Ask Dr. Potato

Can I do the first blanch for fresh cut russet fries in the oven?

I think I need to get with the program and offer some value priced menu items to capture price conscious diners. Any suggestions?

I have been to several of the same gourmet hamburger and fry chain locations and sometimes the French fries are really dark and unappetizing. How can that happen?

What happens if you pre-cook (blanch) fresh cut 3/8Inch potatoes 350 degrees, in lieu of the recommended 250 degrees?

I have a question involving making fresh French fries at county fairs and special events. Can you get by with fresh cutting the fries and deep frying? Or do you have to cut, rinse in cold water, then fry at two different temperatures to get them to taste good, with a crisp on the outside, and a fluffy texture inside? At events water is scarce and running water with drain is almost impossible. I want to make a good product but am limited with water usage. Some have suggested using frozen fries instead of fresh but I don’t think that would be received well at events. Please advise on best method and give me an idea of the different outcomes if steps are omitted.

I cut up vegetables and put them along with a chuck roast in a freezer bag, to have a meal ready for the crock pot when I had surgery. I took the bag out of the freezer last night, dumped the ingredients in the crock pot and refrigerated until this morning. It has been cooking on low for 5 hours and all of the potatoes are black. After researching, I found I should have blanched them first.  Are they still good to eat?

High prices on cartons of potatoes are killing me, what happened, versus last year at this same time?

I would like to know if I can partially cook my potatoes and then slice them thinly, like Hasselback potatoes, and freeze them for later use? I enjoy grilling my potatoes with onion between the slices, but after work there just isn’t enough time. Freezing them would make things easier, and then I could just grab it out of the freezer and pop it on the grill.

Do you have a garlic mashed potato recipe that could become the centerpiece of our Holiday dinner?

I always make extra Idaho® mashed potatoes because they are always so popular as left overs the next day. Any suggestions on new ways to make an exciting dish that will make people comment… that’s the best left over mashed potatoes I ever had?