Does shape matter?

[garlichead]

I buy them as a standby really. When I had kids living here it was useful. And now I use them maybe once or twice a week for partner's dinner. He only wants a small portion so its not worth me cooking from scratch. They are OK - some brands better than others.

I assume your talking about store bought premade and/or frozen French fries. Yeah, I don't use or buy them and just generally look in a different direction instead if i don't feel like making them fresh. Of course I've had them before in restaurants many many times as well as a few of my produce suppliers try and entice me with samples to try with produces that were sure to change my mind. None met the challenge. Cheers

 

[MypinchofItaly]

...and then there is pasta. The shapes are supposed to be chosen for specific sauces depending on the way they will hold the sauce. Do any of us really choose pasta shapes for that reason?

I surely do!

 

[Mountain Cat]

Took me a moment to think of some examples of shapes I dislike, mostly intensely. But there are some.

I intensely dislike spaghetti or linguini when eating it out. Because I have NO SKILL whatsoever twirling the stuff on a fork. I end up with tomato splatter all around. And I feel when eating it with others I should at least attempt to eat it properly, ie twirled. If I have it at home, I can cut it up and no one will EVER see. Tastes just as good, by the way. This is from someone who has gotten compliments from the staff at Korean restaurants for being able to use the very slippery Korean chopsticks like I'd been born over there.

Another, but a different rationale: Fried Okra. I went to a Southern chain where okra was on the menu. Country something. The okra would be batter fried. I LOVE okra, and was sussed to see it on the menu. Ordered it.

It came cut into 1/4 inch lengths (more or less 0.6 cm, doing the math in my head). And fully breaded all around. More bread than okra. Horrible. Had eventually to peel the breading off to get to the FOOD part. This was compounded by the fact I'd also ordered the shrimp also batter fried - and this turned out to be popcorn shrimp, similarly breaded up and it was more breading than shrimp. I'd been driving all day, and it was my first meal, so I unabashedly peeled that, too, when I realized my stomach wasn't going to tolerate the food to breading ratio at all. I figured I didn't care if I embarrassed myself - I NEEDED sustenance! And I'd never be back here again!

I have done batter fried okra myself since then. I cut the stems off, and I cut them, depending on the okra itself, into proper sized sections - oh over an inch or perhaps to two (3 cm - 5 cm or so) before breading them. I want to TASTE Okra!

The other one that bugs me - was the work cafeteria that would make eggplant parm. They had to have used a microtome to slice the eggplant, then coat heavily with breading, before assembling the eggplant parm. Also inedible, and not really a good way to peel the breading off, even if I'd wanted to do that in front of people I saw every day!

 

[Mountain Cat]

Another - I dislike scrawny French fries (Chips in the UK and so forth). Impossible to cook those properly - they are either over or under cooked. Give me a good thick steak fry! I want semi-crispy exteriors, and soft interiors. I have never liked those allegedly "wonderful" McDonalds French fries. Back long ago when I ate their stuff (trapped with other people) I think only ONCE were the fries any good. And that was back when they were supposedly better than they are now, back when they used tallow or lard or whatever it was to fry them in.

 

[Morning Glory]

I assume your talking about store bought premade and/or frozen French fries.

Yes, they are already partially cooked. They are known as 'oven chips' here and you simply cook them for 20 mins in the oven. They really aren't that bad although of course a perfect deep fried chip is better.

 

[karadekoolaid]

Another - I dislike scrawny French fries (Chips in the UK and so forth). Impossible to cook those properly - they are either over or under cooked. Give me a good thick steak fry! I want semi-crispy exteriors, and soft interiors. I have never liked those allegedly "wonderful" McDonalds French fries.

Hahahaha!!
I´m not a fan of "French Fries" either. I can´t see what all the fuss is about. I mean, they´re just fried potatoes, right? Some kind of French Cuisine Snobbery thing
I like CHIPS, not some scraggy, anorexic things.
Doesn´t mean I won´t eat a McDs from time to time , though!!

 

[Mountain Cat]

Hahahaha!!
I´m not a fan of "French Fries" either. I can´t see what all the fuss is about. I mean, they´re just fried potatoes, right? Some kind of French Cuisine Snobbery thing
I like CHIPS, not some scraggy, anorexic things.
Doesn´t mean I won´t eat a McDs from time to time , though!!

Dunno why they got called French fries, but they're hardly snobbery. I think the French probably hate that we here in the US call them that.
Why I don't eat at Mc Donalds - I didn't end up at one until in my late teens. They just weren't around, and in any rate, I had no car. Comparing those burgers to Mom's home made and cooked - theirs were flat, dried out and boring.

 

[karadekoolaid]

Dunno why they got called French fries, but they're hardly snobbery

Just had a look at the history of "French Fries". As usual, I got it totally wrong.
It seems that , while the French were experts at deep-frying things, it was the Belgians who established " Pommes de terre frites" (fried potatoes). When the US army was in Belgium (1st World War? 2nd World War?) they took a shine to Belgian "Pommes Frites" and, since the Belgians also spoke French, they became known as "French Fries".
Another story is that Thomas Jefferson, who was Ambassador to France at the end of the 18th century, was a foodie and collected recipes, which he then entrusted his personal cook to prepare. French Fries were sold on the Pont Neuf in Paris during the 1780s. Jefferson brought the idea back to the US, but the "fries" didn´t really catch on until the early 20th century.

