres tièdes à l'huile''.
    I just discovered your very interesting 3 blogs. And I will visit them again in the future.
    Bravo on your decision to retrieve the pressure cooker from the top shelf of your pantry.
    All the best
    Alain
    French Virtual cafe

    ReplyDelete
  3. Betty Carlson9:47 AM

    Well, being in the Rodez area, it's not quite spring yet. But it is very nice today and we can feel that winter may be leaving -- then again it may come back with a vengeance, as it sometimes does in the second half of February.

    We have a good friend who's from the Cévennes are of the Gard too. I've never spent much time down there, though.

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)