Why is there a 20 lb turkey on the light grid?

So, I've been pondering an old family tradition, french fries and cheese gravy. For the record, it's not as frightening as it sounds. A few people I know now are squeamish when presented with the word "gravy," but you substitue the word "sauce" and it's the same idea. However, in my family, it's gravy. It's also kind of a social event. We'll all gather around the kitchen, cutting and frying the potatoes, nibbling as we go.

Anyway, the point being, I intend to prepare this dish for others sometime. But, it occurred to me last night that when we've made it before, I've always been on cheese duty. I don't really know about the frying aspect - how hot, how long to cook, etc. I've never actually deep fried anything in my life.

So I cut up a few potatoes last night to do a dry run. They turned out okay. The first batch was a little soggy, so I turned the heat up on the oil. The second was better, although still a bit soggy since they were already cooking at the lower temperature when I realized the oil needed to be hotter.

I'm now confident that I can make decent french fries.

I also know now that it's very important to make sure the pan is completely dry before pouring the oil into it.

Ew!!!

( I hate this book! )