Ask Dr. Potato

Q: It is BBseason soon…how can I compete with the wonderful smoked flavor customers can do at home with their grills?

Q: Now that the warm weather is coming this way, can you explain more about the food safety issues of serving an Idaho® potato salad on a hot day?

Q:    My fresh fries keep turning out limp, do you have any suggestions?

Q: We are an Irish pub and want to participate in our local township beer and food festival. Any suggestions on what to serve at our booth?

Q: Do you have any suggestions for serving potatoes at our local charity events?

Q: Can you tell me a little bit about potato cooking chemistry?

Q: How do you make a baked potato at home that tastes as well as those you get from your favorite restaurant? My wife and I have tried everything…bake time, oven temp, size of potato etc. They still suck big time! What are we doing wrong?

Q: I am starting a new concession business. I want to provide the absolute best Idaho® French fries this market has ever seen. Can you help? We’re starting a new gourmet burger concept featuring hand-cut fries.  We are already capitalized for several locations and I want to be sure that we get the preparation method for our fries PERFECT from the start.  With a simple basic menu, we want to do a few things perfectly, including making the VERY BEST hand-cut fries in the market.

Q: How do I know if I’m really getting Idaho® potatoes?

Q: I noticed that the CIA (Culinary Institute of America) in St. Helena recently held a nutrition conference called Produce First!  Any thoughts on how I can make potatoes more center of the plate?