French Fry Diary 733: The Fries of the Camden Comic Con

Now I've talked before about how French fries and comic cons don't go together, the idea of collectible paper and grease mixing, even though they entail two things I love - comics and fries - are simply not compatible.

Now at this year's Camden Comic Con things were a bit different.  This year outside the con there was an awesome assemblage of food trucks, and it should be noted that as a podcaster at a table, it's not as easy to mix the two elements as it is for a attendee walking around with a bag full of comics.  We were free to sample the wares of the food trucks and record our reactions for both French Fry Diary and The GAR! Podcast. 

Outside the Convention there were three food trucks serving the needs of the event - My Four Sons, Wahlburgers, and family friends The Pop Shop in their new food truck, The Pop Shop aGoGo!, I love that name.  My co-host Ray Cornwall and I had planned ahead of time to have lunch 'on air' in a special FFD segment to try each of their fries. 

Wahlburgers was a major disappointment.  First because I was looking forward to trying their stuff, as they had already escaped me once, opening in Philadelphia a mere week after we had moved to Florida.  And now at the con, their food truck came only prepared to deliver tater tots, and not fries.  When one of the other two food truck choices has some of the best fries in the South Jersey area - Pop Fries - we skipped Wahlburgers completely, their loss. 

While I chatted comics with my friend Robert Repici, Ray went to lunch, and The Bride got my lunch from The Pop Shop aGoGo.  For herself, she got the buffalo chicken fries, and for me a burger and those great Pop Fries.  Now here's the difference between Wahlburgers and The Pop Shop - burgers weren't on the menu, but family friend Stink Fisher, who was running the truck, made me one special anyway.  That's why The Pop Shop rocks.  Thanks, Stink, you rule!

Friends Jeff Milliman and Jessy Lukens, who sat in with the recording, also happily partook from The Pop Shop aGoGo.  Ray on the other hand, got his lunch from the My Four Sons, including kimchi fries.  I did not try them.  I'm not sure if it was how they looked, whether I was already full from The Pop Shop, or if it was the conversation we'd had earlier about what the word kimchi really means - but I just wasn't brave enough. 

Looking at the My Four Sons menu however, I wish I had known about, and ordered their Tornado Potato, always wanted to try one of those.  Maybe next time, and maybe next time Wahlburgers will bring their fry game. 

For those not familiar, The GAR! Podcast is the Glenn Walker and Ray Cornwall weekly podcast where they talk unrehearsed about whatever happens to come to mind. It's an audio-zine for your mind, a nerd exploration of a nerd world, coming to you from the suburbs of New Jersey and the sunny lakes of Florida via Skype.

GAR!163: Lunch at the Camden Comic Con, the episode in question was recorded live at this year's Camden Comic Con and also features discussion with the mythical David Lisa, Janel Miller, Robert, Jeff, Jessy, The Bride, Ray, and myself talking comics, libraries, malls, and yes, the favorite fried food.

You can listen here. Enjoy!

French Fry Diary 454: Fries Seasoning

I found these on Amazon, believe it or not. Gourmet Fries Seasoning from Chef's Fun Foods come in four varieties - Cheesy Cheddar, Garlic Parmesan, Salt & Garlic Pepper, and Flame Grilled BBQ. Or at least those are the flavors I got. There are also Wild Buffalo, Sour Cream & Onion, Salt & Vinegar, and Ketchup - all eight terrific flavoring to add to the favorite fried food.

I got mine about six months ago, have used them quite a bit, and these thirteen ounce jars are still not only mostly full, but also very fresh. All have no fat and no MSG, and contain at least five or less calories per serving. They do require frequent shaking though as the contents tend to clump.

The labels suggest their use for potatoes, veggies, burgers, chicken, or pasta, and urged the consumer to 'be creative!' And I have been creative. A sucker for BBQ, I put that one on almost everything, well, everything except pasta, and garlic bread for which the Garlic flavors are great. I have found the Cheddar particularly good on popcorn. And of course, they are all quite good on fries. Recommended.



And just in case you've ever wanted to make tornado fries at home, Chef's Fun Foods also sells all your supplies, except for the potatoes, for that too!

Hurricane Fries

Just to remind everyone that there are actually some good things named after hurricanes, these are hurricane fries, also known as tornado fries. Mmmmm... fries...

Sincerest thoughts and prayers go out to everyone affected by the hurricane the last few days.

French Fry Diary 383: Paul's Idaho Potatoes

Sometimes you want and you want, and you get what you want, and sometimes you just get disappointed. Such is the case with Paul's Idaho Potatoes. The Flutter Fries I had waited so long for were just not good. And it wasn't because Ken and I had already had a terrific lunch at European Republic either, it was just an all around bad experience at Paul's.

