Why Americans can’t make chips

I have a theory that most Americans cannot make a decent chip to save their lives. French fries, yes, but a proper chip (not a crisp), I am not so sure. The reason why I say this is that fairly recently I went to a fancy vegetarian restaurant in the Lower East Side in Manhattan, and amidst most of the food being over-expensive and average (I could have cooked much better) there were some pretty rotten chips.

It is important to define what is a chip and what is a french fry. A chip is a sliced potato, about the thickness of the width of a finger. A french fry is a potato which has been frenched (that is to say, cut very thinly). Both are fried. As an aside, it is frustrating coming from a culture that can differentiate between french fries and chips as different forms of potato prepared differently, to one which labels them all as “french fries”.

However, in the United States, french fries are the most common form. Given the form of the potato (cut very thin, fried to a crisp), it is not of utmost importance what type of potato is used, as the whole thing is crispy, crunchy and delicious. This does get important when making the thicker chip though. I think that most Americans, including the chefs at the vegetarian restaurant, do not understand this important principle, namely: if the potato cut is thicker than a fry, then the type of potato used will impact the chip, much like how there are different types of apple, for instance, and if you used the wrong type in a recipe, it would not be so nice. Basically, I think that most chefs here do not understand that there is more than one type of potato in existence. This problem is not solely held by Americans, as when I was back in Britain in December, one chip shop had the same problem and the result was gross.

There are two main types of potato, waxy and floury. According to the Potato Council of Great Britain (http://www.lovepotatoes.co.uk/potato-varieties/)… well, see for yourself:

What’s the difference between Waxy and Floury Potatoes?
Waxy potatoes are translucent and feel moist and pasty. They are good at staying firm and keeping their shape so make great salad potatoes.
Key Waxy Potato Varieties: Charlotte, Maris Peer

Floury potatoes are brighter and more granular in appearance with a drier feel. They’re better for dishes where you want fluffy potatoes or for mash.
Key Floury Potato Varieties: Estima, King Edward, Maris Piper, Desiree

So you see, America, that you must treat your thicker cut fries (aka chips) as different beasts to your fries and not use any old potato for them, unless a soggy, nasty result is what you are looking for.

Let’s not even get started on the type of oil you are supposed to cook them in!