The Curley's Father's Day Challenge

Can you eat four and half pounds of French fries? Got nothing on tap so far this weekend on Father's Day? Then you might be a candidate for the annual Curley's Fry Eating Contest in Wildwood! Check out the details here.

Thanks to buddy and podcast partner Ray Cornwall for hipping me to this.

French Fry Diary 242: Carrabba's Italian Grill

I know, Carrabba's Italian Grill is not the usual kind of place for French Fry Diary, but I found potatoes anyway. I'm good like that. Wonderful atmosphere and great customer service made what is usually not my kind of place into somewhere I might return to.

For appetizers they had hot Italian bread along with a dipping plate of olive oil and various seasonings including Rosemary and red pepper, delicious. We had had something similar to this at a favorite restaurant of friends in Maryland. We have since tried to reproduce it at home with some success, but I'm glad we have found it again so close to home.

Adventurous sort I am, and pasta being far too exotic for this catastrophically picky eater, I ordered the ribeye steak and garlic mashed potatoes. Carrabba's has an open air grill so the steak looked and tasted like it had been on the barbeque. Yum, barbeque steak is just what the doctor ordered for a Father's Day when not actually barbecuing. This was indeed the best steak I have had in quite a while. Perfect.

The mashed potatoes were a bit too watery and creamy for me but had chunks of garlic, turnip and bacon (I think). I couldn't finish, and I think I would gave preferred a thicker mash. Still it was a good pairing for the ribeye. All in all, mashed potatoes aside, this was a wonderful experience, and even though they don't seem to actually have French fries (short of a kids plate), we will return.

Random Tater Pic of the Day #6

It's that time of year again when Herr's Potato Chips become His Potato Chips. Happy Father's Day!

French Fry Diary 133: HIS Potato Chips

Herr's Potato Chips has been doing this since 2006. Around Father's Day every year they produce special packaging that says "His" instead of "Herr's" just for Father's Day.

Here's what they have to say about it here: "Just in time for Father’s Day, Herr Foods announces the politically correct answer to its popular HERR’S Potato Chips. Introducing HIS Potato Chips, with the same crisp and tasty flavor customers have loved for sixty years.

"“This is a fun way to recognize dads,” said Ed Herr, president of Herr Foods. “Plus we’re supporting a worthwhile cause – the National Fatherhood Initiative.”

"HIS Potato Chips will be available from early May through Father’s Day, June 18. A portion of the sales will benefit NFI, a national project dedicated to increasing the number of involved, responsible fathers.

"One out of every three children in this country grows up without his or her biological father, according to NFI. The non-profit initiative provides education and resources to address the trend.

"“No matter how busy Dad was growing his potato chip business, he always made time for his kids,” said Herr of James Stauffer Herr, founder of the company. “We’re proud to partner with NFI because all kids should have that support system.”"

There are still some of these His Potato Chips products still floating around out there. Check 'em out.

Grilled Bacon Potatoes

For Father's Day, a recipe that can be done on the grill, Dad's favorite cooking tool...

Grilled Bacon Potatoes

3 large red potatoes, not peeled, sliced thin
1 medium yellow onion, sliced thin
3 slices bacon
3 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons paprika
salt, to taste
garlic powder, to taste
pepper, to taste

Fire up the grill!

Place the three slices of bacon side by side in the center of a large piece of aluminum foil.

Layer your potatoes and onions on top of the bacon

Add your paprika, salt, pepper, and garlic to the top of the potatoes and onions.

Cut your butter into pads and place across the top of the potatoes.

Wrap potatoes up tightly in the foil; double wrap for extra support.

Let potatoes cook on grill, not over direct heat, for at least an hour.

Makes 2 servings


Originally from Potato-Recipe and The Happy Cooker, thanks to Marla in Las Vegas.


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