Ask Dr. Potato

Q: I heard that McDonald’s used to make their fries fresh and use animal fat. What variety of potatoes did they use? What else changed over the years?

Q: Are Idaho® Potatoes considered waxy? I found a delicious sounding recipe for a potato salad that calls for waxy potatoes. All I have at home at Idaho russets.

Q: Can Serving Two Types Of Potatoes Help My Overall Food Cost At Breakfast?

Q: We are having company over, do you have any secrets for making mashed Idaho russet potatoes? I don’t have a ricer, just an old fashioned masher.

Q: Looking for some advice. I make fresh cut French fries from Idaho potatoes at the restaurant daily. I was reading an article about a place in San Francisco that cuts the fry strips into a pickle brine and customers rave about the taste. Will I save money on salt if I add some salt and white wine vinegar to the water versus salting after the fries come out of the fryer?

Q: How long will the blanched (in oil) fries last in the cooler? What would piece of equipment would you recommend for a spin dry!

Q: Is is safe to "bake" potatoes in a slow cooker? It sounds like a recipe for food poisoning to me.

Q: I recently cut into a russet and it had a long line of pink running across top. Looked like I cut it in half and ran a pink highlighter across the length about 1/4 inch from the side. Is that normal?

Q: I sliced russet potatoes in a food processor then parboiled in milk, cream, salt and pepper Then refrigerated them in an aluminum pan overnight. The next day most of them were greyish color with black outline, I had to dispose of them. I use aluminum pans when making potato salad by parboiling the potatoes and nothing ever happened. Was it the food processor, type of potato, alum pan or all the above. I never want to be in this situation again.

Q:  Many years ago we used a white powder in water to soak our freshly cut fries to prevent discoloration. I believe it was called "stay white" powder, can you help me find where to buy some?