River Falls Journal

FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.

Fried Potatoes,
The name Fried Potatoes of course
means potatoes that are fried, but how
different the article in different places.
The elements, so to speak, potatoes and
lard, are the same everywhere, but in
one case we get a fat-soaked slice and
at another a real delicacy. Certain
hotels and restaurants make a specialty
of fried potatoes, and every one
has heard of Moon's Saratoga potatoes
that are eaten as a luxury as one
would eat pop-corn or bon-bons. The
Saratoga and other fried potatoes are
apparently without grease, with a
crisp surface, a mealy interior, and
altogether delicious. "Why can't we
have such?" asks Paterfamilias when
he returns from the city or a watering
place. The good wife might answer
that he might have just such if he
would go to the trouble and expense.
The first essential is to have the
potatoes all sliced of an even thickness.
This in large establishments is accomplished by means of an apparatus in
which a board has a knife fastened in
it after the manner of a sour-krout cutter or dried beef slicer, the edge of the
knife placed far enough above the level
of the board to give the required thickness. The peeled potatoes are put in a
frame which slides back and forth over
the knife, and this has a follower to
keep the potatoes in place. By means
of this a large quantity can be sliced
and with the greatest uniformity. The
next requisite is a kettle with an abundance of very hot lard, and the next a
wire cage. The sliced potatoes are placed in the cage, plumped into the lard,
and at the proper instant, which can
only be learned by experience, they by
means of the cage are all withdrawn at
once. A few shakes free them from all
adhering fat, and if the operation is
properly done the potatoes may be
served on a napkin without greasing it.
All these are necessary in order to have
fried potatoes to perfection.
We have had satisfactory results
from carefully slicing the potatoes with
a knife and letting them fall into ice-
water; taking out a handful at a time,
putting them into a towel, and giving
them a few jerks to dry them, and then
popping them into fat, from which as
soon as done were removed by a large
skimmer. Then another portion was
done. The use of ice-water tends
greatly to preserve the crispness. The
restaurant of Madame Mouquin in New
York city is a great resort for artists.
and the Madame is celebrated for her
fried potatoes which, probably in deference to the artistic taste of her visitors, she serves in an elegantly crimp-
ed form. Of course great excellence
in this as in many other methods is
done upon a large scale, but by taking
proper pains the home made article
can be greatly improved.-American
Agriculturist.