To be fair, Paul Idaho Potatoes, or Paul's Idaho Fries, has a long history down the shore, specifically in Wildwood. They've been doing their fresh cut, natural cut boardwalk fries cooked in peanut oil down there for well over three decades. I've had them, once upon a time, before I started doing French Fry Diary, and they were pretty good.

I have to say however, their South Street Philadelphia location was a bit of a disappointment on all points. First, they didn't take credit cards, which really wasn't a problem, but we had to hunt down an ATM before we could partake. The man behind the counter at Paul's was not the most friendly or helpful sort it should be noted. We were left to find an ATM on our own in a neighborhood I would guess he knew better that we did. Have I mentioned South Street isn't as pleasant as it once was? Yeah, that's the kind of place where we found an ATM. On a side note, Paul's is actually pretty pricey for what they serve - they should accept credit cards. Five for Flutter Fries and four for lemonade just for example.

On the plus side, once we had cold hard cash in our hands, it was fun to watch Mr. Congeniality make the Flutter Fries. A whole (Russet, I think) potato is fed into something like an apple-coring device, and from there the potato is cut into one continuous flat spiral slice. From there, it's dumped into hot oil, I'm assuming peanut oil, for a few moments. Then Mr. Friendly puts them on a paper plate and with a shove pushes them over the counter to us.

There's a lot here on the plate as you can see from the images. They were not good. They were as appetizing as they looked, and for the record, looked nothing like the pictures up on the walls. The Flutter Fries were crispy like potato chips, but also very greasy having just come out of the oil. If they were shaken out, it wasn't done well. As chips, had they not been so oily, they might have been good to take home and use as dipping chips. The Flutter Fries, more chips than fries, really, also needed a lot of seasoning. The salt worked okay, but the ketchup available there was kinda iffy. Bottom line, we didn't finish them, and left most of them on the tiny counter at Paul's.

After waiting so long to try these, the afternoon (not counting lunch at European Republic and chilling with my buddy Ken) was just one big disappointment. I don't think I'll be coming back to Paul's, even for the regular fries. That's how bad this experience was. Shame.

French Fry Diary 382: European Republic

One of the problems with doing this blog is finding folks to go try new restaurants and fries with. Most of my friends who live around here are always like, "Fries again, really?" So it's always fun when a friend visits from out of town. We get to go on new fry excursions. My friend Ken is always good for that, even though I think his lovely wife doesn't appreciate his waistline when he returns home. But that's not all my fault. The boy does have a weakness for Tastykake as well, and stocks up while here in the land of the Tastykake.

After picking friend Ken up at the airport we had firm plans to go to Paul's for lunch. You remember Paul's Fresh Cut Idaho Fries on South Street, they tempted me a few months back with their flutter fries, also known down the shore as tornado fries, just without the stick.

So there we were on South Street, walking on our way to Paul's when we saw a sign over our heads with a picture of fries, frites even, in a paper cone. We had to stop, just had to. Well, I had to. I was mesmerized. Fries. Paper cone. I was inside before Ken knew I was gone. The place was called European Republic. They specialize in wraps, but notably they also have European style fresh cut frites with over twenty different toppings.

Three guesses why we stopped, and the first two don't count. Paul's flutter fries could wait. We decided lunch was going to be here. Also since Paul's was only fries and funnel cakes, not a great balanced lunch, we decided to do lunch at European Republic. Inside, it was a cozy narrow place like most on South Street. The music playing overhead could have easily been Eurovision, completing the atmosphere. I ordered the small frites, and got the BBQ sauce. I know, I played it safe, but still I couldn't wait to try those frites. Ken got the peanut sauce for his frites and a wrap as well.

The frites were real frites. Fresh cut, thick cut, deep fried and golden brown, they were wonderfully hot and crispy on the outside and hot, soft, and potato-ey on the inside. These fantastic frites were served in paper cones and were, as I said, very crispy. I was in heaven with these nearly perfect Belgian frites. Ken said the wrap was pretty good too. I can't wait to go back! Highest recommendation.

It should be noted that their website only lists a Chestnut Street location, but there still is the restaurant on Sixth and South. Definitely get there, either place, and try these terrific frites.

Paul's Fresh Cut Idaho Fries

We saw this place on South Street in Philly right after we'd had a full meal at Burger.Org. Curses. Too full. Couldn't eat another bite. I will be back however. I must try the Flutter Fries...

Tornado Fries Unwrapped

For today's Food Network Friday, we have the story of Tornado Fries from "Unwrapped."