Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Sweet Potato Fries

Not to sound like Seinfeld or anything but what's the deal with sweet potato fries? I just got done eating some from Cosentino's and was not impressed. They were real soggy and didn't have much flavor. But, I don't recall ever having really good sweet potato fries. And I've tried a lot of different ones.

I'm a fan of the sweet potato and typically go with the sweet potato option if it's offered. I prefer a baked sweet potato to a baked potato and I enjoy mashed sweet potatoes with a little cinnamon, butter and sugar to regular mashed potatoes. I'm not that big of a fan of fries in general and am always looking for an alternative if I know the fries aren't anything north of really good. So I tend to get sweet potato fries a little more than the average person, and they're rarely any good.

Usually, there is the sogginess factor which results in more flaccid sticks than a soccer game at a nudist colony. I think maybe sweet potato fries need to be fried at a higher temperature than regular fries. Do most restaurants that offer sweet potato fries fry them in the same fryer as regular fries? I suspect that is true.

But even if you get some good solid crunchy on the outside moist on the inside sweet potato fries there is the condiment situation. I don't think you should dip them in ketchup, though you can. But what can you dip them into? They get to be a little dry if not dipped in something. Barbecue sauce can also be employed since barbecue restaurants often have sweet potato fries. But that doesn't seem right either. The flavors just don't work well together. What do we do? Does someone need to invent some sort of dipping sauce for sweet potato fries?

I'm getting tired of ordering sweet potato fries and being underwhelmed. I'm probably going to have to put sweet potato fries on the same rule as regular fries, only get them if I know they are above average. I look forward to the sweet potato condiment to sweep the world resulting in it sitting next to the ketchup and mustard on every table. Until that time though I'm probably going to continue being disappointed by my sweet potato fries.

8 comments:

May said...

You should try this recipe, dude. It's great:


Spicy Sweet Potato Fries Ingredients
2 Sweet Potatoes cut into fries 1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder
1 tbsp. Canola or Vegetable Oil 1/4 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
1/2 tsp. Salt 1/8 tsp. Cumin
1/4 tsp. Pepper 1 tsp. Seasoning Salt
Instructions for Spicy Sweet Potato Fries
Preheat oven to 425F.

Throw all the ingredients in a bag and shake until fries are evenly coated with spices.

Lay the fries onto a baking sheet (or two, if necessary) so that no fries are overlapping. Bake for 30 mins. Flip all of the fries and bake for another 30 mins.

Serve on their own or with ketchup or southwest sauce.

Erin said...

You dip them in honey mustard. I'd also suggest trying them at Blanc Burgers with the chipotle aioli. You'll convert to the SPF side. Can we start calling them SPF?

Unknown said...

Agreed. Everytime I order sweet potato fries I always end up looking jealously at the people who ordered regular fries.

Chimpotle said...

I'm pretty sure Lucky's provides ranch with theirs. I try to avoid condiments at all costs with fries.

Anonymous said...

Best sweet potato fries in town: Blanc like Erin said, and The Brick.

Anonymous said...

The sweet potato fries at Jake Edward's on Main Street were the best -- with a little salt and sauce!

Anonymous said...

i do a version similar to May's, except i use a chili infused olive oil. That said, i am intruiged by her methods and am going to try them out.

i happen to like my chili-sweet potato fries dusted with grated parmesan cheese, and yes, eaten with some catchup.

Anonymous said...

The best ones are at Vietnamese restaurants - tempura battered with shrimp. Wrap in lettuce with cilantro & dip in the salty-sweet fish sauce dressing? Heaven!