Roundtable: What is the best potato product? 

Peter Fenteany, Associate Opinion Editor 

Fries 

This time, we save the best for first. French fries are a time-honored tradition, celebrated for their crispiness, oiliness and saltiness. You can buy fries almost anywhere, and for good reason. From cheese and gravy to curry to the classic ketchup, french fries are just the perfect spongy base for flavor. They even clean up the remains! I don’t feel I need to convince anyone of their power, so let me instead share a famous fry-based British recipe: The chip butty. It’s pretty simple. You just butter some white bread, put salt and vinegar on your fries, and slap it all together in a sandwich! It may sound disgusting and full of carbs, but that’s the point! Fries are so good that they are a large contributing factor to U.K. obesity rates, and that’s kind of beautiful. 

Kimberly Nguyen, Associate Digital Editor 

Waffle Fries 

I think they taste better than regular fries. Perhaps it’s the surface area, the crunch, the extra crispness or even the funky grid shape, but I have a special place in my arteries for them. They have an appealing yellow orange color, meaning that they were fried to perfection. Think of the netting of them as a vessel for holding toppings. Personally, I would wait for the waffle fries in South before dousing them in sriracha, but if you’re a basic ketchup person, I’m not here to judge. They’re still easy to hold, and it won’t be a disappointment because of the bigger surface area: The second bite will just be as good as the first and you won’t be left with a sad end of a piece of fry. I will say though, I’ve heard a lot about Chick-fil-A fries and wanted to try the waffle ones. Well, they were undercooked and not crispy, so all I’m saying is if someone wants to take me out and prove to me that Chick-fil-A is worth it — because it was my one and only disappointing experience — let me know.  

Alex Houdeshell, Managing Editor 

Hash Browns 

I get that hash browns are practically as ambiguous a category of food as potatoes themselves. How do you cook your hash browns? Are they shredded or in patties? Are home fries also hash browns? Do you put cheese on top? To get ahead of the issue, I’ll say now that no matter how you cook your hash browns, they’re guaranteed to be good. First of all, hash browns are a breakfast food. Breakfast being the best meal of the day (I don’t feel the need to prove this statement, but if you’re looking for reasons, consider breakfast’s consistency, versatility and “most important meal of the day” title), that automatically makes this a great form of potato. Whether your hash browns are shredded or not, you get some sides crispy and some parts soft, a great sensation. Plus, you can season them up however you want for a personalized experience. When you think of the best potatoes at UConn, whether you picture South’s potato pancakes or Whitney’s shredded hash browns, both fit into this category, and both are the right choice. 

Courtney Gavitt, Digital Editor 

Tater Tots 

Listen up, y’all, cause this is it. The potato that I’m repping is de-li-cious. That’s right, fam. It’s tater tots. They have a crispy outside and a warm, soft inside. What’s not to like? They’re effectively bite-sized hash browns, and I couldn’t ask for anything more out of a potato. Hash browns are great! I’ll admit it! But if you’re dipping them in ketchup (the only way to eat them), they fall apart. It’s messy, it’s not satisfying and you end up with soggy bits of hash browns in your ketchup. Tater tots are the perfect solution! It’s all the glory of a hash brown contained in one bite. They provide excellent nostalgia due to their staple place in school lunches, and you can have them with any meal. They’re perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner, and the dining halls take advantage of this by serving them at any time during the day. Plus, you can eat them with a fork or just treat them like finger food. Classy or casual: You decide. All I’m saying is, you can’t go wrong with a good tater tot.  

Olivia Hickey, Campus Correspondent 

Shredded Potatoes 

When people think of ways to cook potatoes, usually the top contenders are fries, tater tots and potato pancakes. Well I personally think shredded potatoes are the way to go. A good plate of shredded potatoes could be a great option for a breakfast side dish. Top it with some Frank’s Red Hot and add it to eggs, you got yourself a mean breakfast. Add some chives, sour cream and cheddar cheese for a just as filling alternative to baked potatoes minus the hassle to get potato bits out of the actual baked potato. Plus the crispy shredded pieces look overall appetizing. Who doesn’t want their food to look as good as it tastes? If you haven’t yet, I highly recommend giving shredded potatoes a shot!  

Lyric McVoy, Campus Correspondent 

Caramelized canned potatoes 

I know out of the gate this is a weird choice; of all the delicious fried potato options out there, why pick this admittedly odd Danish dish?  These sweetened potatoes are traditional to a Danish Christmas, along with pickled cabbage and lightly-seasoned beef. The taste is all the gooey goodness of melted sugar with the texture of a boiled potato. It’s one of the dishes that reminds me of my childhood, and though it might not be the most popular version of potato out there, it’s nostalgic to my family’s atypical way of celebrating Jul. If you’re ever interested in trying a new way to make your potatoes, I can’t recommend these bite-sized treats enough. They’re the perfect balance of the best part of a boiled potato and the best part of a caramelized treat all in one Danish dish. And though it’s early, from my family to yours: Glædelig Jul! 

Thumbnail photo courtesy of Immo Wegmann from Unsplash.com

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