Mom always soaked her potatoes in ice water before frying and made the best french fries. I followed the tradition and never questioned why we did it. I did notice that the 'starch' from the potatoes always settled to the bottom of the dish. Not too long ago I ran across a recipe that called for 'potato starch' and realized maybe I should have been saving what was in the bottom of those bowls all these years. It's funny what we pour down the drain these days when in the past it was saved for a new dish. How often do you throw away the water from boiled pasta? Ever think of using it for the base of your next soup?
Crisp Fried Potatoes
Crisp potatoes have as much to do with the temperature of the fat, which should be about 350 deg. to 375 deg. Fah., as it does with the potatoes. To be crisped by deep frying, should first be soaked in cold water for twenty to thirty minutes, then dried perfectly before immersing in the fat. Also, they should be removed from the fat the moment they are done, and drained dry.
