Earlier today, I mentioned Bob Bacon trouncing Matt Fries in Colorado's District 14 State Senate election on Tuesday. In the comments there, Serious eater amanda0730 reminded us all of the "Would you rather give up bacon or french fries?" thread from July 29, 2008, in Talk. With 56 serious eaters reporting, I'm ready to call that "election." Bacon wins by a landslide, giving this porky product a clear mandate to dominate our plates and palates for years to come. The eaters have spoken. The breakdown: The issue: Would you rather give up bacon or fries? Give up bacon: 15 (26.7%) Give up fries: 28 (50%) Undecided*: 13 (23.2 %) Total serious eaters reporting: 56 Like some ballot initiatives, this... More

Glenny's, maker of Soy Crisps, also makes American Fries, snacks that "have the great potato taste of French Fries but are baked and have 70% less fat than potato chips!" Available in ketchup, yellow cheddar, and sea salt flavors, they're "krinkle cut for crispy flavor." I'm not entirely sure what makes these snacks "American"—is it the ketchup flavor? The cheddar? Or were they just afraid to call them "French" fries and wise enough to not call them "Freedom" fries? It's clever marketing, using the Old Glory in the background to rouse up patriotic sentiments of a nation. Somehow, America = fries + ketchup! Or, worse: America = dry, starchy, baked potato matter that stinks of ketchup. The unmistakable ketchup odor... More

The advertising team for Canadian-based McCain, the frozen and packaged spuds company, lucked out when an eponymous politician decided to run for president. They will capitalize on the name recognition with an election-themed campaign called "Why McCain should be in the White House," according to Advertising Age. Since McCain (the food one) doesn't use trans-fatty oils, one campaign slogan will be: "McCain goes to war over oil." Another one: "McCain brings 'smiles' to millions," referencing the company's frozen potatoes with cut-out smiley faces. The company hopes to keep the campaign alive until early November, unless events with McCain (the human being one) make the ads seem old.... More

This mountain of chili cheese fries from Zesto's in Omaha, Nebraska looks both awesome and frightening at the same time. Molly didn't comment on how they tasted, but I assume it was more on the side of "awesome." Next time I'm in Omaha, I know where I'm eatin'! Related The Craziest Food Ever: Deep-Fried, French-Fry-Coated Bacon on a Stick French Fry Holder For Your Car New York French Fry Honor Roll: Add Yours to the List You Want Fries with That?... More

Duck fat fries from Duck Fat Restaurant in Portland, Maine. Photograph from the Paupered Chef. Duck, fat and fries are three words that please most people. Combining them is a very beautiful thing. Chef Amanda Freitag at New York City's The Harrison isn't the only one bathing spuds in quack-quack grease. She cuts hers with a malt vinegar mayo, given the duck fat's richness. After the jump, see what other chefs across the country are skipping peanut or cottonseed oil to embrace rendered duck fat.... More

Driving is already frustrating enough: $4/gallon gas, collapsing bridges, the screaming kids in the back. The last thing humanity needs is the difficulty in simply enjoying french fries from behind the wheel... and failing. It's only inevitable that errant fries will spread their grease and salt all over your car's interior. There are containers for gum, chips, and nuts that fit in a cup holder, but the standard french fry container just won't fit. However, thanks to Improvements, purveyor of "Quick and Clever Problem-Solvers," you can get a French Fry Holder for your car! Kind of. It's sold out right now, but if it weren't, you too could indulge in the convenience of a container whose no-slip rubberized base fits... More

Jaden launches a campaign against the concept of hiding vegetables in your kids food with a recipe for Furikake French Fries. Furikake is a Japanese seasoning based on dried fish, seaweed, and sesame seeds. Jaden suggests using it on French fries to get kids used to seaweed—"THEN switch it up on them—sprinkle Furikake on steamed broccoli, spinach, tofu...whatever!"... More

For all the photos I take of food in my line of work, I've only gotten bemused looks from fellow restaurant patrons and sighs of exasperation from friends and loved ones. I've never been deemed a threat to national security, though, like Tom Gogola from the Fairfield Weekly: "If I hear you talking about me like I might be a terrorist for taking a picture of french fries, I am going to interrupt and put some perspective on the matter." [via Nick]... More

When we launched Serious Eats I didn't want to kill off Ed Levine Eats, so I just sort of put it in hibernation mode. It killed me not to be posting about my New York eating adventures, but I just didn't have the time. Then a couple of weeks ago a guy driving past me in a car rolled down his window and said, "You're Ed Levine, right?" I nodded affirmatively not really knowing where this interaction was headed. "What happened to Ed Levine Eats?" he asked. "I launched Serious Eats a couple of months ago and I post on that almost every day," I replied. This did not satisfy him. "Serious Eats is good, but it's not the... More

Some of the most respected chefs and restaurateurs in the country are using frozen french fries in their establishments. With that knowledge, the Paupered Chef tries three varieties of iced spuds at home, hoping to make a perfect, crisp, golden-brown batch of potatoes at home. More