2 minute read

Everyone's Favourite Side: Fries

Fries, Pomme Frites, French Fries, Hot Chips, whatever you choose to call them, the humble fried potato is still one of the most ordered menu items for Kiwi consumers.

Of course, the ultimate question when it comes to delivering fresh fries to hungry consumers is how to keep them crunchy.

The hot, crispy qualities that make the hot chips dish so delectable also makes them challenging to prepare for the growing offpremise consumer market in commercial foodservice and non-commercial alike. Consumers want their offsite dining experiences to match on-site food quality levels. Keeping fries hot and crispy as they travel is more of a science than an art and thanks to innovations in both products and packaging, foodservice operators have more ways than ever to get hot chips out the door quickly without sacrificing quality.

The Crunch Factor equal in their ability to maintain texture and temperature between the operator’s kitchen and the consumer’s table. With preparation of carryout and delivery fries, operations need to consider how long the product will be in transit.

Choosing a product that is coated or battered, rather than a traditional uncoated fry, helps fries retain heat longer. Thick-battered fries provide top heat retention and a crispy crunch while thicker-cut fries which have more solids and a lower moisture content allow for a faster turnaround and hold onto their heat longer during travel time.

The enemy of crispy hot chips? Moisture and heat loss. Styrofoam and plastic takeaway packaging have a long history of success for many foods, but these enclosed containers will encourage steaming and condensation, which leads Instead, use paper or cardboard packaging with ventilation, so the container can breathe, and steam can get out. Make sure that vent holes in the container are large enough to allow adequate airflow but are not so large that the fries get cold.

Fry Not Try an Alternative to Potato?

While potato fries are the classic favourite, and definitely shouldn’t be going anywhere, if you want to get a little creative with your fish and chips dish, why not try an alternative vegetable as a side?

We all know how well kumara fries go down, but there are plenty of other veggies that can make for great fries, perhaps becoming seasonal special menu items throughout the year. HERE ARE OUR TOP THREE PICKS: EGGPLANT FRIES

• Eggplants (or aubergines) make great fries and pair well with an Italian-style tomato sauce (think a snack-sized version of eggplant parmigiana).

CRISPY PARMESAN GREEN BEAN FRIES

• A delicious lighter alternative to traditional potato fries, coated in bread crumbs and baked, rather than fried.

COURGETTE CRISPS

• Courgettes are perfect for creating a scrumptious looking side that’s a little different. Perfect paired with a chipotle aioli sauce.

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