>Had a discussion with some friends the other day, started when I said there's no such a thing as crispy French fries if they're made with fresh potatoes and nothing added/done to them before frying.
>I based this on over 20 years of buying fresh French fries at well over 100 different places, as well as making my own using lard, shortening, peanut oil and olive oil.
>[ I could come closer if I part-cooked, let them sit for a while, them finished cooking, but even then they were not "crisp", but rather just a little less limp ]
>
>My friends unanimously said that:
>1) the well over 100 places, all being in Quebec, is likely a product of regional taste;
>2) my fat/oil simply was not hot enough to crisp the fries. "Crispy" is the natural state for French fries cooked properly
>
>I'd like to learn if CRISPY French fries can be made from fresh spuds with no other additives (dredge in flour, spray with milk before frying, etc). I say NO!
>
>cheers

I say yes! :) My mom always used to make french fries (or freedom fries <s>) from scratch. She would peel the potatoes, then cut them into strips, then put them on a towel (probably to dry them a little), and then fry them in oil (I am not sure what kind of oil she uses). I do remember asking her to make french fries in the fall but she would always say that "new" potato does not make good french fries. By "new" potato I mean newly harvested potato. We harvested potatoes in September and we usually did not have home made french fries until december.

The more I think about it drying the potato a little might be the secret ingredient. The water evaporates fast in oil and reduces the oil temperature.