 

[caseydog]

Just had a look at the history of "French Fries". As usual, I got it totally wrong.
It seems that , while the French were experts at deep-frying things, it was the Belgians who established " Pommes de terre frites" (fried potatoes). When the US army was in Belgium (1st World War? 2nd World War?) they took a shine to Belgian "Pommes Frites" and, since the Belgians also spoke French, they became known as "French Fries".

That's the story that I know of. Sound's legit.

I hear Thomas Jefferson fell in love with macaroni and cheese in France, and introduced that to Americans.

CD

 

[Mountain Cat]

Just had a look at the history of "French Fries". As usual, I got it totally wrong.
It seems that , while the French were experts at deep-frying things, it was the Belgians who established " Pommes de terre frites" (fried potatoes). When the US army was in Belgium (1st World War? 2nd World War?) they took a shine to Belgian "Pommes Frites" and, since the Belgians also spoke French, they became known as "French Fries".
Another story is that Thomas Jefferson, who was Ambassador to France at the end of the 18th century, was a foodie and collected recipes, which he then entrusted his personal cook to prepare. French Fries were sold on the Pont Neuf in Paris during the 1780s. Jefferson brought the idea back to the US, but the "fries" didn´t really catch on until the early 20th century.

The first theory sounds most likely to me.

 

[Windigo]

Just had a look at the history of "French Fries". As usual, I got it totally wrong.
It seems that , while the French were experts at deep-frying things, it was the Belgians who established " Pommes de terre frites" (fried potatoes). When the US army was in Belgium (1st World War? 2nd World War?) they took a shine to Belgian "Pommes Frites" and, since the Belgians also spoke French, they became known as "French Fries".
Another story is that Thomas Jefferson, who was Ambassador to France at the end of the 18th century, was a foodie and collected recipes, which he then entrusted his personal cook to prepare. French Fries were sold on the Pont Neuf in Paris during the 1780s. Jefferson brought the idea back to the US, but the "fries" didn´t really catch on until the early 20th century.

Yes, this is the common theory. I only use the phrasing 'French fries' to make things understandable for English speakers/non Europeans.

Here we call the thick cut chips 'Vlaamse frieten ' (Flemish fries) and thin ones 'Frites' or 'Friet' or 'Patat' in Belgium and the Netherlands. Belgian people might also say 'fritten' or ' pattatekes'. There's a debate about whether it's patat or friet, depending on the region either is used. The south usually refers to 'friet' while the north uses 'patat'. I just say 'patat friet' to avoid discussions

There's an even thinner variety of fries very popular in Belgium too, it's called 'steppegras' (tundra grass/tall grass) which is one of my favorite kinds. Steppegras - Wikipedia

 

[JAS_OH1]

Just had a look at the history of "French Fries". As usual, I got it totally wrong.
It seems that , while the French were experts at deep-frying things, it was the Belgians who established " Pommes de terre frites" (fried potatoes). When the US army was in Belgium (1st World War? 2nd World War?) they took a shine to Belgian "Pommes Frites" and, since the Belgians also spoke French, they became known as "French Fries".
Another story is that Thomas Jefferson, who was Ambassador to France at the end of the 18th century, was a foodie and collected recipes, which he then entrusted his personal cook to prepare. French Fries were sold on the Pont Neuf in Paris during the 1780s. Jefferson brought the idea back to the US, but the "fries" didn´t really catch on until the early 20th century.

Maybe there is truth to both?

 

[karadekoolaid]

Maybe there is truth to both?

My considered opinion is, with something as simple as fried potatoes, there may well be truth in a thousand other theories!

 

[kaneohegirlinaz]

For me, shape is more about appeal.
example:

I prefer my Namasu (a Japanese pickled vegetable dish) with the vegetables cut in pretty shapes, which is why you'll find these cutters.
Now, does this taste better than say vegetables that are simply sliced, no, but it sure does look cool, doesn't it?

 

[The Late Night Gourmet]

When I saw the title of this post, I took it completely differently. I assumed it was talking about the difference between the perfectly symmetrical, identically-sized fruits and vegetables at a supermarket, vs. the often imperfect equivalents at a produce market.

I do notice the same attention the perfect display at high-end markets. There, you can get ripe produce, but it will cost you. It's obvious they throw away the undersized, oversized, or misshapen produce so the display has everything looking the same. Some markets do donate the irregular produce to charities, which is a good thing, but it's a dumb reason to waste perfectly good produce.

But, seriously, I don't care if all the apples in a bag are the same size. I don't care if the avocadoes all have identical coloring to their skin. What I care about is if the produce is ripe. Sure, I can get a dozen identical rock-hard avocadoes at the supermarket that I need to let ripen for a week before I can use them. Or, I can go to my local produce market and get ripe ones so I can make guacamole tonight. I won't even avert my eyes at the imperfections: they're getting scooped out anyway.

I suppose the only time symmetry is important is if the preparation is with whole fruits or vegetables. But, even there, I really don't care. I'll take the large one.