Gentle readers, the Practical Cook is looking forward to addressing your questions, and tackling the controversial issues of the day. She has discovered in weeks upon weeks of working on recipes, that the public is most interested in the Fry Wars or Burger Preference. Yes, statistics don’t lie (fine, they tell fibs all the time), but popularity demands the questions be answered.
Most Asked Question: What was wrong with the fries at In-N-Out Burger?
The Practical Cook: Nothing was wrong with them per se, I just didn’t love them. Perhaps they got cold too fast, lacked salt, weren’t as crunchy as my heart desired. I love fries (though I may love tater tots and sweet potato fries more), but I only love PERFECT fries. I like them fairly well-done, as in crisp, pretty salty, and as a “sauce vector” (handily borrowing that phrase from a comrade I hope to go on a fry hunt with soon!).
Geer Street Garden Fries with Garlic Aioli and Srirachanaise
Whose fries do I love most this week? Geer Street Garden. That Andy McGowan knows fries. I haven’t been able to go and eat the infamous “Pile” (check the menu). Once I do, I’ll do a full review. Anyone brave enough to join me? These are crunchy, salty, full of fabulous fries, and I just won’t eat a pile of anything less.
Second Most Asked Question: How will you try all the burgers in America?
Pimento Cheese Burger at Bull City Burger
The Practical Cook: Fine, I ask myself that question. But the real answer, Gentle Readers, is I need your help. Be it indie-chain or local shop, I’ll be looking to you all for some assistance in sampling food across America. Believe you me, I’ll show up and help when I can, camera in hand. So go out and eat thoughtfully, the bean burgers, hamburgers, whateverburgers, take a picture, and let us all know what is most delicious.
Last, But Not Least Asked Question: How do you eat all of that food? (or some derivation thereof)
The Practical Cook: Since I make no bones about eating a vast variety of things, including plenty in the fried category (and I am not anti-mayo for the record, check out the dips with the fries above), I am often asked how I do this and not keel over. Rewind the tape to my Love of Grapefruit.
The Practical Salad
I don’t eat fries every day. I don’t eat meat every day. And the above picture is 1/2 of my lunch most days. Soup and salad for lunch unless I’m traveling, doing field research, or dragging one of my Gentle Readers out to some place “they just have to try.”
If you had to choose, would you pick fries, tater tots, or sweet potato fries with that? Post your comments today!
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On deck, Weekly Menus, Summer Style (aka, Punt!fest 2011).
The Practical Cook 
My favorite fried potato item has to be my mother’s latkes, which could be controlled for hotness, and crispness. Unfortunately the whole house would smell like a bag of chips for at least a week. That is not the feature it would seem to be. If I could find tots or fries that were that hot when served, or that crispy, or not too salty, it would be awesome.
(also – I see what you did there, again! My ego is happy :-))
We’ll have to talk latkes. I’ve never made them, but I want to. And yes, the hot/crisp/salt triangle is where it’s at with fried potatoes. It’s the rare spud that can overcome a failing in any of those three areas.
Are latkes a sauce vector? Conversation to be continued . . . 🙂
They certainly are – traditionally latkes are served with applesauce and sour cream. Or just applesauce. Or just sour cream. Or both!
Chatting with you just serves to remind me how much I love food. Yum!